Ford announces 54 MPG diesel car in "Europe"!

[Boss Lady]

I don't understand this kind of thing. How can Ford can make this available everywhere but here? http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/automotive_news/4221669.html

I am writing my congressman tomorrow. CAFE standards my ass!

Kind of makes you think that the conspiracy theorist might actually have some credibility.

 

[jlightonjr]

Europe has some awesome diesel cars and SUV's that get fantastic MPG's. In Europe you can get just about any model with clean diesel power in Europe. My wish list:
-Mercedes Benz GL 420 CDI (V 8 Diesel) with 20city 24hwy
-Mercedes Benz S320CDI (V6 Diesel) I believe this gets high 20's city mid 30's highway with more torque than the gas V8 S550!!!

 

[34Hatt]

Well the little bit I have heard is they can make one with better mileage in the US, but it does not meet the epa requirements!!! Supposedly making them really clean is also choking them!!

 

[Boatsb]

Don't forget that no manufacturer wants to build a small car that will not survive the soccer mom doing makeup while on the phone driving her Hummer when she hits that economical car.

Our cars here generally are much larger than the ones most prevalent in Europe and Asia. We also have stricter collision standards than most other countries and lets not forget a president whose family is in the oil business.

 

[Pascal]

i've been ranting about this for a while... 54mpg is an improvement but they've already been selling diesel cars, SUVS and trucks with far better mileage than the gas versions they sell here in the US. not just ford obviously but GM and chrysler too.

You see an increasingly number of smaller cars on the road these days and in any case the larger vehicles benefit even more from diesel.

this shows how short sighted our politicians are... and now that FOS Al has won the nobel peace prize.... be ready for more ! I wonder if he's going to fly a private jet to go accept his prize

 

[MikeP]

VW had a diesel car in the late 70's that got over 50mpg. I can't remember what the model was called (Golf?) but I had two friends who owned them. They liked the fuel economy; I continued to quite happily drive my 440 Challenger.

Given those two choices today, I'd still take the 440 Challenger!

 

[Avenger]

Well the little bit I have heard is they can make one with better mileage in the US, but it does not meet the epa requirements!!! Supposedly making them really clean is also choking them!!

BINGO! I have a VW TDI that gets about 50 MPG. VW couldn't sell them over here for a few years because of US emissions. The EPA is obsessed with NOx because they've never had an original thought in their lives and just copy CA. While europe is obsessed with CO2 because they signed on to Kyoto. But don't worry, some greenies just won a lawsuit against the EPA forcing them to look at CO2 also. So now we're going to get DP'd. Meanwhile we all pay for this stupidity. I'm glad I picked up my XOM at $42. Should've bought more. End of rant, sorry.

 

[krush]

At some point, our "very smart" government that knows more than engineers, businessmen, and anybody else is going to finally choose between EMISSIONS and FUEL Economy.

"We must lower our dependency on oil" or "we must cut emissions"

Though I guess if cars get better mpg, people will just drive twice as much?

 

[Westfield 11]

At some point, our "very smart" government that knows more than engineers, businessmen, and anybody else is going to finally choose between EMISSIONS and FUEL Economy.

Our soon to be delivered smart cars give 60mpg on unleaded regular. And meet all US and even the more rigerous Euro safety standards. Euro standards exceed US regulations for pedestrian impact safety and meet US standards for driver and passenger safety. These cars may be small. but they have 4 airbags and a rollcage, and still top out over 100mph!

 

[Pascal]

exactly... the idea that larger is safer is often untrue as shown by SUV crash ratings. These things give the driver a false sense of security especially when driven at highway speed... electronic drivers aid may help but it's muich easier to loose control and hurt yourself driving an SUV than driving a "normal" car.

if our government was serious about reducing our dependency on foreign oil, they could temporarily relax emission standards on diesel, give incentives to manufacturers and consumers and watch fuel economy jump 30 to 50% almost overnight.

the technology is here, the fuel is here, the cars are already here....Instead of spending that money on fuel, consumer woudl be spending it other sectors, good for the economy.

but which washington politician is going to dare taking on the short sighted hard core tree huggers ?

 

[Westfield 11]

but which washington politician is going to dare taking on the short sighted hard core tree huggers ?

Actually I think it was the car makers here in America that just colluded with the lobbyists to defeat the attempt to raise the avg. fuel economy (CAFE). It seems from my vantage point to be the US populace who are determined to hold on to their SUV's, pick-ups and other gashogs at any cost. And damn the economy, environment and national security as long as we keep fuel prices artificially low by getting in bed with carpetbagging multinational oil companies. Rather than pay the going rate for fuel @ the pump like the rest of the world, we pay less @ the pump, but make up the difference with increased taxes due to the tax breaks given to the oil companies. This way there is no incentive to drive less since you pay already every year on April 15.

 

[67hat34c]

the big 3 have invested heavily in the big v8 suv's and pu trucks, they made everyone believe this is what they need. big 3 have pitiful sales results lately as all have seen, sales way down, American Honda posted a 9% gain. you know they do not offer one v8 car. oh by the way my Acura MDX with 105k miles, full size suv with plenty of pick up and power, this morining running 65mph with no air on and using cruise i got 31mpg average from orlando to sarasota. It was 68 degrees this morning and very nice out so opened sun roof and shut off ac. All the honda products get exceptional MPG and are very very low emissions. Honda is also developing a diesel, cant waite for that because you know it will be state of the art and will be a good one. I read a business publication a few years ago that stated Honda could not survive due to its small size, the other corps are so much bigger and will be able to sustain. Guess Honda is proving them wrong again.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Actually the diesel problem here was that those new european engines could only run on ULSD and we didn't mandate that until just recently. Now I think you will slowly see some of these new diesels trickle into the US. It will take some time, but I bet we won't be having this discussion in another 5 years.

 

[jim rosenthal]

I hope so. The only thing that I wish my late lamented Tacoma was missing was a diesel engine- and they sell them with diesels on every other continent. Ticks me off. I wanted a diesel LandCruiser a few years ago and couldn't get one of those either.

I had a diesel Rabbit (forerunner to the Golf)- got up to 50 mpg. Also a 240D that routinely bettered 30mpg on the highway. Even my 300CD will get nearly thirty if I don't go too fast. If I were looking at a new car, a new VW diesel would be on the list. The MBs are too complex and break too often.

The Europeans and Brits have small efficient diesel cars (and gas cars) because fuel has cost a mint there since Hector was a pup. Don't worry; we'll get there. We're getting there as we speak.