At 4:44 PM -0500 8/8/99, Marshall Ruskin wrote:
>Hi Westies:
>
>Soon there may be alternatives to the VW-brand TDI engines.
>
>I read this in a newspaper article Titled: "Diesel Motor adds Power to GMC
>line" (Autovision Magaine)
>
>"General Motors has an all-new direct-injection diesel engine in the works
>that will be available in the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra
>heavy-duty full-size pickup trucks."
>
>Selected details from article:
>
>*    Developed jointly with Isuzu;
>*    Called "Duramax 6600", V8, turbo-diesel, direct-injection
>*    6.6 litre, four valves per cylinder;
>*    Very quiet and fuel-efficient
>*    "outstanding HP and torque"
>
>I hope that this development will provide the required competitive market
>pressures, that will result in more TDI engines, readily available for
>"Vanagon transplanting", from many alternative sources.
>
>I bet you hope so, too.

        I'm not going to be holding my breath... I suspect that these 6.6L
        V8 32v engines  aren't going to be very space efficient. One of them
        might fit into the passenger compartment, though...;^)

        Oh...perhaps you meant that Isuzu might have a leg up on the
        creation of *smaller*  direct-injection Diesel engines, as well?