Almost Official!...Cruze Diesel is a GO!

[NateDN10]

I hope this comes to pass!

In previous years, Honda was planning on selling diesel Accords and Civics in the US, but it never happened. Subaru's boxer diesel was also going to be sold here, but that also never happened.

If they were to come out with a diesel Cruze, it stands a very good chance of being my next car (in a few years, anyway).

 

[KrisZ]

Yep, I will believe it when it is in the show rooms. Too many manufacturers already made "promises" of bringing their diesel models here and nothing happened.

Having said that, a diesel Cruze would be tempting.

 

[Trav]

Even if they do i have a bad feeling about any diesel from GM in passenger cars.
No doubt GM will use the VCDi (AKA the Ecotec CDTi) built by Daewoo because of lower cost, which is based on the VM Motori (read Korean built Italian engine).

Fiat and GM both own part of VM. The Opel cars using the Motori are not as highly regarded as the Ford/PSA engines. The VM is more suited to small transporter and low speed light grunt type use like in the Fiat Ducato van where it performs okay.

Ford uses a PSA Peugeot Citroën for the most part in Europe with great success, very good and powerful engines with great longevity.

Just from my own observations with all the diesel cars in Europe i can see this being another real GM diesel fiasco unless they woke up and use the PSA seeing as they are in bed with Ford on one diesel engine company anyway.

Quote:
Fiat Powertrain has acquired a 50% stake in Italian diesel engine specialist VM Motori from Penske Corp. Financial details of the transaction were not revealed. The acquisition will help expand Fiat’s diesel line-up.
VM Motori was purchased by Detroit Diesel Corporation (DDC) in 1995. Five years later it fell under DaimlerChrysler ownership when the OEM acquired DDC. Penske took a 51% in 2003, then acquired the remaining 49% from DaimlerChrysler in 2007. Penske soon after sold a 50% stake to GM and retained half itself.
GM still owns 50%. Fiat Powertrain and GM have said they will jointly manage the company.
Fiat own 35% of Chrysler LLC.

 

[Brons2]

Would be interesting to at least have the option. I just like the way the diesels drive. Auto only would be disappointing though.

 

[MarkM66]

Originally Posted By: Slick17601
Anyone with any memory of the 5.7 GM Diesel will not go near another GM diesel!


Even if the two engines have technically nothing in common?

 

[Thermo1223]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I wouldn't buy a diesel.

I don't care how improved they are, at -25C, gas engines will start. A diesel......maybe. Add in that diesel s more expensive than gas, AND GM's previous experience with diesels....I'll pass.




Watch and be amazed....

 

[PontiacFan]

I will say NO to a DIESEL, I can remember leaving the Capital Center back in the winter of 1989, my friend, at the time, had a VW Diesel, we went to watch a capitals Hockey game, he assured me that the 1.5 hour drive would keep the engine hot even if we were in the hockey game for a few hours, we came out and it took almost 2 minutes or so to start the car up, it was only about 25 degrees outside.

Maybe these diesels have improved, do not even need to watch the video, I will pass. JMO

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: PontiacFan
do not even need to watch the video, I will pass. JMO

It's great that people are willing to revisit their opinions formed on experiences from 20+ years ago.

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: OceanDoctor
GM can do it. GM=the gov, and can probably "meet" all requirements for diesels. Other manufacturers (save for VAG) will indeed face a lot of hurdles, and be made to jump hoops, most likely with the intention of making it prohibitive and cancelling the projects.

That said, another diesel option here is great! It's just so very unfortunate that it will be fitted to a cruze.

Have you read any reviews or test-driven a Cruze? They're a very nice car. The Aussies with petrol Cruzes like theirs, and the drive report I read on the Aussie diesel Cruze was very positive about the car.

The take rate for VW's TDI models is far above their initial projections. Fully half of the Jetta wagons are diesels, and a good percentage of the sedan Jettas are also diesel. This should play nice for the folks who want a super-efficient car but don't want the hassle of dealing with a generally unhelpful VW dealer when the windows don't roll up/high pressure fuel pump grenades the engine/radio and power mirrors go out at the same time.

 

[fdcg27]

I really hope to see this happen.
Still, where are the Accord and Subaru diesels that were coming to our market?
Back in the 'eighties, there were quite a few diesel passenger cars available in the US, from Toyota, Nissan, Ford and Chevrolet (yeah, there was the V-8, but there was also a V-6 and a little Isuzu four for the Chevette).
Mercedes offered diesels just as it always had, but BMW also offered the 524td, an engine also offered in the Lincoln Mk?.
VW of course offered diesels, even offering the little diesel four in the Vanagon.
There were probably a number of others that I've missed.
It may be that GM will kick off a new era of mainstream diesels in this country, and that will in turn force Honda to offer that diesel Accord and Subaru to offer that diesel boxer.
It would be great to see a wide selection of diesels here, and it would certainly complicate my non-urgent new car search.
I loved my two diesel 123s, slow as they might have been.

