Sparking Interest in Diesel

In the market for a fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly, and performance-oriented car? Chances are your first impulse isn't to run out and buy a diesel. The common perception for decades has been that diesel engines are dirty, noisy, and inconvenient; foreign diesel manufacturers have struggled to meet relatively strict U.S. emissions standards. That, along with limited selection and high per-gallon prices, means diesel engines have gained little traction with American drivers.

 

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But while Detroit and Japanese automakers like Toyota and Honda aren't veering from their commitment to hybrids, European automakers are coming out with series of incentives and ad campaigns designed to improve perception, promoting the fact that new diesels' emissions are on par with their gasoline-powered counterparts, get up to 30 percent better mileage, and are in some ways greener than hybrids, which suffer from problematic battery-disposal issues.

To sweeten its message, BMW is currently offering a $4,500 credit toward the purchase of its latest diesel models: the BMW 335d Sedan and X5 xDrive35d. The program will run until Nov. 2, the date that Cash for Clunkers was originally supposed to end. The new cars and program are designed to "show the environmental benefits of modern, clean diesel," says BMW spokesman Dave Buchko, who adds the company is intent on challenging the old diesel stereotypes. So far, the program has worked, boosting sales by 58 percent from June to August, so they're now in limited supply. Jim O'Donnell, CEO of BMW Group's North American sales operation, speaking at a Sept. 1 Automotive Press Association meeting about the company's plans to broaden the fleet in the U.S., said if diesel fuel stays relatively in line with gasoline prices, the engines will fare well in the U.S.

With its 2010 E Class, Mercedes-Benz is also entering the American diesel-sedan market. The company has reason to be optimistic with its spring launch. Mercedes was the first German luxury brand to bring diesel products to all 50 states last year, with its sport-utility lineup made up of the ML320, R320, and GL320. Volkswagen has also had luck with its TDI diesel engine, which it introduced stateside in August 2008. Steve Keyes, a Volkswagen spokesman, says sales of the TDI Jetta were 20 percent above the company's expectations. "We're in a sold-out situation," he says, pointing out that many of the customers were younger buyers, new to VW with no "preconceived notion of diesels."

William Underwood, 40, is one of those buyers who recently purchased his first diesel, a 2009 Jetta TDI, which he saw advertised on YouTube. He considered a hybrid but was attracted to the Jetta's mileage, which he says averages 40 to 42 city/highway combined, and its high performance. "When I test-drove the Jetta, the pickup was phenomenal," he says, adding that its acceleration was better than on the hybrids he tested. "It's a great car."