Spy Shots: Diesel powered Volvo XC60 spotted testing in LA
by Sam Abuelsamid on Jul 8th 2008 at 7:57AM 
Over at Auto Fiends they have some new camera phone pics of the Volvo XC60 crossover out on a test drive in the Los Angeles area. While in and of itself, that is no big deal, the photographer noticed something unusual about this particular vehicle. Above the fuel filler door was the the tag "Diesel Fuel Only." Since Volvo hasn't offered a diesel-powered car in North America since the mid-eighties, this is an unusual sight. Just because Volvo was testing a diesel in the U.S. doesn't necessarily mean they will sell one here, but we can certainly hope. Over in Europe, Volvo offers the XC60 with a 2.4L inline five cylinder diesel at two power levels, 163hp and 185hp. Either of those would be adequate for the XC60 if they choose to make one of the engines Tier 2 Bin 5 compliant. More importantly, perhaps, is that if they do federalize the diesel it could appear in some U.S. market Fords as well.[Source: Auto Fiends]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mr E 1:52PM (7/08/2008)
I think that diesel will be a scam in the US.
"It gets better mpg"
Yeah, but you just paid a $5K premium for the car, you pay a 13% premium for the fuel and even though it is emission compliant it produces 10 times the NOx.
The Jetta TDI is not even that fast.
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radhoo 3:39PM (7/08/2008)
Maybe people from US will like diesel. It has almost the same performances now as a regular petrol engine.
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wxman 11:54AM (7/08/2008)
Mr E - 10 times more NOx emissions than what? The 2009 Jetta TDI has already received CARB certification as an "Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle" (ULEV) - http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onroad/cert/pcldtmdv/2009/volkswagen_pc_a0070279_2d0_u2_diesel.pdf
What about the CO and HC emissions that are typically higher in gasoline vehicles?
As far as the cost premium, it's about $2K on the Jetta TDI, and the TDI may be eligible for a tax credit (to be determined).
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Mr E 11:06AM (7/16/2008)
wxman,
I have seen your link before and I was comparing the '09 Jetta TDI to the '08 Prius NOx data that I could find.
I dont know why a diesel like the Jetta would get tax credits do to the increased Green House Gas when compared to the more affordable Prius.
I expect the Jetta MSRP to increase soon do to its expensive ($7 I remember reading here or TH) exhaust treatment.
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wxman 10:17PM (7/08/2008)
Mr E,
Understood, although the difference in NOx emissions between the 2009 Jetta TDI and the 2008 Prius is more like 5 times (0.05 g/mi v 0.01 g/mi). But the difference in HC emissions is much higher in the Prius, especially if the evaporative VOC emissions from the storage and distribution of gasoline are taken into account.
Greenhouse gas emissions are probably a wash because of the higher energy requirement to refine gasoline vs. diesel fuel, plus the somewhat higher emissions of N2O and CH4 (both strong greenhouse gases) typical of gasoline engines (http://epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/downloads06/07Energy.pdf Tables 3-23 and 3-24).
According to several reports I've seen, the cost of a diesel powertrain is typically less than a hybrid powertrain even if you include the higher cost of emission control on the diesel (see, e.g., http://www.ricardo.com/download/pdf/R119361S.pdf , http://www.rand.org/news/press/2007/11/08/index1.html ).
I guess I don't see what's wrong with having MORE choices (including LD diesel and hybrids). Choice is a good thing, isn't it?
solarmike 2:08AM (7/09/2008)
First, you have to convince me to buy a Japanese car . I choose to drive German because they are not afraid to offer diesels. I have driven all types of engines and the little VW TDI engine impresses me all the time. I pull a 4 X 8 trailer that I use for cutting firewood. I can load 1200lbs of fire wood and pull it out of a NW forest then drive it on the highway passing cars on the up hills and that little engine just does it with out complaining. It really pulls hard up hills. Hauling wood and with a led foot I still got 37 mpg. I did 5 trips, one hour each way, on a 1/2 tank of a 15 gallon tank. Show me a hyperid that can even drive on a 4x4 road and pulling 1200lbs of firewood. If it could do it I know it can't get the same mpg as a diesel. VW, it's more than just a car.
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rickski 12:57AM (8/12/2008)
Don't forget that hybrids require a huge amount of mining to make all those heavy metal batteries. Take a look at the pit mines they carve out to build those batteries.
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