Honda to build diesels in the UK
In order to
support high demand for diesel vehicles in Europe, Honda Motor Co. Ltd. has announced that it will start building
oil-burning engines at its plant in Britain. Currently, its UK plant gets diesel powerplants from Japan, and will
initially get the parts for the engines from Japan. Ultimately, however, the company plans to produce the parts in
Blighty and assemble 20,000-30,000 engines annually.
The company will also increase output of diesels at its two Japanese facilities, which currently produce over 70,000 engines.
[Source: The Business Times]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ben 9:57PM (4/18/2006)
Why do you always refer to diesels as "oil burners" have any of you driven a modern one lately? They're great. My 2006 320d I had as a rental car in Germany averaged around 50mpg, between city and oh-so-fast autobahn driving, had great performance, and produced no visible polluants with no strong odor whatsoever.
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Hadley Stonner 10:08PM (4/18/2006)
Go Honda! I've been a diesel fan for many years. I am currently driving an '81 Datsun/Nissan pickup with 180,000 miles, 33 mpg. The body is looking a little ratty but it still has lots of miles left in the engine. I'd buy a Honda diesel in a hot New York minute.
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John B 11:17PM (4/18/2006)
Hadley:
Since you have a diesel Japanese pickup truck with 180,000 miles, you owe it to yourself to track down the Top Gear "test" of an ancient Toyota Hilux pickup truck with similar mileage. It disappeared from Google Video but it was so popular that the BBC has made it available on the program's website.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/prog28/toyota.shtml
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Arnie99 11:25PM (4/18/2006)
When the heck are we going to get more diesels in the US! Especially the Honda engines, I'm tired of this hybrid drivel - if I'm driving highway miles, I want to dive something that's more efficient than a regular combustion engine in that kind of driving. If I drove stop-n-go then maybe I'd buy the hybrid, but I don't. All I ask is for the car manufacturers to give ME the choice, not make it for me.
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andrew pachovas 11:39PM (4/18/2006)
if price is right, i would consider a honda diesel,had mercury lynx diesel, great on fuel mileage. need more choices on vehicles with cheap operational cost& better fuel miles per gallons.
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Nicholas 1:28AM (4/19/2006)
Honda did experiment with a diesel powered Accord some time back. They used the Rover 2 liter direct injection turbo.
Lived in Europe for many years and always drove diesel cars...If you want awesome power and handling try the BMW 3 series 3 liter diesel.
Wish there were good diesel offerings in the US.
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That One Person 2:40AM (4/19/2006)
Ohh that Top Gear episode was amazing. And Diesels rule...they need to start selling more here...
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Cody Peterson 3:59AM (4/19/2006)
Modern diesels rock. I live in America and I drool at the new Honda Civic in the UK. The design is awesome... and that 2.2 diesel thats "completely redesigned diesel engines" is amazing... like 50 mpg (imperial) = what 4x mpg US??? Thats insane. I just paid $3.00 a gallon for regular unleaded and my 4 banger which the new UK civic can beat 0-60 time (a diesel beats me car..) would crush its mileage. BRING THE HONDA 2.2 TO AMERICA AND PUT IT IN THE CIVIC... HOW COULD YOU NOT!
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Razib Ahmed 5:29AM (4/19/2006)
Very good move by Honda and it should have done it much earlier.
" the company plans to produce the parts in Blighty and assemble 20,000-30,000 engines annually."
I think that Honda will not suffer any loss here. Yes modern disels are much better and improved.
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Digi 6:11AM (4/19/2006)
The British plant will first assemble the diesel engines from parts sent from Japan, but will later increase its output capacity by producing engine parts itself
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cowboy bob 7:05AM (4/19/2006)
You don't get diesels here in America because car manufacturers here cater to prissy women and the no balls men who should be wearing skirts. We are doomed by our own stupidity, and rightly so. The Chineese will crush us within 15 years, while we whine about everything. Our forefathers would be thumping around in their boxes if they could see us now.
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David Thompson 8:13AM (4/19/2006)
"Why do you always refer to diesels as "oil burners"..."
'Oil burner' is a very old nickname in the US for diesel engines, since they burn what is basically (in the US) #2 fuel oil. If you look at material from the Teens and 20s, you will see a distinction made between "oil" engines (diesel) and "distillate" engines (various sorts of gasoline).
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Phil L. 8:54AM (4/19/2006)
The obvious question:
As I understand it, a big reason modern sedan diesels haven't done well in the US recently is that they don't yet meet California's strict emission standards (and the 4 other states currently using the same standards). Automakers rightly don't want to invest in products in markets limited by legislative whim.
I know that the upcoming low-sulphur diesel fuel reqirement in the US is supposed to help.
But does anyone have firm knowledge that this engine (and similar car-oriented diesels) will meet emissions standards in all 50 states when low-surphur fuel becomes available? Links to definitive sources appreciated.
Personally, I'm waiting for a diesel-powered minivan that will get good mileage around town - and still efficiently haul a medium-sized camper.
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Ken 9:30AM (4/19/2006)
When can I get one for my Ridgeline?
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Michael Karesh 10:35AM (4/19/2006)
I don't think you want a 2.2 in your Ridgeline.
We do get one fully modern diesel in the U.S., the MB E320. Driving one is quite an eye-opener.
My review: http://www.epinions.com/content_208751922820
I don't see the VW and Jeep diesels as fully modern because the power output and refinement aren't up with the leaders.
I don't know what MB's current plan is for meeting the emissions standards. They did have a scheme to inject urea (bird excrement), but the EPA rejected it because it required too much owner involvement.
Despite the obstacles, between better fuel and better technology we'll probably see quite a few diesels here in 5-10 years.
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Takeo 12:33PM (4/19/2006)
Yeah Michael, I'll buy an E class sedan, the car rated THE LEAST RELIABLE CAR SOLD IN AMERICA! I'll stick with Honda thank you. I'd love to see this in the Accord and the Element.
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