Posted on 02/06/2007 6:17:15 AM PST by Red Badger
Thanks to changes in Chrysler's manufacturing plans for European market minivans and the popularity of Jeep diesels, the US market may eventually get diesel minivans. For the past decade, the Euro market vans were assembled at a plant in Austria, but the new van production will be consolidated at Chrysler's St. Louis, MO assembly plant. That means that the VM Motori diesel engines that are offered in European vans will be shipped to the US for installation. The current diesel doesn't meet new emissions standards, but Mercedes is developing a new 2.2L two-stage turbo diesel for 2010. This engine should meet all the new emissions standards and since they will be coming to the US anyway, it would make sense to sell some of them in the domestic market. Minivans aren't as mini as they were when the original Dodge Caravan appeared in 1984, and their mileage is less than stellar. A high torque, fuel efficient diesel paired up with a six speed automatic would likely be a very good match for the vans and should prove popular.
Rest In Peace, old friend, your work is finished.......
If you want on or off the DIESEL "KnOcK" LIST just FReepmail me........
This is a fairly HIGH VOLUME ping list on some days......
KnOcK!...........
Do you think they can pull it out, again? Lee Iacocca-style?
Life's too short to drive a Chrysler.
Lord, take me now.
Chrysler- what a joke.
Depends on what the definition of "it" is...........
I think if Chrysler shifts to a full diesel fleet, or diesel-optional on most models, people will eventually figure it out.
turbo diesels rock and they are what I am waiting for to get in a new car. I wanted a toyota yaris diesel but 'yota is making too much money off the damn hippies buying priuses to move away from them just yet.
I am currently assigned in Germany and have rented a couple of turbo diesels. (One was a BMW!)
They are far better than the diesels Detroit put out in the '70s.
I drive a '02 Dodge 1500 Ram. I wish it had a diesel engine. I drove a friend's diesel version a while back to pull a large trailer about 500 miles. My gasoline engine would have cost me a whole lot more to go there and back........1000 miles....
These day's diesels are not your father's diesels. It's like comparing an '70 Chevy engine with a '07 Chevy engine........
It would only be cool if they put a Detroit diesle in it because of how good they sound.
Gas price, local $2.03 gal
Diesel $2.59
Do the math........
I was sitting next to a diesel pickup truck at a light the other day and I could not hear it............
I think a diesel mini-van would be a hard sell. they should get a successful market and acceptance for SUV's and light trucks before this venture.
Now that California has used up the allotments of carpool exceptions for cars over 45MPG, let's see how well hybrids sell.
I drove a turbo diesel BMW across Europe and it was a great car. Fast and good mileage.
You like the screaming Jimmy 2-strokes? They always sound like they aregoing to blow up.
It's California Standards that are stricter than the rest of the world. If they can't sell the vehicles in California, then they don't import them at all............
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