Volkswagen is getting it right

[dd74]

According to this month's R&T, it seems Volkswagen will offer their big SUV, the Touraq in hybrid or 3.0 turbo diesel only. Evidently, they've dropped the gas version. Good work. Piggish 13-15mpg SUVs is so George Bush and Big Oil.

[blk911]

perhaps you should hold out for the hydrogen version.

[RWebb]

Nice, but I'd rather have them put a Westy Camper New Bus body on it...

[porsche4life]

Eff ya! Not sure why gas was ever an option with their awesome diesel motors really....

[Jim Richards]

Westy camper new bus body!!! +1x10^6

[dd74]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Eff ya!

Eff me if I can even find one new on the lot.

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Not sure why gas was ever an option with their awesome diesel motors really....

I think VW found that out with their diesel Jetta and Golf sales. (Can't find those, either. Even used).

[nynor]

i've driven a TDI passat wagon. i have to agree: the turbo diesels have it going on.

[David]

I drove a diesel X5 and it had pretty good acceleration. Not V8 good, but much better than a gas 6 cylinder.

[speeder]

I've been driving a 2008 Toureg, (not Touraq), w/ the 4.2 Audi V-8 this last week. What a POS, really. 10mpg on premium and just pointless.

As most know here by now, I love big trucks and I love diesels. Large gas SUVs and PU trucks are just a mystery to me.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Glad somebody figured it out. Europeans drive small trucks that get 30 MPG thanks to small displacement diesels, for the life of me I can't figure out why they don't bring them here. A 30 MPG Tacoma or 25 MPG Tundra would be a HUGE hit in America.

[idontknow]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Glad somebody figured it out. Europeans drive small trucks that get 30 MPG thanks to small displacement diesels, for the life of me I can't figure out why they don't bring them here. A 30 MPG Tacoma or 25 MPG Tundra would be a HUGE hit in America.

Because it cant haul the boat or trailer.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by idontknow

Because it cant haul the boat or trailer.

Haven't driven many diesels, have you? A small displacement diesel will crush larger gasoline engines in torque output, particularly the low end torque required for towing. There's a reason why you don't see semis with gasoline V8s in them.

[porsche4life]

Originally Posted by nynor

i've driven a TDI passat wagon. i have to agree: the turbo diesels have it going on.

My mom had two TDis.... They both were torque monsters... And they would cruise at 90+ with ease...

[dd74]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Glad somebody figured it out. Europeans drive small trucks that get 30 MPG thanks to small displacement diesels, for the life of me I can't figure out why they don't bring them here. A 30 MPG Tacoma or 25 MPG Tundra would be a HUGE hit in America.

You know GM has a small turbo diesel (2.8 or 3.0 - I can't remember), but doesn't sell it to the American public. They can put it in anything from SUVs to pickups. I know they put one in the Cadillac CTS, and supposedly it has almost as much torque as the CTS-V.

[onewhippedpuppy]

A little more food for thought:

The UK Toyota HiLux (Tacoma) crew cab 4x4 with a 3.0L diesel produces 253 lb*ft of torque at 1400 RPM and gets 28 MPG (US). The US market Tacoma 4.0L V6 produces 266 lb*ft but at 4000 RPM, and is only rated at 18 MPG highway. Even the UK market Land Cruiser is rated at 28 MPG (US) with the diesel.

These products exist, just as dd referred to. Why the hell can't we have them?

[dewolf]

Originally Posted by idontknow

Because it cant haul the boat or trailer.

Well my 2006 DiD Mitsubishi Pajero was only a 3.2TD Four banger but it would haul our go kart trailer with four karts and a complete compliment of spares easily. Laden the trailer was 1450Kg and I'd still get 600Km's from a tank. Without the trailer 1000km's from a tank on the open road. 700-800km's around town. Only had 125Kw but 400Nm of pulling power. Hills were no problem even with the trailer.

[Tidybuoy]

Originally Posted by dd74

According to this month's R&T, it seems Volkswagen will offer their big SUV, the Touraq in hybrid or 3.0 turbo diesel only. Evidently, they've dropped the gas version. Good work. Piggish 13-15mpg SUVs is so George Bush and Big Oil.

That really is a dumb statement.

I believe "Big Oil" produces both Gasoline & Diesel. And now that George Bush is out of the picture...VW is producing a Diesel or hybrid SUV - no gas option. I would think that with Obama running GM, GM would be doing something similar....

Bush is not to blame. It is the American people and the demand for products. The president can have some influence but your statement is really uneducated. Try an see the big picture.

[dd74]

Honestly, Matt, I think it's the big three's inability to read the American public and their growing desires for diesel. Or just plain ignorance toward a growing market they could care less if they miss.

In the same Road and Track magazine, the long term test just finished for the Jetta TDI, and the magazine loved the car.

Last year, Audi, Mercedes and BMW toured around L.A. with cars that advertised the benefits of clean diesel. People took interest as now, it's almost impossible to find one on anyone's lot.

People really want these cars. But you're going to have to go foreign to get one. And the big three don't seem to give a damn if you do. Which is strange, because between Ford and GM and their overseas brands, both companies have a huge amount of goods to put together many diesel options for American consumers.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by Tidybuoy

That really is a dumb statement.

I believe "Big Oil" produces both Gasoline & Diesel. And now that George Bush is out of the picture...VW is producing a Diesel or hybrid SUV - no gas option. I would think that with Obama running GM, GM would be doing something similar....

Bush is not to blame. It is the American people and the demand for products. The president can have some influence but your statement is really uneducated. Try an see the big picture.

Blah! Blah! Blah! Toiletbowl. Keep your scrub brush in your hole. Don't you know sarcasm when your read it? Everyone else on this thread seemed to.

[dd74]

Back to the subject: Mercedes diesel and turbo diesel 300 sedans and wagons are some of the most sought after used cars in L.A. right now.

Yeah, but no one here wants diesel, according to Detroit.