The diesel engine is a type of internal combustion engine; more specifically, it is a compression ignition engine, in which the fuel is ignited by being suddenly exposed to the high temperature and pressure of a compressed gas, rather than by a separate source of ignition, such as a spark plug, as is the case in of the gasoline engine.
So here we are on April Fool’s Day eve and we are getting prepared for the most confusing day in the automotive calendar year. You see, nearly all of us Automotive journalists have a comedic age of roughly 12 to 15 years old and we can’t help but toss a few “big stories” your way in the hopes of tricking you into believing a complete fallacy. Even yours truly did so last year with my return of Merkur article.
Apparently, the press folks over at Subaru missed April Fool’s Joke 101 in school, as they attempted to fool us about a new BRZ that was coming out. The “press release” stated that an AWD Diesel Hybrid BRZ was to be released by 2015. Sounds like a great Joke, right?
Sure, it is a great premise for a joke — it almost caught us off-guard — but they completely missed the mark, in our opinion.
First of all, you never want to place a fake press release with the date of “April 1, 2013” when it is only Mach 31st – that’s a dead giveaway. Secondly, you’ve gotta make it somewhat believable. Word it like any other press release and don’t get all cheeky in the release – that just gives it away before you even finish reading it. Lastly, don’t let people know it’s an April Fool’s Day joke until the next day or at least for a few hours, unless it is something that can really cause issues.
Well, Subaru managed to break all three of those rules with their release on the “new” BRZ Hybrid Diesel. I guess we have to give them credit for showing a sense of humor…
Click past the jump to read the fake press release and let us know what you think: hilarious or epic fail.
VW is further expanding the seventh generation Golf lineup with the addition of the new GTD version. Set to be unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, the new Golf GTD will be put on sale immediately after with a starting price of €29,350 (about $38,700 at the current exchange rates).
The new-generation GTD continues a tradition started way back in 1982 when Volkswagen revolutionized the market with the unveiling of its first turbo-diesel Golf. The seventh-generation Golf GTD is the most powerful diesel Golf ever launched and it delivers an impressive fuel economy of just 4.2 liters per 100 kilometers (or about 56 U.S. mpg).
When compared to a standard Golf, the new GTD version received smoked LED rear lights and a larger roof spoiler. The interior has also received numerous GTD elements, like sports seats and steering wheels, a black roofliner and a GTD instrument cluster.
Hit the jump to read more about the new Volkswagen Golf GTD.
The Audi SQ5 TDI was unveiled in the summer of 2012 and, to our knowledge, there are no tuning package for it just yet. The German tuner B&B, however, decided to offer us the first upgrade for the diesel SUV and we have to admit that it’s a good one.
The kit focuses only on improving the engine’s output level and is offered in three different stages. In stage one, the engine receives a remapped ECU and mild boost increase 0.15 bar (2.2 psi), increasing the output to 340 horsepower – up from the standard 313 ponies – and 728 Nm (536 pound-feet) of torque.
In Stage two, B&B is offering additional electronics optimization that increases the final output up to a stout 365 horsepower and 750 Nm (553 pound-feet) of torque. The one that leave a lasting impression on us is Stage three. It includes high-performance injectors, an upgraded air intake and an aftermarket intercooler for a final output of 395 horsepower and 800 Nm (590 pound-feet) of torque. The Stage three kit nets the SQ5 a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) time of just 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 270 km/h (168 mph).
Along with the engine upgrades, the tuner is also offering a 25 mm (0.98-inch) lowering spring kit or adjustable coilover, a six-piston brake system and a wide range of alloy wheels going up to 22 inches.
As for pricing, the Stage one costs €1,498 ($2,000 at the current exchange rates), the Stage two kit runs €1,698 ($2,267) and the Stage three kit runs €1,950 ($2,604).
Just in time for the holidays, Land Rover has released a special edition version of the Freelander 2, called the Black and White Edition. Makes for a nice holiday present, right?
Although there aren’t any performance enhancements, the Freelander 2 Black and White Edition differentiates itself to standard models of its kind through a list of aesthetic and aerodynamic enhancements, beginning with two color options that are based on the name it’s been given: Santorini Black or Fuji White.
Other enhancements include a gloss-black front grille, door handles and side vents. The SUV also has privacy glass, heated side-view mirrors, exclusive LED running lights and rides on a set of 17-inch split-spoke alloy wheels. Inside, the Freelander 2 Black and White Edition comes with Ebony black cloth upholstery, power windows, 60-40 folding rear seats, eight-speaker audio system, seven airbags and Bluetooth connectivity.
Whether you opt for the front-wheel-drive or the four-wheel drive variant, both versions come with a 2.2-liter diesel engine, although the former has a 2.2-liter eD4 whereas the latter has a 2.2-liter TD4 diesel. Both versions produce 148 horsepower. The both engines come standard with a six-speed manual transmission, but you can opt for a six-speed automatic on the TD4 engine. The front-wheel-drive model squeezes out a respectable 47.1 miles per gallon and emits 158g/km of CO2. The four-wheel-drive model returns 45.6 miles per gallon and 165g/km of CO2.
All in all, Land Rover is building 600 units of the Freelander 2 Black and White Edition and have priced he eD4 model at £22,495 ($29,415) while the TD4 model retails for £23,495 ($30,700). We do not expect to see this model in the U.S., unfortunately.
At the end of November it was speculated that Audi may unveil a R10 diesel supercar, but we took that with a grain of salt. To our surprise, Audi quattro gmbh boss, Franciscus Van Meel, has confirmed that such a model is indeed under development and he offered new details on it.
