CasterOil- I’ve never known servicing intervals to be any shorter than for gas engines. In fact, I just did an air filter and oil change on my TDI (pumpe diesel for those of you who know what that is) and it will not need servicing again for 15000 km’s (9320 miles). Thats pretty good considering that I used to change the oil on my dodge every 4 or 5 thousand miles.

http://www.audiworld.com/news/06/jdn2/

Audi is definitely at the forefront of diesel technology for passenger cars, and I, too, would welcome the chance to buy an Audi with a TDI engine – amazing refinement, power and TORQUE.

Getting a diesel engine in the TT is not as much of a waste as it might appear. Any diesel engine developed for the TT would be used on other platforms, I would think the A3 and the A4 at the very least. There are also reports that the Q7 will soon have a diesel option. If I were a betting man, my money would be that Audi is developing 2 diesel engines that, between them, could be used with most of the Audi line.

Reports are that pricing will be around 3% above the old TT. The old TT was around $35k for the 2.0T and $40k for the 3.2. That isn’t so expensive that I wouldn’t care about gas mileage. My guess is that any diesel option will be a mid-level option priced between the 2.0T and the 3.2, which I believe is how they are priced in Europe. If they do this, Audi will have a hit on its hands. If it is priced above the 3.2, well that would be a more difficult sell.

Diesels won’t be for everyone, but it looks a whole lot more attractive to me than any hybrid I’ve driven. Personally, I can’t wait to test a modern diesel. Unfortunately for me, I live in one of those 5 states where current diesels can’t pass emissions.

“The car has twice the power and more than four times the weight of an F1 car, yet half the fuel consumption.”

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=14540

RF

WRT the pain of refuelling and Diesel’s general “filth” there really is no difference, I’ve driven both diesel and petrol on both sides of the pond, filling stations are the same, you just have to pick up the correct filler nozzle. (You’d be surprised how many folks get this wrong). Having said that, if you’re prone to splashing yourself with fuel anyway, then of course diesel will give you the same trouble…

I recently drove a Vauxhall (GM) Astra 1.7 diesel, 100 hp, which felt like plenty of poke. More fun and twice the efficiency of the (4 pot – euch) Stratus I had in Detroit. For context, my regular chariot here in Blighty is a Vauxhall Omega V6 2.5l (Caddy Catera)

Regardless of how long ago GM’s misguided adventure was, it still sucked. At least Ford had the brains to buy motors from BMW (Continental) and Mazda (Escort, Tempo, Ranger.) VW converted their 1.5 gas to diesel in the same time frame and no one can argue that it wasn’t successful. The block in my diesel rabbit is exactly the same as the block in the gas motor. The SAE asked VW to do a full write up on this motor, which they did. To my knowledge SAE did not ask GM for the same. Also – seems that the over 40 crowd buy quite a few vehicles and have WAY more purchasing power (money) than Gen X and Y.

If this comes to pass markets will adjust, as they always do. Refiners will adapt to produce more distillates (diesel) and less gasoline. And you won’t have to fuel up with the truckers. I don’t today. Probably 1/3 of gas stations have a diesel pump right next to the gas pumps.

Firstly, it is at a premium price to equivalent petrol models, sometimes several thousand dollars.

Secondly, servicing intervals are usually shorter, and much more expensive.

Thirdly, at some stage you are going to experience the financial pain of a clogged injector.

Fourthly, Diesel is a filthy, oily substance, and quite often you are going to splash youself with it.

Fifthly, you are going to be filling up in a greasy garage forecourt where Diesel is spilt all over the ground from 18 wheelers, usually with the bowser located nicely in the rain at the edge of the filling area. Just try getting the Diesel fuel off your shoes so that you can brake safely.

Oh! I forgot! It gets good fuel economy!

http://www.audiusa.com/model_home/0,,bodyStyleId-2,00.html?bodystyle=a4avant

Why the TT? thats such an obscure combination of things. Its a cute idea but its certainly not something I’d put in front of getting A4 diesels and A6 diesels on US roads.

Look the TT is a playboy toy IMO. The 8N TT was a well dressed GTI of sorts.. not exactly but it has an awful lot of 1J0 parts and if it starts with 1 its from a vw. When it costs $2k usd to put a ski rack on a car do you really believe that the buyer gives much of a shyt about fuel economy? Puhleeze… lets be logical Ingolstadt, I dont have many if any customers putting 20k miles a year on a TT… I do have a bunch driving the B,C,D platform cars tho (A4, A6, A8). What it boils down to is that the time and money spent to federalize a diesel TT would be better spent on the larger cars of which more are sold and see more annual miles per vehicle.

And let’s not forget that the ONE thing that GM got out of the debacle with Fiat was access to competitive pass. car diesel technology, one of the reasons GM Europe market share is back on the way up.

I, personally, can’t stand the smell of the stuff. But if we can clean it up and quiet it down, Americans will flock to diesel. High torque and high mileage will carry the day.

Can’t wait to see the R10 when it comes to Mosport for the ALMS series. Got some great pics of its predecessor last year, those stonking great carbon fibre brakes are pretty cool.

As much as I would have liked to have seen a diesel (or E85 for that matter) on the option list of our new Malibu Maxx, no such luck. Even though my wife works for a trucking and logistics company, a diesel vehicle is just reprehensible to her. I’d be willing to bet the same applies for many folks in the States, TDI’s notwithstanding. At least until gasoline gets to $5/gal. Then you might see some movement.

The torque is what will sell the cars to the average North American. The key is to get people to drive them. I’m glad ULSD is being phased in, and hopefully Audi actually will bring a TT TDI over. BMW apparently is looking at North America as well for diesel implementation. If Honda follows through and brings over their diesel engines, I can see people lining up to place their orders.

GM and Ford have made such stupid decisions in regards to diesel for the NA market: Ford with the F-150 project, and also the diesel Focus. GM has the technology from its Euro divisions, but we all know they aren’t really interested in selling cars that people might actually want to buy.

It’ll probably be a rude awakening once the new diesels start appearing from the “foreign” brands. Unless GM and Ford are secretly gearing up too, but they haven’t bothered to tell anyone…yeah, that’s it, they don’t want to create any of that crazy anticipation that might sell a car or two.

Finally! I’ve been begging for a Diesel roadster for YEARS and everyone thinks I’m nuts. To me the ultimate would be an Elise with a TDI. That ultra lightweight Lotus chassis would likely provide startling mileage figures, and thrilling performance too. I’ve managed to reach nearly 60 MPG in my VW Jetta TDI, so lop a few thoudsand pounds off and presto! (mind you, my average is more in the upper 40s, but high 50s are possible.)

I like the TT to a certain degree, but Audi’s seem to be horrifically overpriced. How can they justify over double for the A4 over the Jetta? When I bought my Jetta in 2002 there was an A4 wagon sitting next to it for over $60k! Mind you it was AWD and packed to the gills with extras, but I paid under $20k for the TDI (that was before prices of oil-burners went crazy).

If Audi does have the guts to ship the TDI in a roadster chassis however, I WILL buy it. I have to after all the bitching I’ve done about no car maker having the balls to build one. Gotta put my money where my mouth is.