Let's Talk Dirty!
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Last time I sat down to record my thoughts for The Bell Curve, I was at an airport in England after a wonderful trip. My family and I saw many old friends, ate several plates of fish and chips, and tried in vain to adjust to $9.45 per gallon for fuel. But as the plane left U.K. soil, my thoughts kept focused on my new European friend--the modern diesel engine.
Now I am happy to report you do not need to travel across the Atlantic to test one for yourself. In fact, as I write this post, trucks are delivering 2009 Jetta TDI sedans to Volkswagen dealers all across the country. Yes...all across the country. VW sold a combination of its Jetta, Touareg and Golf TDI models from 2002 to 2006 in the 45 states that have not yet adopted California's strict emissions standards. So for many of you, the news of this next-gen TDI is not huge news. But the fact that this next-gen can be sold in all 50 states gives VW the distinction of being the first manufacturer able to make that claim. BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Jeep, Honda and others will all be following in VW's footsteps as they roll out their own diesel variants starting later this year.
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Sedan
Now that we have the context of this news in place, let's talk about why it is so significant. We all know that there is a serious energy crisis gripping the U.S. Maybe fuel prices have slipped a bit the last few months, but no one can deny that global demand is slowly outpacing supply. Conservation is not just the right thing to do, it is the only thing. Until now, an efficient 4-cylinder or hybrid electric/gasoline engine were the "green" choices, but it is time to add some diesel fuel into the recipe. And there is no finer example of such green tech than found under the hood of the 2009 Jetta TDI--especially when mated to VW's wonderful dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Heaven.
During my time at the wheel of the Jetta TDI, I was amazed at the smoothness and incredible power generated by this little 2-liter 4-cylinder turbo motor. Just 140 horsepower were underfoot, but it is the amazing 236 pound-feet of torque that will impress you and your friends. This is perfect for American driving tastes...so sweet to stomp on those ponies when the light turns green. And during my spirited test drive, I averaged 35 MPG whipping this sweet little sedan up, down and around canyon roads near Malibu, California. Take that, Prius and Civic Hybrid!
If you are looking to "go green," please make the new class of diesels part of your research and test drive schedule. My belief is that we cannot solve our transportation energy issues with just one "magic bullet." It will take a shotgun approach with several different technologies all providing their own particular benefits to add up to less general consumption. What's more, if the Jetta TDI meets your approval, you can also take a $1,300 tax credit to your tax man come 2008 return time. Between the tax credit and 30% better fuel economy, it will take no time at all to cover the $2,000 MSRP premium and higher per-gallon price of diesel fuel.
Posted on 2008-09-19 | Permalink | 
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