Audi Q7 TDI

2011 Year in Review: Diesel in America

2011 Year in Review: Diesel in America

2011 was a good year for diesel fans.  Sales of diesel-powered automobiles in the U.S. were up 39% in the first half of the year, and it looks like that figure will increase when all of 2011 is tallied.
Two entirely new diesels were introduced in 2011, namely the Mercedes-Benz S350 …

Vote for the 2012 Diesel Car of the Year

Vote for the 2012 Diesel Car of the Year

Voting for the 2012 Diesel Car of the Year has started.  Four companies, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen, currently offer diesel passenger cars in the U.S.
This year’s stellar field of nominees includes seven passenger cars; the Audi A3 TDI, the Mercedes-Benz E350 BlueTec, the Mercedes-Benz S350 BlueTec, the Volkswagen Golf  …

2011 BMW X5 xDrive35d Review and First Drive

2011 BMW X5 xDrive35d Review and First Drive

The BMW X5, which first appeared in 1999 as a 2000 model, was completely redesigned for the 2007 model year.  In 2009, BMW of North America introduced the diesel-powered X5 xDrive35d alongside the BMW 335d.   In many respects, the X5 diesel competes against the Mercedes-Benz ML350 BlueTec ,the Audi Q7 …

2011 Audi Q7 TDI Quattro Review and Test Drive

2011 Audi Q7 TDI Quattro Review and Test Drive

The Audi Q7 TDI, last reviewed here in 2009, is Ingolstadt’s largest and was eagerly awaited here for its combination of aggressive styling, overall useability, and good handling. Few vehicles provide seven seats, massive torque, and 21.5 mpg (10.94 l/100 km). Its optional towing package can handle up to 6,600 …

2012 Diesel Car Lineup in the U.S. – What’s New

2012 Diesel Car Lineup in the U.S. – What’s New

More and more buyers picked a diesel in the first half of 2011 and the reasons behind this are clear. Not only do diesels have better fuel economy but they are typically cleaner than the gasoline-powered equivalents and one doesn’t have those pesky (and expensive) batteries to worry about a …

Diesel Economics: Sales Up 39% for First Half of 2011

Diesel Economics: Sales Up 39% for First Half of 2011

An in-depth analysis of new car sales data by The Diesel Driver shows that sales of diesel-powered automobiles in the U.S. are up by 39% compared to the first half of 2010. In addition, buyers continue to choose diesel models over gasoline equivalents at the same rate as last year. …

BMW 335d is the 2011 Diesel Car of the Year

BMW 335d is the 2011 Diesel Car of the Year

The BMW 335d is the 2011 Diesel Car of the Year, announced Jonathan Spira, editor of The Diesel Driver magazine.  The BMW 335d received 29.6 percent of 3,669 votes cast by readers of The Diesel Driver from 43 countries.  83% of the votes came from readers in the United States.
“The …

2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Review and Road Test

2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Review and Road Test

The  all-new 2011 Volkswagen Touareg is the second generation of the SUV built on a shared Volkswagen Group platform in Bratislava, Slovakia alongside its platform cousins, the Audi Q7 and the Porsche Cayenne.
The Touareg, pronounced “twah-reg”, gets its name from the nomadic Tuareg people in North Africa, believed to …

Vote for the 2011 Diesel Car of the Year

Vote for the 2011 Diesel Car of the Year

Four companies, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen, currently offer diesel passenger cars in the U.S.  This year’s stellar field of nominees includes six passenger cars, the Audi A3 TDI, the BMW 335d, the Mercedes-Benz E350 BlueTec, the Volkswagen Golf TDI, the Volkswagen Jetta Sedan TDI, and the Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen …

Diesel Economics 101

Diesel Economics 101

Diesel (as well as gasoline-electric hybrid) automobiles are typically sold at a higher price point than their petrol-only counterparts with the difference typically being several thousand dollars.
For example, the BMW 335d’s list price is $43,950 while a similarly-equipped 335i is $41,975.  The diesel-powered BMW X5 Sports Activity Vehicle (BMW parlance …

Audi Q7 TDI Review

Audi Q7 TDI Review

The Audi Q7, first introduced as a 2007 model, shares a platform with the Volkswagen Touareg and the Porsche Cayenne and is definitely the best looking of the three.  Resembling more of a tall station wagon than anything else, it appears smaller than it really is.  Its mammoth proportions (it …