Posted on 11/20/2008 9:49:18 PM PST by doug from upland
VW Jetta Clean Diesel Wins! by Green Car Journal Editors 11/20/2008
This is an important time for ‘green cars,’ even amid some of the most challenging times the auto industry has ever seen. The reasons are clear. In many ways, ‘green’ cars represent the future of the auto industry and the products that will enable our mobility in the years to come.
It’s no longer an option for automakers to address the efficiency and environmental impact of new models, but rather an imperative. It will become even more so as environmental performance, in all its forms, becomes a greater touchstone for new car buyers.
In fact, environmental performance already is viewed as an important measure of a new car. While not yet on par with more traditional touchstones such as safety or quality, environmental performance – especially when it includes higher fuel economy and lower carbon emissions – has taken on greater meaning in this era of high and unstable fuel costs.
Green Car Journal’s Green Car of the Year® program is the industry leading measure of environmental progress, identifying the one vehicle model that offers the most significant achievement in this area during the new model year. This year, GCOY nominees included a diverse crowd, among them the BMW 335d, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Saturn Vue 2 Mode Hybrid, and smart fortwo.
The winner, just announced at the Los Angeles Auto Show, is the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. This is the first time that a clean diesel model has been awarded the title Green Car of the Year®.
The 2009 Jetta TDI breaks new ground in the field of clean diesels, achieving emissions certification in all 50 states without the use of special additives or extraordinary measures. It provides five passenger functionality with welcome levels of power and a satisfying driving experience. Importantly, it also achieves estimated highway fuel economy of 41 mpg with greatly reduced greenhouse gas emissions. That’s a rarified fuel economy number typically achieved by only the most efficient gasoline-electric hybrids. The clean diesel Jetta TDI matches this efficiency with a powerplant that’s more straightforward and affordable, allowing the Jetta TDI an affordable $21,990 price tag.
Selecting the 2009 Green Car of the Year® was a jury including four Green Car Journal editors and a larger number of invited jurors including automotive icon Carroll Shelby; auto expert and ‘Tonight Show’ host Jay Leno; Sierra Club executive director Carl Pope; Natural Resources Defense Council president Frances Beinecke; and Ocean Futures Society president Jean-Michel Cousteau.
how could this happen? we don’t have kyoto
I was part of the group that put on the alternative fuel vehicle ride and drive at the L.A. Auto Show media days. We escorted Gov. Terminator around the show last night.
Well, I disagree with their choice. The 335d at least drives the proper wheels. The Jetta is still wrong-wheel-drive.
How about $100 and 30mpg?
The five finalists - http://www.greencar.com/features/green-cars-top-5-for-2009/
Yes, the Beamer is a beautiful vehicle.
I wouldn't go that far. Bangle has left his hideous mark on it. :-/
But if you can get past his weird design, it's a fine vehicle, and the engine is brilliant.
Still like the E320 Bluetec better. At least it wasn’t Bungled By Bangle. :D
Very nice but don’t count out the Ford Fusion Hybrid.
VW/Audi could be building this car in the US from their planned new plant near Chattanooga Tenn.*
No surprise that the once big three have nothing like this rolling out.
The once big three have been very badly managed. Lead times are unacceptably long. Been losing market share for 35 years. Had too long to solve the union problem.
Propping them up is effectively making their bloated payrolls wards of the state.
*VW/Audi is the third largest maker of vehicles in the world, behind Toyota and GM. VW/Audi recently had the largest market capitalization of ANY company in the world.
When are they gonna fix a good fuel efficient pick-up truck. I will not own a car. After driving a truck for 39 years I feel like I am sitting on a pavement and gonna be squashed by an 18 wheeler when I am in a car.
One big problem: Diesel is now half again as much as regular gasoline.
GM’s been making hybrid trucks for years. Nobody buys them.
Dodge is supposed to come out with a 1500 diesel. Ford was supposed to do one also for the F-150.
However, I wouldn’t count my chickens before they hatch.
The BMW is nice, but not at twice the price.
“GM’s been making hybrid trucks for years. Nobody buys them.”
That could be because they are expensive and they still get crappy gas mileage.
OMG, the Smart Car is so cute!
But you get a lot better mileage with diesel and diesel engines hold up a lot better than gasoline engines so it evens out.
They get about as good fuel economy as you can expect out of a full-sized truck.
