Are fuel prices hurting acceptance of modern diesels?

Diesel fuel prices are hovering about 20 above gasoline on average. It seems that automakers are a bit worried this disparity could have a negative impact on their upcoming diesel-powered cars and trucks. While it's true that Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz are already rolling out new oil-burners in all 50 states with positive results, there remains a concern that there are only so many buyers willing to spend extra to get a more efficient engine and then pay extra to fill it up. At a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on diesel fuel prices today, a spokesperson for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers fell short of suggesting what to do about the situation, choosing instead to highlight the fact that diesel fuel is taxed more than gasoline, whereas in Europe where oil-burners are much more popular, the opposite is true. Reading between the lines a bit, it's not hard to see his point.

Check out our recent In the Autoblog Garage review of the 2009 VW Jetta TDI to hear our take on today's modern diesels.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]