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Once again, high fuel prices are dampening travel plans this holiday. More Americans will stay home this Fourth of July than last year, just as they did during the Memorial Day weekend.
With fewer people on the road, retailers have seen demand for fuel drop, according to data released today by NATSO, a trade group representing the travel plaza industry.
Ask any economist what happens when a product’s supply is ample but demand is lower, and you’ll hear that the price of that product is likely to fall.
Continue to read: Gasoline and Diesel Demand Drops, Survey Shows
Nissan will showcase the X-TRAIL diesel prototype at the 2008 Integrated Exhibition of the Environment in Hokkaido*1 (June 19-21) as well at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit’s International Media Center (July 7-9).
Nissan’s participation supports the focus on environmental issues at the G8 Summit meetings.
Continue to read: Nissan to Showcase X-TRAIL Diesel Prototype at 2008 G8 Summit
Audi, the inventor of TDI, blazes a trail in the field of engine manufacture. At the 27th annual Lake Wörther Tour being held at the end of May in the Austrian province of Carinthia, the brand behind the four rings is showcasing this technology’s potential with a sensational study.
The two-liter TDI unit under the bonnet of the Audi A3 TDI clubsport quattro delivers 165 kW (224 hp) and musters up 450 Nm (331.90 lb-ft) of torque – the sort of pulling power normally associated with a sports car. The show car races from 0 to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in just 6.6 seconds and attains a top speed of 240 km/h (149.13 mph).
Continue to read: The Audi A3 TDI clubsport quattro concept
There is a strong competition in diesel-powered half-tons, today General Motors revealed more details on its 4.5L Duramax turbo-diesel V8.
PONTIAC, Mich. - General Motors Corp.’s revolutionary new 4.5L V-8 Duramax turbo-diesel, which makes its debut in Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra light duty trucks in the 2010 model year, is compact, powerful and fuel-efficient. The engine also is lighter, an important consideration in the competitive light truck market, because it was designed with more than 70 fewer parts.
The new dual-overhead cam, four-valve V-8 diesel engine boasts a number of innovative design approaches that have enabled its compact size and mass, including integral aluminum cylinder head exhaust manifolds, integral cam cover intake manifolds and a narrow V-angle block.
Continue to read: GM releases details on 4.5L Duramax turbo-diesel V8
Purist sportiness and compelling performance, combined with sensational efficiency – Audi is setting the trends yet again. The Audi TT Coupe 2.0 TDI quattro and Audi TT Roadster 2.0 TDI quattro are the first series-production sports cars in the world to be powered by diesel engines.
The two-liter four-cylinder engine delivers dynamic thrust, with a power output of 125 kW (170 hp) and 350 Nm (258.15 lb-ft) of torque. On average, however, the TDI in the TT Coupe requires only 5.3 liters of fuel per 100 km (44.38 mpg) – unbeatably low consumption in the sports car segment.
Continue to read: Audi TT Coupe and Roadster will be powered by diesel engines
At the International Vienna Motor Symposium (24-25 April), Volkswagen is to introduce the production version of the BlueTDI, a next-generation turbo diesel developed especially for the North American market. The common rail engine is based on the high-tech TDI, which was first introduced in Europe in 2007 with the Tiguan.
This engine already satisfies the Euro-5 standard that comes into effect in autumn 2009. In order to meet specific operating conditions in the U.S., this four-cylinder engine was redeveloped with internal engine modifications and a NOx trap.
Continue to read: VW BlueTDI will debut midyear in North America
It’s become something of an article of faith among the mainstream media in this country that the only environmentally friendly automobile is Toyota’s Prius.
True, the Prius, with itscomplicated and expensive hybrid powertrain, is an impressive piece-innovative and accomplished enough, in fact, to be named our 2004 Car of the Year. But I’ve recently driven a car that beats the Prius for driver appeal and does just as good a job of saving the planet.
Continue to read: Who needs a Prius if you can have Audi A3 1.9 TDIe
Porsche will only build a diesel-powered Cayenne if North Americans overcome their reluctance to buy diesel cars, said Klaus Berning, Porsche’s head of sales and marketing.
Berning said U.S. car buyers would need to switch to diesel cars in big numbers to make it economic for Porsche to launch a diesel car.
Continue to read: Porsche’s diesel is up to North Americans
BMW brought its not-for-sale-in-America 118d five-door to New York City to claim the 2008 World Green Car award… and that’s probably the only time we’ll ever see the thing on US soil.
Immediately following the event, BMW packed up the car and put it on the boat back to Germany. For some reason it won’t be sold in the U.S.
Continue to read: BMW 118d wins World Green Car Award
Audi is presenting a revolution in the top class – the first 12-cylinder diesel engine in a high-performance roadgoing sports car. The V12 TDI with a displacement of six liters powers a concept car based on the Audi R8. This unit generates a huge 500 hp and 1,000 Newton-meters (737.56 lb-ft) of torque. Audi is writing a new chapter in diesel technology with this power unit. Equipped with the expertise that Audi has built up through its motor sport activities, the R8 TDI Le Mans in Brilliant Red embodies superb road handling, pioneering technology and fascinating design.
Continue to read: VIDEO:Audi R8 TDI Le Mans
