Hankster

https://www.audiworld.com/news/00/a80709/index.html

Please check it out! It is a killer machine. AUDI has made it again.

Kenny

Sorry, but my idea of luxury ain't driving around looking for diesel gas stations, and being in a car that accelerates like a bus

KjellA

TDi's are extremely popular in europe. They have more low-end power then gasoline cars, and because of this they will accelerate faster in normal use. No need for high-revs, 1000-1500 will do.

Many of the new TDi enginews are great fun, and easy to get some more power out of. I promise you that an Audi 2,5 V6 TDI tuned to 220 BHP is a *very* serious performing engine, from idle end all the way up. Nothing like a bus in that kind of acceleration!

Another important thing when gasoline prices are like here, about $1 a litre ($4,54 a gallon) is the diesel engine's consumption. It will not use much more in city traffic than cruising on the freeway. It will burn more than 10 times leaner than a petrol engine when idling. A 3,3 TDi V8 will use about 50% less than the 4,2 V8 in city traffic. And it will feel no weaker in most situations.

But then, in europe there are so many diesel cars that every gas station has diesel pumps. I agree that diesel will be only for people with a special interest of it in the US. Your gas is way to cheap!
;-)


Best regards,
Kjell A.
Oslo, Norway
'97 A8 4,2 sport

Kenny

I still don't think Diesel should be associated with Luxury, but that's just me...

A8-Germany

When anybody says that a V8-Diesel is not a good engine for a luxury car, he never drove one! The noise from the engine in a A8 3.3TDI or a BMW 740d is nearly the same as in a gasoline-car. And the acceleration is much more impressive. First I thought the same, that it can't be good. But after driving a BMW 740d (245BHP) I must say the car makes more fun than a 740i. I never drove a 3.3TDI, but I heard it's the same. So in Europe the people don't buy Diesel-cars only because of the economic. They also buy them because of the fun!<ul><li><a href="http://www.a8000.de">http://www.a8000.de</a</li></ul>

KjellA

Totally understand your view on that. It has taken 20 years with diesel cars in europe to change peoples mind, and they are just starting to show up in luxury cars now. But with current diesel technology, it's just a mind thing. It is nothing like truck engines at all, believe me!

No US car makers have yet fucused much on diesel for normal cars, so I guess it will still take years to become accepted over there, if ever.

Bollinger

Have they figured out how to keep diesels from smelling like diesels? I mean outside, not inside.

That oily smell is quite foul and it really seems to stick around a long time compares to petrol fumes.

KjellA

It is a *long* time since I've actually smelled diesel from a diesel car, so I guess they solved that a while ago. Not so on buses and trucks of course.

There are major differences between a modern car diesel engine and a truck engine these days. Forget all the old stuff that used to be true for diesels, nowadays they don't smoke, smell or make much noise.

I just tested the Audi A4 with the 180 Hp TDi. MAN, that was a low-end torque monster! But no high-end fun of course, and that is quite important according to my personal taste.