 

[NateDN10]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Back in the 'eighties, there were quite a few diesel passenger cars available in the US, from Toyota, Nissan, Ford and Chevrolet (yeah, there was the V-8, but there was also a V-6 and a little Isuzu four for the Chevette).

Aah, this brings back memories. My dad had a mid-80's Chevy Luv pickup with an 80-hp Isuzu 4-cylinder diesel. That truck got 45 miles per gallon on average. He had to trash it due to body rust, but sold the engine to a guy who put it in a tractor. Those engines were good for 500,000 miles before a rebuild.

Durable and great fuel economy, but man, was that truck underpowered.

 

[eljefino]

Yup. We forget about the 1980s diesel:

Camry
Sentra
Lynx/Escort, Tempo/Topaz, Ranger
Gutless Ciera/Century
I-mark/Chevette
Jeep Comanche (and XJ Cherokee?)

And most of those non turbos can stay forgotten.

I had a coworker state, and I believe him, that most of these cars were exported to South America in about 1990, to take advantage of their then super low diesel prices, and our short attention spans.

 

[opus1]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
....Still, where are the Accord and Subaru diesels that were coming to our market?
.....

I think Honda officially scrapped their plans.

Subaru is still thinking about it. I contacted them last year and was told that they're still evaluating the feasibility and I was added to a list to be notified once they decide.

 

[addyguy]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: addyguy
Someone wants to be the guinea pig, GO AHEAD.


Mate, the rest of the world has been using diesel in passenger cars for decades...you do know that there's a "rest of the world" don't you ?

They have been extraordinarily successful (GM included).

http://www.carsguide.com.au/site/news-and-reviews/car-news/cruze_diesel_the_first_australian_made

Unless the US market is getting a sawn off small block specifically, then your comments ARE ill informed


Shannow, my whole family comes fraom Australia. I've been lucky enough to have been there twice.

Trust me, I know about the 'rest of the world'....

My comment still basically stands for cold-starting - most places that use diesels extensively - South America, Australia, Europe...don't have the winters we do. I still wouldn't trust one to start reliable and easily over may years.

 

[fdcg27]

They really aren't that bad.
My 123s were okay down to overnight lows of ~10F.
Any colder than that expected, and I'd be sure to put the car in the garage for the night.
Of course, most of the MB diesels sold in the northern areas had the cold weather kit, and you could just plug the car in.

 

[artificialist]

The RWD Nissan Maxima had a diesel option in the USA, however, it was unpopular. That diesel engine shared many engine components with the Nissan L-series gasoline engine found in the RWD Maxima and Z cars built before 1984. Once Nissan built the FWD Maxima, an inline 6 wouldn't fit, and the diesel option was eliminated.

I don't remember if any other Nissan in the USA had a diesel option.

 

[Nick R]

Of course they would release this after we get ours

Ah well. Honestly, I can't imagine a better way to improve an already very good car.

 

[crinkles]

Just looking at an i30 petrol (1.6L) and diesel (1.6L) from hyundai australia.

diesel is $4k mroe expensive. Diesel is more expensive than petrol at the moment. If the diesel consumption is x% less than petrol and the disel price is lower than the same percentage on top of the petrol price, then you can claw back some of the $4k. otherwise you never will.

small diesels have been here for a few years and the more I look into it the more I feel (and the word I get from other people) is that the same car with a small gas engine will be cheaper to run. servicing costs on a diesel may also be more but this is usually inconsequential.

diesel gives more power but the premium over a petrol/gas is ridiculous.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: crinkles
Just looking at an i30 petrol (1.6L) and diesel (1.6L) from hyundai australia.

diesel is $4k mroe expensive. Diesel is more expensive than petrol at the moment. If the diesel consumption is x% less than petrol and the disel price is lower than the same percentage on top of the petrol price, then you can claw back some of the $4k. otherwise you never will.

small diesels have been here for a few years and the more I look into it the more I feel (and the word I get from other people) is that the same car with a small gas engine will be cheaper to run. servicing costs on a diesel may also be more but this is usually inconsequential.

diesel gives more power but the premium over a petrol/gas is ridiculous.

Diesel engines also outlive gas engines, so that can be factored in.

That in mind, cars are usually replaced because all kinds of other stuff get to expensive to replace before the engine dies.

 

[adamrc]

Originally Posted By: Thermo1223
Originally Posted By: addyguy
Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I wouldn't buy a diesel.

I don't care how improved they are, at -25C, gas engines will start. A diesel......maybe. Add in that diesel s more expensive than gas, AND GM's previous experience with diesels....I'll pass.




Watch and be amazed....


Here is a video of a GM Duramax diesel starting at -22F. This video says it all about the cold starting capabilities of diesels now days.



Diesels now days start just as fast if not faster than a gasoline engine. The technology has improved so much. Most all of the new diesels have high pressure common rail fuel systems and everything is computer controlled. All of my family drive diesels and NEVER ever have any issues starting in the cold or anything. They always fire up instantly and run great.