Auto Execs to Meet with Bush by Joseph Szczesny (4/30/2006) New CAFE rules, oil prices expected to be on the agenda.
With fuel prices nearing record levels in the U.S., and little relief in sight, American motorists must consider the seemingly unthinkable. Yet in a nation that might easily emblazon the mantra, "bigger is better," on its flag, the idea of downsizing seems downright unpatriotic.
While hybrid vehicles are touted as a solution, the practical reality is that they work for only some motorists, and only in select driving conditions. So what are drivers of full-size pickups, seven-passenger SUVs, and 500-horsepower musclecars to do?
Volkswagen thinks it has the answer in the form of a steadily expanding lineup of diesel-powered vehicles, including the Golf, Jetta, and GTI. Demand has been so strong VW dealers can barely keep up, even though overall sales are sluggish, at best.
Ironically, while there are signs Americans are ready to rediscover the diesel, tough new emissions standards threaten to drive the technology out of the U.S. entirely.
In the wake of the 1979 Iranian oil crisis, Americans embraced the high-mileage powertrains. Well over half of all Mercedes-Benz products were diesels in the early 1980s, and other manufacturers rushed offerings of their own - a big part of the problem.
It was bad enough that '80s-era diesels were slow, smelly, and rough. It made matters only worse when a highly touted engine developed by General Motors' Oldsmobile division began to fail catastrophically, and in large numbers. As memories of the fuel shock faded, American drivers quickly returned to their beloved gas engines.
There are some exceptions; Volkswagen, for example, and DaimlerChrysler's Dodge division has done well with the relatively old-style diesel offered in its big Ram pickup. Mercedes revived its E-Class diesel last year. But most manufacturers, even those with the most advanced diesel technology, are reluctant to bring it to the States.
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