

| Subject: | Re: Now: Subie & Bluetec Diesels Was: T3s & RHD Japs in Vancouver Island.. ramblings & rantings |
| From: | Jim Akiba |
| Date: | Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:00:00 -0400 |
That's confusing, so I'll clarify. 2011 is my earliest if ever estimate... 2010 is the "overheard" subie line on earliest if ever. On Thu, Sep 11, 2008 at 5:48 AM, Jim Akiba <syncrolist@bostig.com> wrote: > A subie 2.0L 4 cyl. was released in Europe in May I think, no word on > the diesel 6. Current estimate for a possible earliest US release of > the 2.0: 4 cyl diesel is 2010. As of last year however, the release of > the diesel 6 was going to happen in early 08 but hasn't. I think just > two days ago subaru announced the 2.0D version of the Forester for > Europe for later this month, but didn't mention anything at all about > the US. As I've maintained when people first started talking about > clean diesels, watch the bluetec. More likely than not Subie is doing > the same waiting to see what happens with the 50-state bluetec from > VW/mercedes, since they're talking schedule always followings the same > pattern of announcements and delays as the bluetec, esp since the > bluetec is having so many problems. I just heard today that the > bluetec grand cherokee rollout is in danger and isn't looking good, > but I don't have more detail... I suspect they are finding the project > is killed by much worse performance than they anticipated to pass > testing. If the next bluetecs that are in danger(the VWs) do get out, > it looks like no earlier than august 09. The mpg numbers are now in, > and just as I had found hard to believe that they could do 50 or 60 > mpg with the bluetec, they can't... Here's a post from Feb this year, > I was commenting about the bluetec mpg that Chris S. had been talking > about: > > http://gerry.vanagon.com/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A2=ind0802c&L=vanagon&D=0&P=51149 > > If the VW bluetec flops, it would likely spell immediate doom for the > future of diesel in US passenger vehicles. It's a tough thing to > expect it to be worth it to add all the active urea catalyst system > and particulate filtering and slice deep into the mpg that people want > it for in the first place.. the new jetta tdi bluetec boasted 60mpg > hwy in the 07 announcements that got folks on the list drooling but > got backhanded into 41mpg as built and passing testing for release > since then. The now on the road bluetec mid-size suv from benz was > supposed to see 40, but it now has a 23 hwy from the EPA but I've read > people talking more in the high teens and being very disappointed.. > which is why I guess the grand cherokee bluetec rollout is in > jeopardy... let's hope that VW can both stick to schedule, and not > take a similar hit and offer even more disappointing mileage. If the > bluetec/gas cost/mile gap dwindles into single digits as it's now in > danger of doing, I think it'll be time to start tolling the bells for > it. So figure on a minimum 2011 earliest as of today for the US subie > boxer, if everything doesn't hit the fan., and if it comes out here, > it'll likely take a big hit in economy as well. > > Jim Akiba > > > > > > On Wed, Sep 10, 2008 at 11:51 PM, Andrew Grebneff <goose1047@gmail.com> wrote: >> Any news on the Subaru dieselboxer? These should be on the road by now. = >> I'd be interested in how reliable these turn out to be long-term, which = >> is VERY difficult to find out. And how well they perform. However, with = >
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