[SteinarN]

Volkswagen has unveiled a new Passat Bluemotion II. Claimed mileage is 57.4 mpg US. This makes possible a range on one tank of fuel of a stunning 1,700 Km or 1,056 miles. It has a new version of the 2.0L 16 valve common rail diesel engine. The Bluemotion version of this motor has decreased torque to 250 Nm and decreased power to 110 hp compared to 340 Nm and 140 hp for the high power version. The reduced power and torque makes it possible to increase the compression ratio of the engine without damaging pressures arising in the sylinder and thus increasing the efficiency of the engine above the efficiency the same engine has in the normal high power version.

link

[Delphis]

Wow, great post Stein.

I will have to check that out once the $5000-$10000 dealer markup goes bye-bye!

[emersonbiggins]

The EPA lists the 2009 Jetta with the same diesel engine at 29/40 with the DSG-auto and 31/40 for the manual.

So far, I've not heard anyone claiming 60+ (weighs less than the Passat) with the new Jetta, but, frankly, I haven't been looking all that closely at it. Interesting, though.

***EDIT*** - I see this is the tuned-down version of the Jetta engine. Sorry for not reading this through.

[SteinarN]

Other characteristics of the Bluemotion models is narrover tires, more panels under the car making it's underside slicker decreasing the drag, higher gears decreasing the engine rpm, a gear change indicator telling when to change gears (telling to gear up very early), slightly decreased ground clearance and no automatic version available.

[Delphis]

Perhaps it is finally starting to sink in...too bad we can't melt down all the Silverado's, Tahoe, Suburban, F150's, Explorer's and Expedition's and pour them into Bluemotion's...

[joeltrout]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Delphis', 'P')erhaps it is finally starting to sink in...too bad we can't melt down all the Silverado's, Tahoe, Suburban, F150's, Explorer's and Expedition's and pour them into Bluemotion's...

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Delphis', 'P')erhaps it is finally starting to sink in...too bad we can't melt down all the Silverado's, Tahoe, Suburban, F150's, Explorer's and Expedition's and pour them into Bluemotion's...

[yesplease]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Delphis', 'P')erhaps it is finally starting to sink in...too bad we can't melt down all the Silverado's, Tahoe, Suburban, F150's, Explorer's and Expedition's and pour them into Bluemotion's...

[biofuel13]

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD-- Don't ever buy a VW!!

I literally just walked back into my house, back from the VW dealership. I had gone there to get a headlight replaced. On the phone they told me it would take a half hour and cost $35. When I got there they said it would take 3 hours and cost nearly $450!

450 Farking dollars for a headlight?!!??

I looked at the service counter guy right in the eyes and told him to Fark himself....then turned and walked out......

They must be trying to pay off their research and development costs on this new technology by Farking all their existing customers.....

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('biofuel13', 'F')OR THE LOVE OF GOD-- Don't ever buy a VW!!

I literally just walked back into my house, back from the VW dealership. I had gone there to get a headlight replaced. On the phone they told me it would take a half hour and cost $35. When I got there they said it would take 3 hours and cost nearly $450!

450 Farking dollars for a headlight?!!??

I looked at the service counter guy right in the eyes and told him to Fark himself....then turned and walked out......

They must be trying to pay off their research and development costs on this new technology by Farking all their existing customers.....

[VMarcHart]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SteinarN', 'V')olkswagen has unveiled a new Passat Bluemotion II...

[mos6507]

I got my first ride in a modern diesel passenger car(a Mercedes) this week via a coworker and wow, they really have come a long way. You'd never know it was a diesel. It wasn't noisy or smokey or anything.

Unfortunately, longterm we've got a problem with diesel (at least petrodiesel) because diesel is what powers trucks. Trucks will compete with passenger cars on the road and in the end the trucks MUST keep running for america to survive. That's why the price of diesel spiked way higher than gasoline. Demand destruction doesn't happen that well with truckers. So unless you're talking about making biodiesel and SVO work in a big way, diesel is not the answer.

[3aidlillahi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', 'I') got my first ride in a modern diesel passenger car(a Mercedes) this week via a coworker and wow, they really have come a long way. You'd never know it was a diesel. It wasn't noisy or smokey or anything.

Unfortunately, longterm we've got a problem with diesel (at least petrodiesel) because diesel is what powers trucks. Trucks will compete with passenger cars on the road and in the end the trucks MUST keep running for america to survive. That's why the price of diesel spiked way higher than gasoline. Demand destruction doesn't happen that well with truckers. So unless you're talking about making biodiesel and SVO work in a big way, diesel is not the answer.

[SteinarN]

When destilling crude oil only a small fraction is gasoline and a larger fraction is diesel and an even larger fraction is heavier molecules than diesel. To make the current needed amount of gasoline it is necessarry do "crack" the higher molecular weight molecules into smaller as in gasoline. As the available crude oil is getting ever more heavy more cracking is necessarry to produce the same amount of gasoline. So in order to make more diesel it is not necessarry to make gasoline in the first place, just to reconfigure the crackers to crack the heavy crude oil into a bit less light molecules like diesel instead of the very light gasoline molecules.

[wisconsin_cur]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('biofuel13', 'F')OR THE LOVE OF GOD-- Don't ever buy a VW!!

I literally just walked back into my house, back from the VW dealership. I had gone there to get a headlight replaced. On the phone they told me it would take a half hour and cost $35. When I got there they said it would take 3 hours and cost nearly $450!

450 Farking dollars for a headlight?!!??

I looked at the service counter guy right in the eyes and told him to Fark himself....then turned and walked out......

They must be trying to pay off their research and development costs on this new technology by Farking all their existing customers.....

[VMarcHart]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('3aidlillahi', '.')..we can combat that problem with new investments (like trillions of dollars) in a massive freight rail system which is electrified, thus boosting efficiency even greater.

[MarkJ]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'Y')es, I know the EU mileage rates skew high, but real world is still likely to be in the upper 40s, so sign me up.

[biofuel13]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('wisconsin_cur', '
')Why did you take it to the dealer?

[yesplease]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MarkJ', 'M')ore Euro Diesel Hype. The Euro Test Cycle substantially inflates the fuel economy numbers. The Toyota Prius is rated @ 4.3L/100km (54.7 MPG) Combined in the Euro Test cycle.

[WatchfulEye]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('biofuel13', 'F')OR THE LOVE OF GOD-- Don't ever buy a VW!!
450 Farking dollars for a headlight?!!??