2014 Diesel Sales Are Up 25%

Sales of diesel powered cars in the US are up 25% in 2014, far ahead of the 4.2% total increase in new car sales for the year so far. These stats come via the Diesel Technology Forum, and seems to show a decidedly favorable outloot for diesel vehicle sales in the U.S. Oddly, Volkswagen, which offers the most number of diesel powered models, has seen an 8% decline in sales, though that was somewhat made up for by its corporate cousin, Audi, which has see a four-fold increase in diesel sales to 8,100 units.

The Chevy Cruze diesel is also enjoying strong sales, with 3,000 units sold so far in 2014. In all, there are there are 46 diesel models sold in the U.S., and 27 of them are cars or SUVs Despite this though, diesels account for just 3% of the U.S. market at present. However, analysts expect that number to double over the next 3 years. Yes, diesel fuel costs more than gasoline, but diesel engines return about 30% better fuel economy, more than making up for  the few extra cents per gallon. And if you are driving a car that requires premium gas – which many luxury cars do – the difference in cost of fuel is rather minimal.

The government is pushing automakers to make huge gains in average fuel economy in coming years, and for many, the diesel option is far less costly than hybrids, plug-in hybrids or electric cars. There is no “range anxiety” associated with diesel an more like there was 20 years ago. In fact, most motorists are pleasantly surprised how quiet and responsive modern diesel engines can be.

While the marketplace is sorting out what the future of transportation will be, diesel powered cars will remain part of the mix. One big advantage they enjoy over gasoline powered cars and high tech cars like PHEV’s, EV’s and fuel cell vehicles is strong resale value. That’s a powerful incentive to go the diesel route for many prospective purchasers.

via AutoBlog

2015 Audi A7 Debuts 326 HP TDI Engine

The 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans was won (once again) by Audi, continuing an almost uninterrupted reign of racing dominance anchored by a powerful turbodiesel engine.  To celebrate its many successes at Le Mans, the 2015 Audi A7 has been fitted with a 326 horsepower 3.0 liter turbodiesel engine.

With that 326 horsepower comes a 38 MPG rating, Audi even managed to squeeze a 20-horsepower overboost feature in at full throttle. That makes it good for 26 horsepower over the standard A7 TDI when you push the pedal to the metal.

The 2015 Audi A7 TDI Sportback Competition (full name) also gets the aluminum treatment, with the doors, hood, and many interior features being made of the lightweight material. Of course all this comes at a hefty price, starting at around 72,000 euro, or about $97,300. For that you also get the S line sport package, which drops the suspension 20 mm with five-spoke 20-inch wheels over 7-inch brake rotors.

As for the new 3.0 liter bi-turbo diesel engine, changes to the camshaft and overboost function make the engine capable of 346 horsepower. The cherry on top though is the 480 ft-lbs of torque that’ll put you back in your seat at full throttle, once that overboost feature kicks in.

See? You can have your cake and eat it too. Just gotta dig a little deeper into those pockets to have it.

Source: Audi