I saw this announcement on VW Vortex, and I think I may want this more than the Rabbit TDI. But VW clean diesels are two years off. Today, all you've got are used models, and they run from perhaps 25x dirtier than a new gas model up to 250x (assuming biodiesel, lots worse with conventional diesel)

I'm totally supporting biodiesel today, despite the high pollution (see the Union of Concerned Scientists website for good documentation)

We won't have biodiesel without brave pioneers, and I'm totally grateful to your guys. But personally I'm waiting for "clean diesel" that's only about 4x worse than new gas engines.

See you in a couple of years in my new Biodiesel VW.

BG, you're focusing on one emission. Overall, a diesel is just as clean as a gasser. Throw in biodiesel, and it's cleaner. If you care about global issues(CO2 and the greenhouse effect) instead of local ones (NOx and smog), biodiesel blows the doors off gassers. Not even in the same realm.

A preview of the 2008 TDI engine

Just got back from the LA Auto Show this weekend where this exact car, fully loaded was on display as a next year model.

The following is what I gathered from the VW representative and some of the pamphlets available.

Indeed, this Jetta wagon will be a 2008 model with a 5 cyl gas or the 2.0 L I4 TDI 50 State Legal diesel with a 5 speed manual or tiptronic transmission.  It was unclear as to whether the manual could be an option with the diesel.

Also, the diesel model is slated to be a late delivery, hitting dealerships around July and will cost few thousand more than the gas model.

Furthermore, there will also be the comparable diesel 4 door Jetta sedan available.

Fully equipped, it comes with this huge moon roof that covers almost the entire sitting space of the passengers, roof rack, 115 volt AC port, in-line jack, I think an MP3 readable CD player, weather-band radio, heated seats and mirrors, and as the pictures show decently here, all the rear seats and the front passenger seat fold totally flat.

The legroom, even in the back, is fairly ample considering this is suppose to be a Jetta wagon.  The driver's console is clean and functional with red digital display.  Front seats are X-Y-Z directional adjustable.

You've got the choice of 3 interior colors of tan, gray, and charcoal in leather.  Exterior colors are white, silver, red, black, dark gray, dark teal and possibly other gray-like variations to the best of my memory.

Estimates are the diesel engine will get mid 40s city, mid 50s highway.  And to squash any rumors, no this will not be like the Mercedes Blue Tech where you need to fill a urea tank.  The emissions controls are entirely self containing.  This engine can only run on low sulfur diesel and I can't see why biodiesel couldn't also work great.

All said and done, the rep said the fully equipped diesel wagon will be in the high 20 thousands price range.

...I'm beginning to save now!

(Honda didn't have a physical example of any of their purported 2009 diesel models, nor could I find any useful information regarding them.)

Pingback from  jetta diesel 2008

Pingback from  2009 vw jetta sport wagen forum

Pingback from  2008 diesel cars

Pingback from  vw sportwagen

Pingback from  sportwagen tdi