At this point, Motoringfile gets a lot of it's info from insiders at BMW.

It's just not generally talked about.

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1) the required emissions testing (including reliability testing of the emissions system) and mileage testing is very expensive. The more units you sell, the less the added cost per unit. MINI is already a niche car, so its volume is much lower than a Jetta.

2) Diesel engines cost more than gasoline engines.

3) VW, Mercedes, and BMW are subsidizing the cost of their diesels in the US.

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The Diesel engines are very complex, which just plain makes them expensive to design and make. On top of this, Americans don't but Diesels when they show (VW seems to be a limited exception to this), so the companies have to up the premium a ton to cover these two factors. See the excellent BMW 335d with a $4500 cash rebate right now as an example of this.

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Most. That is why.

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yes... but those people are all simply misguided, thats why we need diesel penetration even more, because without seeing with their own eyes that diesels are not only just as clean as gasoline engines, but are also far more fuel efficient, the american public will never learn. Americans think there is something unholy about the diesel engine, yet the rest of the world uses them all the time, and most major powers in the world have far better average fuel efficiencies for their cars, partly as a result of diesels.

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Most are probably neutral.

Which means both fans and haters are vocal minorities.


And unfortunately, makers are focusing on the vocal minorities' unflinching opinions, rather than trying to convert a portion of the neutral majority, which they probably could do with the right cost/benefits of their product.

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The fuel better fuel efficiencies in Europe have at least as much to do with the size of engines and size of cars as the availability of Diesels. The biggest selling car from Honda in the US is a full-sized car (Accord), the biggest selling car overall is a mid-size (Camry) and the 3rd vehicle in the top 3 is a full-sized pickup truck (F-150).

The Camry is available with a 169HP 4-cylinder or a 270HP V6. In the UK, the top selling car (actually I think it might be #2 right now) is the Ford Mondeo, which is a mid-size (despite what wikipedia says) and is available with several gas engines from a 1.6L 109HP 4-cyl to a 2.3L 160HP 4-cyl and a range-topping 219HP 5-cylinder. And 4-cyl turbo Diesels from 100HP to 174HP.

Diesel engines are not just as clean as gas engines. They're a lot cleaner than they used to be, but the cleanest Diesels in the US are about 3x dirtier than the cleanest gas engines (in terms of trace emissions), note this is cleaner than most gas engines were 10 years ago. But I don't see why this is something you see as so critical for Americans to turn around on. The ICE is starting to wane anyway. Hybrids are passing up gas and Diesel cars on efficiency and electric cars (if we can ever make them work) are ahead of hybrids.

I think a lot of Americans are reticent to buy a Diesel because they cost more up front, cost more to maintain and they will have more difficulty finding fuel for it. All of these things are true, by the way, although many people grossly exaggerate the differences. But as long as these things are true, the same people who thought buying an 8-seat SUV was a great idea a few years back will also continue to look past Diesels as an option.

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As careful as Fiat is about its re-entry into the U.S. market, I seriously doubt they'll offer the diesel. They're gun-shy about public perception and positive initial sales. Our 500 will be offered with far fewer variations as in Europe, and I bet we have no choice in engine-- likely the largest gasoline engine offered overseas.

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The 500 in Europe will soon get the 1.3 Diesel Multijet2, with 95hp and lots of torque, and very low consumption and emissions. This certainly will be the best engine for most people here. But it won't be cheap.

The 1.9 is far too big and heavy to fit in the little 500.

The US will certainly get the 500 with the revised 105 Multiair 1.4, and probably the 1.4 Abarth Turbo. That'll do fine.

Profit margins are, as has been said, far too small on these cars to justify the huge expense of Diesel homologation.

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It's those politicians fault that BMW has to offer $4500 rebates on the 335d (an excellent car) to try to sell them?

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why not the LS2LS7?:

"It's those politicians fault that BMW has to offer $4500 rebates on the 335d (an excellent car) to try to sell them?"

Sorry, you totally missed the point - I'm 100% with geoff.

I take it as a personal insult the fact that BMW tells me I need tree-stump pulling torque in a relatively light family sedan. Are you calling me a toothless trailer-towing, timber-cutting hillbilly, dear BMW U.S.A.? If not, can you please explain to me for what purpose do I need 3 series sedan with more torque than any pickup truck without optional engine?

Then comes mandatory automatic transmission. Are you calling me, dear BMW U.S.A. , an inept driver who doesn't know how to shift? Thanks, I'll buy VW and you can go f**k yourselfs.

By the way, just read the next article on Autoblog about availability of TDI Jettas, that should tell you and, hopefully, BMW U.S.A. ,where the winds are blowing.

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Would you rather eight more disastrous years of the village idiot's philosophy and his ilk?

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