Volvo XC60 diesel beats gas over 662 miles in Northern California
The guys at Popular Mechanics recently had an opportunity to test out Volvo's new XC60 crossover in Northern California. When the XC60 goes on sale in the U.S. next month, it will only be offered with a 281 hp turbocharged 3.0L inline six cylinder. For the media drive, Volvo brought over some examples of the European-spec diesel model. The PM crew took one of the 182 hp 2.4L five cylinder diesels out on a 662-mile trip alongside a U.S. gas model. While the gas model proved a bit more responsive than the diesel, the oil burner's torque proved itself useful climbing the hills when they got into San Francisco. To no one's surprise, the diesel handily beat the gas version, so much so that even with the higher price of diesel fuel it still came out ahead. The diesel XC60's 27.3 mpg was 39 percent better than the gas engine and with diesel at $3.00 and gas at $2.30, the operating cost of the diesel was 13.5 percent less. Volvo is expected to debut a new diesel engine at the Geneva next and rumor has it they may offer it in the U.S.
[Source: Popular Mechanics]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mr. M 3:37PM (2/08/2009)
It would be great if diesel could take off in the US.
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Max 5:03PM (2/08/2009)
Is the badge on the grille real in this picture???? It looks oversized !?
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jharlan 7:03PM (2/08/2009)
Diesel is obviously superior, and it will sell in the US, but there seems to be some great conspiracy to keep diesel cars out of the US. I haven't exactly worked out what the motivation is yet, but maybe some of you guys have figured it out. I'm pissed we are denied to opportunity to own these highly efficient new modern diesels (with the exception of a few German cars) while they are proliferating throughout the rest of the world, and we need to know who's responsible! Please don't give me any poisonous particulate pollution crap, because that would make you part of the problem, not part of the solution. These new diesels are clean, and they push you 30% further down the road per gallon than gasoline. Diesel requires less refining then gasoline would definitely help reduce fuel imports.
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Rain 8:02PM (2/08/2009)
JH,
Diesel is too profitable too be sold in the USA,so they refine it here at a low cost then export it to the UK where it can sell for a premium price where it is in demand.
http://peakoildebunked.blogspot.com/2008/07/371-surge-in-us-gasoline-and-diesel.html
At the peak of the oil prices a single barrel of oil was traded 11-17 times before ever reaching a refinery,see how the investment bankers used international interests to
sidestep regulations and SEC oversight and reap billions in profits not unlike the Enron model:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=8878
The gasoline refined in the US is worthless in the UK due to its poor comparative quality and benzene levels as allowed by the US government 3-5% as opposed to the UK limit of 1% and the octane in the US being 87 versus 95 octane for regular unleaded in the UK.
http://www.ifqc.org/NM_Top5.aspx
That is a good starting point to answer Your questions,hope this helps.
harlanx6 8:18PM (2/08/2009)
Wow! this thread promises to be a real education. We need to expose the truth. Thank you RAIN.
killroy 10:06PM (2/08/2009)
How much more is the diesel Volvo than the gas version? I think the cost of the fuel and the engine is a problem for most diesels 27 mpg diesel is good, but not great because energy and CO2 wise that is 23.2 mpg gas.
Diesel is still not a renewable, biofuels are a joke, so I would not really call it green, but ABG does.
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Mirko 4:27AM (2/09/2009)
From the German price list:
D5 diesel manual 6-speed: 35,800€
D5 diesel auto 6-speed: 37,850€
T6 gasser auto 6-speed: 43,500€
So the diesel is 13% cheaper with identical equipment. Or 5,650€ cheaper. Even if it would need another $1000 for NOx emission control equipment to be 50-state-legal, it would still be a lot cheaper than the gasser.
killroy 9:01AM (2/09/2009)
Oh, we are comparing apples to oranges. The Volvo does not have today's state of the art emission system? That's lame. That would not meet US standards, its dirty. I know diesel fuel in Europe gets government subsidies or tax breaks, but do the cars. Typically diesel engines are a lot more. Especially when you add T2 Bin 5 exhaust treatment. That can add as much as $7000 in the case of the Jetta TDI, another carbon footprint low performer diesel. I want to see deisels beat the Prius in emissions and fuel economy, but they are going to have to be above 53 mpg diesel.
ale 6:18PM (2/09/2009)
killroy, $7000 in the case of the Jetta TDI, its definately more like 2000, for a Silverado Duramax, its more like the 6500 you speak of...
Killroy 10:22PM (2/10/2009)
Not all the T2B5 cost gets passed on to the customers, that is why the Jetta TDI disapered for years. The cost of the engine and emmision system gets absorbed by VW, but they are willing to loose profit to break into the AKA green market. I have yet to see a new diesel that I like because there fuel economy, emissions and C02 are never that great. The Volvo is no exception.
Roland 10:54PM (2/08/2009)
Here we go again as to why there are few light diesel cars:
Anti diesel people always point out higher carbon footprint in a gallon than in RUG.
Diesel is more expensive.
Diesel puts out more PM,
This is all rubbish!! Even with the ever shrinking pricing spread a modern diesel car owner will get to their destination with 40% less fuel thus less CO2, end up using less dollar amount of fuel and everyone forgets gassers emit alot more dangerous under 10 micron PM than diesel.
So why not more diesel cars- dumb gasser brainwashing is another reason why.
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Yaggo 4:42AM (2/09/2009)
And how is this exactly related to 'green'?
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Jharlan 11:42AM (2/09/2009)
The greeness is 30% more miles traveled per gallon, or 30% less fuel being used. You didn't think of that? It's a matter of mindset I supposed or maybe once you make up your mind no ones going to change it.
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