I think there’s also the whole “you spent $10,000 extra to get a hybrid truck and it still looks like cavemen put it together” thing. :D
Back in July, Ford released the details of a new Fiesta it plans to begin selling this November. The new car is based on Ford’s ECOnetic platform and can get 63 mpg in the city and 73 mpg on the highway. So why is it only available in Europe? It’s a diesel, and Ford doesn’t think Americans will ever adopt diesel cars.
http://gas2.org/2008/09/09/new-fiesta-gets-73-mpg-but-ford-says-its-not-for-the-us/
The real issue is probably not will Americans buy diesel cars, is will the libs allow them.
“OMG, the Smart Car is so cute!”
It doesn’t sell well here though because it’s too expensive for what you end up getting. You can get a lot more car for what would pay for a “Smart Car” and still get pretty darned good gas mileage.
I have actually seen a lot of smart cars on my hood!:) They are only $12,000. I love that car so much. They are actually roomy inside!
*in
Still $2000 more expensive than the Nissan Versa, the Versa gets very good fuel economy and has FOUR DOORS and can seat FOUR PEOPLE.
Also, Smarts are pathetically slow and unsafe to operate on freeways. The wake from an F-series truck can knock them over a lane.
Yeah but full sized trucks in general aren't selling that well anymore. People aren't buying them as much unless they really need the capabilities a full sized truck can deliver. They're moving to smaller vehicles that have better fuel economy. We definitely have a buyers’ market in my area for full sized trucks, new and used.
I think they’re pretty neat looking too and it might be fun to have one to tool around town in. I’d have to have a real car too though and I can’t afford to keep two cars, so the Smart Car is out for me.
Oh, yeah, but the guy was asking about fuel efficient full-size pickups, so there was his answer.
In the 70s, VW built a fuel-efficient pickup truck in Westmoreland, Pennsylvania.
And you see so many of those still around... :P
It wasn’t a real truck - it was a sawed off Rabbit with a truck bed attached. Real trucks are 4WD or RWD, not FWD.
1) Actually, I'm reminded frequently—there's one in my neighborhood. I once owned a diesel Rabbit, and it was actually a fun driver! (And later rediscovered fun FWD on a racetrack in a Honda CRX).
2) You've heard that 4WD pickup trucks allow you to get stuck much deeper in the woods, right?
:)
Yup, but 4WD pickup trucks also let you get up the icy hill or that slick boat ramp.
“And you see so many of those still around... :P It wasn’t a real truck - it was a sawed off Rabbit with a truck bed attached.”
LMAO, a rabbit VW with a bed attached! hahaha
To make things worse, it was called the Volkswagen Caddy.
Cool. We are planning to go to the show this weekend. I am in the market for a new car. Not really interested in a hybrid myself, I drive about 80 miles a day so I want comfort, safety and speed. I’m thinking about the Dodge Charger or maybe a Cadillac, or possibly an Infiniti M class sedan. I am in no hurry though - I hear the dealers are flooded with cars and I am watching Cadillac dealers tearing up to $10k off the sticker to move cars. If the economy doesn’t stop sinking there might be a flood of unsold, new cars out there for the next 12-18 months and some great deals to be had if so. Not that I wish it so, I will need to get a new car in the next 1-6 months but I do expect to get very favorable pricing and terms.
“allowing the Jetta TDI an affordable $21,990 price tag.”
Affordable? Good luck with that VW.
Plus packaged options, tax, title and any extra add-ons that the dealer makes a HUGE profit on..
IMO: more like $24k to $27k out the door???
You forgot the GAP Insurance! You godda get the GAP Insurance!
In a world where the more common family sedans break $30K with a smattering of options? Yeah, that’s affordable.
OMG, thank you for making my night. This is so hilarious and hideous!
this same engine or its predecesor are put in chrysler vehicles made here and used for foreign markets. They have Jeep Patriot diesels getting 35-42mpg over in Europe.
It gets better. Do you remember the Dodge Omni?
This is a green car..
yeah baby! Green, like CASH
2008 Maybach 62
What about a diesel-electric hybrid? Subs do it, railroads do it, why not GM?
That's why once we bailout of the automakers is complete (probably by early February 2009), we could see concerted efforts to build small-block turbodiesel engines that could meet the EPA Tier 2 Bin 4 emission rules (no longer impossible thanks to common rail direct fuel injection and improved exhaust emission controls). Can you imagine a 2011 US-market Fiesta with a 1.4-liter turbodiesel engine rated at around 104 bhp and Ford's new Powershift dual-clutch transmission? Can you say EPA 2008 test highway mileage rating around 47-49 miles per US gallon?
Any economic benefit is more than canceled out by the fact that diesel fuel is so much more expensive than even premium gasoline.
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