According to Van Meel, the new diesel supercar will be completely different than the R8 and will help transfer Audi’s Le Mans-winning race technology to the road. The model will be "the absolute best supercar" and according to Van Meel will be "better than the forthcoming McLaren P1."
He offered no details on the engine, but we expect it to fall be somewhere around 700 horsepower and at least 737 pound-feet of torque. Depending on its weight and aerodynamics, that would give it a 0-to-60 mph sprint time in the 3-second range and top it out in the in the 200 mph range. If realized, these numbers will make the upcoming Audi diesel supercar better than three upcoming monsters: Porsche 918, Ferrari Enzo successor and McLaren P1. With all of that power means that this diesel supercar would likely come in near the €1 million mark.
While everyone is getting ready for the start of the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, Brabus has just announced a series of Power Diesel Special Editions. These models are based on the diesel versions of Mercedes E-Class, ML-Class, GL-Class and CLS Shooting Brake.
All models will be equipped with a Brabus D6S Power Diesel engine that delivers a total of 509 pound-feet and, depending on the model, an output of up to 313 horsepower. The E350 CDI Power Diesel Coupe is priced at €58,534 (roughly $75,800 at the current exchange rates) and the CLS 350 CDI Power Diesel is priced at €68,879 ($89,100). Both models deliver an output of 313 horsepower and will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.9 seconds. Along with the power increase, the two models will each receive a stainless-steel sport exhaust system and a set of 19-inch Monoblock F wheels combined with a set of sport springs. The CLS also gets a ride-height-lowering module and an elegant exterior design developed in cooperation with Bottrop.
The ML 350 CDI Power Diesel is priced at €71,121 ($92,000) and the GL 350 CDI Power Diesel comes in at €81,810 ($105,900), and both models pump 310 ponies from their engines. The tuner is also tossing in a stainless-steel sport exhaust system with two tailpipes, and a set of Monoblock wheels sized 20 inches and 22 inches for the two SUVs. For an extra €3,448 ($4,400) Brabus is also offering an exterior upgrade kit.
Read more about these kits in Brabus’ press release after the jump.
When Audi unveiled the R8 V12 TDI concept at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, everyone was impressed by its imposing design and hoped that the diesel supercar would find its way into Audi’s lineup. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen and the only V12 TDI model that remains is the Q7 SUV, which is only in the European market.
It looks like the idea isn’t completely off the table yet, as rumors are afloat that Audi is indeed working on a Le Mans-inspired hybrid-diesel supercar that will sit atop its lineup. Audi insiders have suggested that this new model could be called R10 and that it may be offered as a road-going version of the R18 e-Tron quattro.
While no details have been offered on the R10’s diesel engine, one thing is for sure; it won’t be the V-12, as it was deemed too heavy and its 700-plus pound-feet of torque was a little much for Audi’s existing line of transmissions.
Stay tuned for more details on this possible R10 supercar!
Before the 2013 model year, the top trim level of the Passat in the UK was the SE trim, which was relatively decked out, but lacked some of the extras that most premium sedans came with. In 2013, VW plans to change that by offering up a replacement for the outgoing SE trim level, the Passat Highline. Not only does the “Highline” name sound more luxurious than “SE,” but it also boasts an array of standard features that the SE did not.
This new addition affects both the Passat Saloon and the Passat Estate, which are a sedan and wagon, respectively. This gives the Passat lineup three trim levels in each body style, starting with the base-level S, the mid-grade BlueMotion, and capping off with the Highline. The real test is whether the additions to the top-level trim on the Passat really warrant the price the VW will place on it.
Click past the jump to read the full list of features and more.
During Volkswagen’s mad grab for power in the European auto industry, it managed to snag up little-known Czech car manufacturer, Skoda. With this acquisition, VW Group decided that revving a legendary name in the automaker’s past was a great way to help increase the brand’s popularity. This brought about the revival of the Skoda Superb – a model that dates back to the 1930s – as a sedan and a station wagon (estate).
The rebadged version of the Passat has since been one of the better-selling Skoda models, as it features VW quality and style with not-so-VW prices. Its price point is made more evident by the fact that the base-level Superb Estate comes in at £1,015 ($1,624 at the current exchange rates) less than the base Passat Estate.
One area that the Skoda seemed to fall short was the fact that it was not available in a more rugged version to satisfy those buyers that like to use its four-wheel-drive system to its fullest extent. That has since changed, as Skoda has just announced that it is releasing an all-new version of the Superb, dubbed he Superb Outdoor, which features a standard four-wheel-drive system and a more rugged exterior appearance.
Click past the jump to read all about the 2013 Skoda Superb Outdoor.
Diesel models are quite a hit in Europe, but in the U.S. market, they have only just begun to gain momentum because people are still learning about them. Despite the relative novelty, it looks like BMW is preparing a diesel invasion in the U.S. market with no less than six new diesel models set to debut by 2014.
Back in June 2012, it was reported that BMW was planning to offer a diesel 7-Series to its U.S. customers, but apparently this won’t be the only model. Next to it, we will also get a 3-Series sedan in the first half of 2013 and a station wagon in the second half. A 5-Series diesel will arrive in the third quarter of 2013 and the X5d at the end of 2013. The 7-Series will be the first diesel to arrive in the first half of 2014 and it will be followed by a X3d.
In terms of powerplants, the 3-Series will likely use the new 130-horsepower, 3-cylinder diesel engine, while the rest of BMW’s diesel lineup will get a six-cylinder diesel engine.
