Ford shelves diesel Focus for North America due to cost concerns

AutoWeek Online ^ | 5/17/04 | Amy Wilson

[B Knotts]

Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. IMO.

[MineralMan]

"Diesel engines are costly because they have high-pressure fuel systems and need exhaust equipment required to meet pending U.S. emissions regulations.
"

Duh. All EFI vehicles, meaning almost every gasoline-powered vehicle built since 1992 or so, have high-pressure fuel systems and every gasoline-powered car in the US has a catalytic converter in the exhaust train. No difference.

However, I can just imagine a noisy little three-cylinder diesel in a Focus. The real cost would be in stuff to quiet the interior of the car.

[balrog666]

So build them for "Canada and Mexico" and let buyers smuggle them across the border.

[cinFLA]

Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. IMO.

To which are you referring. The diesel Focus or the shelving of it?

[jamaksin]

IMHO - What Mercedes needs to do is to bring the A-Class diesels into the US market ... 55-60 mpg and not a Jeep SUV.

[B Knotts]

The shelving thereof.

[oceanview]

looks like MB is coming to the US with the B class, a stretched A class. you can get an E320CDI in 45 states now, 35MPG. European diesels will be big in the US when the clean fuel diesel in 2007 comes online.

[B Knotts]

I had a 55hp (!) diesel Nissan Sentra some years ago. It got 50 mpg! It went 275,000 miles before I cracked the head, and decided to junk it.

Today's diesels are much cleaner and more powerful.

[Monty22]

[B Knotts]

The low sulfur diesel is already available in a lot of the U.S., including Oregon (I saw it at the Troutdale Tesoro).

[B Knotts]

???

[MineralMan]

"Today's diesels are much cleaner and more powerful."

They sure are. They're still noisy when cold, though. My guess is that Ford doesn't think it's worth spending the money to quiet down the interior of the Focus for the diesel.

Their whines about the cost of the engine, though, are bogus. High-pressure fuel system, indeed. There's already one in the gas Focus.

[Dead Dog]

No kidding. I would love a Diesel Liberty, or better yet, a diesel 1/2 ton pickup. But for commuting, the Focus would have been nifty.

[TexasCajun]

Seems the only way to shoot all of Michael Moore is to use a camera with one of those Fat-Ass lenses!

[CSM]

"The shelving thereof."

What would you be willing to pay for a deisel Focus? Would you be willing to drive to fueling stations near highways instead of your convenient corner station?

[B Knotts]

I'm thinking of going with the new VW Passat TDI.

[Cboldt]

All EFI vehicles, meaning almost every gasoline-powered vehicle built since 1992 or so, have high-pressure fuel systems and every gasoline-powered car in the US has a catalytic converter in the exhaust train. No difference.

You should recheck the details on that. Fuel is injected to a spark-ignition cycle during the intake stroke of the piston, and the typical "high-pressure" used to provide a good atomized fuel is under 100 PSIG. On the other hand, diesel fuel is injected to a cylinder under compression, when the compressed air therin is hot enough to auto-ignite the fuel. Fuel pressures are typically over 1,000 PSIG.

Exhaust products are different too. Diesel exhaust requires different hardware for cleaning, than does spark-ignition exhaust.

[eno_]

I was literally going to walk into the VW dealer and buy a diesel Passat wagon last week. Found out it's no-go in Massachusetts. Stupid! I hope they get this straightened out. I want to get a diesel Bug for my daughter.

[Frank_Discussion]

"He's gonna blow!"

He shoulda never eaten that meal gum at Wonka's...

[Vroomfondel]

Except that California hates diesel autos. VW are allowed to sell very few of the popular diesel New Beetle in the state.