It’s Bye-Bye for the TDI in 2007
May 29, 2006 – 9:47 pm by Matt Radel
Filed under Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Jetta, Volkswagen New Beetle, Volkswagen Touareg
New U.S. emissions standards will force VW to drop TDI versions of the Jetta, Golf and Beetle for the 2007 model year.
Sigh. Just as VW has enjoyed a 20.4% increase in U.S. sales (22.7% from the TDI models), they’re forced to drop the red-hot TDIs for ’07. They will continue to sell the diesel Touareg and build extra ’06 Jettas to sell into the ’07 model year, so if you’ve been considering a TDI the time to act is now. They’re already in fairly high demand, and will only be harder to find as the year progresses. New, redesigned vehicles that meet the new emissions standards will be available for the 2008 model year.
While the timing is unfortunate and will have a negative impact on Volkswagen sales, I am glad to hear that we’re moving in the right direction when it comes to emissions standards. I’m sure that Toyota and Honda are jumping for joy at this, as it will remove a formidable competitor from the fuel sipping market for 2007, which could allow them to gain a more significant foothold with American consumers. Still, if VW plays this right, many folks might not notice the absence until the ’08 TDIs are released. At any rate, Volkswagen will have to continue to foster growth and excitement in other areas. It’ll be interesting to see how this pans out.
Thanks to Leftlane News and Detroit Free Press.
It’s Bye-Bye for the TDI in 2007
May 29, 2006 – 9:47 pm by Matt Radel
That’s ridiculous, a TDIs emissions are super low. I swear there is a conspiracy to keep diesel powered passenger cars out of the US.
Let’s see a comparison of a typical TDI emissions to say, an H2 or any other sub-15mpg guzzler (there is so many to choose from).
> They will continue to sell the diesel Touareg
The US is allowing a TDI if it gets 17mpg and costs $65k? Hmmm…no, that’s not weird.
From what I gather, the emissions standards are different for a “truck”, which is how they classify the Touareg. I’m with you though – I freakin’ hate the H2 & other gas guzzlers. While I can agree with tighter standards to some extent, I think they may be starting in the wrong place.
Yeah, all SUVs are rated as trucks, even though that’s so far from what a real truck actually is. Regardless of what the heck it’s classified as, I’d like to see more consistent policies in place against all automobiles, not just passenger cars (an SUV is no less passenger-esque than my Golf).
Emissions on my biodiesel powered TDI are comparable to a Prius, why not promote the TDI as an alternative fuel vehicle instead of kicking it out?
Argh.
This is total governmental garbage! Man, I was truly considering one as my next vehicle. Hmm, well let’s see what 2008 brings… maybe.
Government bureaucracy at its best. We just keep shooting ourselves in the foot. We’ll never break the fossil fuel dependency if we don’t allow alternative fueled vehicles to develop. I’m sure the new biodiesel fuel plant that opened in my community this week will love hearing this. The Japanese can celebrate all they want; I’ll wait for the ’08.
The TDI is the ideal SVO (straight vegetable oil) and WVO (waste -) conversion engine. I hope that VW does not remove this engine from thier engineering archives. When more straight BD fueling location begin to spring up – these engine WILL BE a MAJOR answer to the petroleum fuel disaster. Hey Patrick – what’s your community where the new BD palnt openend???
I own an ’03 Golf GLS TDI and fill it with BD every two weeks. I bought it to convert it to an SVO/WVO car, and was planning on buying a large VW TDI as our family car (the Golf is the commuter car) in a little while and converting it, too. I had to search far and wide for the TDI and had almost given up. Everyone wanted a premium for theirs. I got mine (luckily) for a steal. This is going to drive up demand and prices for the TDIs. Great. New emission standards? Wow. My car gets 40 MPG and burns biodiesel. Yet, the government’ll allow the most inefficient diesel on the road (the one inthe Toureg) to continue. Genius.
The oil companies that own the US gov’t see potential profit loss if everyone adopted an alternative fuel vehicle like mine. As it is, I pay less per gallon than gasoline for BD, and none of it goes to big oil. This legislation is a transparent attempt to keep us addicted to $3/gal gasoline.
VW has just released info on their lastest revision of the TDI. They are claiming that it is the cleanest deisel ever made. Have you heard of this? Information about VW’s breakthrough was obviously timed to squash this rumor. It this the engine that you are talking about for 2008? If it is; I say, “bring it on”!