<ul><li><a href="http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090206/FREE/902069995">a Denise McCluggage McBlog</a></li></ul>

Diesel is so "popular" in Europe because it's a rigged game.

I understand why some Americans prefer diesels. I don't fault them for that at all. It's (currently) a great alternative.

But that's all straight diesel can ever be in America....

A limited alternative.

Exactly. It doesn't matter if it is right or wrong, fair or unfair: Americans do not want diesel engines. It is not gonna happen here and pouring time and money into making it happen in the USA is a wasted effort.

Early on, I read quotes from Audi execs about the Q5. They said they were not going to offer a hybrid version because they felt that diesel was a better alternative. Americans simply needed to be educated on the matter and then they would come on board. Wrong.

I am not at all surprised Audi has since changed its tune; the Q5 will eventually be offered as a hybrid in the US. But "eventually" is 3-8 years away. In other words, too far away. In the current climate (which was very predictable) they should have hybrids ready for sale right now. I often wonder how companies like Audi, who love to tout their technological expertise, expect to lead when they are so far behind the curve.

I'd love a diesel, but don't want to pay 40% premium for 25% increase in MPG.

Funny what competition makes people do.

My understanding is that Audi AG is working on a diesel hybrid system. Wouldn't that be cool. An A1 that gets 100 MPG in the city.<ul><li><a href="http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090202/CARNEWS/902029983">http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090202/CARNEWS/902029983</a</li></ul>

A hybrid Q5 next year? Really? That's great news if it proves to be true... I'll believe it when I see it though.

I'd be willing to wait a year if an impending hybrid can be verified. But what would it REALLY do for mileage? The average mpg in the compact SUV class has been embarrassing low (RDX) and every manufacturer seems to justify it by saying they "competitive" with other companies. This seems to be yet another segment where Toyota/Lexus is taking the (technological) lead and coming out on top; the RX is already available as a hybrid. Audi is playing catch up.

Only rigged because they don't tax it the way we do in the U.S.

Diesels make more sense if we would just equalize the taxes as compared to gasoline

Technically I agree with you... but hybrids represent a movement away from petrol and the sooner we do that the better. The embrace of hybrids is really an embrace of what they represent: step toward a world where vehicles run on something other than gasoline.

smart buy. I agree with some in that if Diesels become very popular then our current infrastructure cannot support it, but heck that's the same for any alternative fuel (hydrogen/Ethanol/etc.).

Diesels are way more fun to drive than a hybrid. If you do the cost of ownership after 5yrs then a Diesel wins hands down, especially if OEM's stop covering battery packs through warranty. OEM's loose money on Hybrids or subsidize it from other vehicles so they can be in the game, but what happens if hybrids become mainstream and the OEM's have to start charging the "real" cost?

Fuel taxes are just one of them.

Gasoline is taxed much more severely in Europe than America. If you artificially inflate gasoline prices then diesel is, comparatively, cheaper. (Both are still several times more expensive per gallon than in America)

EU taxes on engine displacement and hp are a factor that have favored small dispalcement diesels.

The geographically crowded nature of Europe with a far higher percentage of city (and especially inner city) driving makes diesel more attractive.

The less restrictive emissions requirements in the EU made diesel more attractive.

None of those things are currently relevent to the USA. Hopefully, they never will be.

As the OP's article was fundamentally saying: "If you want to sell diesel to mainstream America, you'll need to rig the game in favor of it."

I remeber when diesel was cheaper than gas...it wasn't that long ago...and it was always like that? When did the diesel become significantly more than gas; when the imports started to talk about actually bringing the technology here, and then brought it. Something doesnt seem right with that. Could the Ultra Low Sufler process really be that expensive?

much less than gasoline. You think the oil companies would ever let that happen, especially now with gas usage down more than 35%?

If you do, I have a bridge for sale in Brooklyn

Supply and demand.

And there is no overcoming the fact that (while they can fiddle with the ratio A LITTLE)far more gasoline is capable of being refined from a barrel of crude than diesel (about 2:1).

And the part of that barrel that CAN be refined into diesel competes with jet fuel, kerosene and heating oil.

It's a losing ratio for a long term increase in global diesel consumption.

Diesel ALONE can never be "the" answer.