We've just received info from Autobild on the Volkswagen Golf TDI Hybrid by way of yet another unauthorized embargo break (funeral for the embargo system will be held next Tuesday; in lieu of flowers, send donations to me). You know what's ridiculous about this car? It's got a hair over 100 horsepower, but likely gobs of torque from a diesel engine and electric motor. But the Prius-kicking stat: 69 miles per gallon. Hooah! Is it coming to America? There's no info one way or the other. I speculate that it might, since VW has announced plans for bringing more diesels here, and this will surely have lower particle emissions by virtue of an engine that's not even on below 25 miles per hour (that's a guess). What's more, the 1.4 liter powerplant comes from the current Volkswagen Polo Bluemotion. For normal people that don't follow the European car market, that's VeeDub's fairly clean diesel engine. Clean? High miles per gallon? Getting whooped by Toyota? Sounds like VW needs this car in North America STAT– assuming it can hit 60 in 10 seconds (the car, not the country).
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It all sounds so good on paper…problem is, it’ll STILL be hampered here in the US by the very fact that it is a diesel. Yeah, at 69 MPG, one would think it’d be a star…but with diesel consistantly running 50 cents a gallon higher than 87 octane, good luck marketing and selling it. I’m a huge fan of diesels myself, and drive them almost exclusively when I travel overseas. We’re very shortsighted here in America when it comes to diesels, even at $3/gallon+ prices for fuel…
I’m usually not crazy about hybrids, but if they can produce this car with the advertised mileage AND import it to America (I blame CA, not VW for this hurdle) AND fix VW’s reliability issues AND price it competitively, I’d be in line to buy this car. That’s a lot of AND’s though.
RE: diesel fuel prices
Around here (AL), it’s pretty close to premium gas price. Out West, many places have it much higher.
My grandmother noted to me that in FL, it just surpassed midgrade in price for the first time in a while. Too much variation…
Is there any speculation as to whether or not this has anything to do with the Chrysler hybrid announcement and/or the Routan trade?
I’d like to see that.
Yes, please.
Another plus for it is that it looks normal unlike the Prius.
Even with the slight premium for diesel fuel here the mileage should more than make up for it.
This is about the tenth time a diesel car was definitely going to whoop the Prius. So far they’re 0 for 9.
In this case, it might be competitive, but only because it’s a hybrid (other ‘competitors’ were diesel-only) and, most importantly, because it’s smaller (and likely slower).
looks sharp.
i hope those wheels, the blacked out headlight surrounds, and the fully painted body kit (no black plastic under the bumpers) make it to production.
my only worry is that VW has a hard time getting MAFs to work, so how am I supposed to trust VW electrics actually driving the wheels?
This concept “may make it into production in the fall of 2009 in the next gen. Golf”. Keep in mind, that the EU mileage test that results in the 69 mpg figure tends to be optimistic, like the old EPA numbers. And the 2010 Prius will probably deliver similar numbers.
The other problem is cost: the Europeans have said that the “clean” blue-tec technology to clean a diesel for the US is as expensive as Toyota’s Synergy hybrid drive ($2-3k). Then VW has to add the cost of their hybrid drive to that. That’s the hurdle to diesel hybrids, especially in the US. But, the potential for high mileage numbers is there.
BTW, this VW uses a 75hp 3 cylinder diesel, so the torque won’t be all that massive.
Some thoughts:
Smaller than a Prius.
Questionable reliability/quality compared to a Prius.
Likely to be same price, or more expensive than a Prius.
This just seems like yet another “not quite” effort.
They should skip the 3-door and go straight for the 5-door. That would be more competitive with the Prius. And the hippies would love a VW to replace their Vovlos.
Stay optimistic, VW fans. If the new Golf is introduced in Europe in 2009, we should almost certainly / most definitely get it in the US before 2014.
Well, 2014-ish.
Hats off to VW and MB for fighting the good fight. As a euro diesel-driver (in the US), I know what theyre up against. Its the crap diesel fuel, that even since ULSD, remains…crap. Look at your typical retail pump. If your lucky, youll see a “40” sticker. If there is no sticker, can it be assumed this “diesel” dosent even get to 40?
21st-century diesel motors that are expected to meet T2B5 specs for 100K miles and not clog EGR systems aint going to do it on inferior fuel. Cetane ratings over 45 are reqd. TPTB need to acknowledge this and get off their…hands.
This car is clearly too nice for us here.
Just like the Ford Mondeo with the diesel that gets 40MPG on the highway. Who would pay for a Taurus sized (the old Taurus…not the “new” one) that gets 40MPG?
/sarcasm
It is said this VW is in violation of the law of Conservation of Energy for if you drive it with one foot on the gas and the other on the regen brakes you don’t need fuel.
Tried that on my Prius today and it didn’t work. So I am trading it for a Yukon Hybrid, which just violates the laws of common sense and good taste.
I would want to know the specific power and torque output from both the diesel engine and electric motor before declaring it a competitor with the Prius. As already noted, VW’s questionable reliability, partiicularly with electrical components, is also a big red flag for me.
I would want to know the specific power and torque output from both the diesel engine and electric motor before declaring it a competitor with the Prius. As already noted, VW’s questionable reliability, partiicularly with electrical components, is also a big red flag for me
The Diesel puts out 74HP, and the electric motor puts out 27HP…both are mated to a 7-speed DSG tranny. But the best part is that it’s NOT a Toyota!
Diesel fuel was 60 cents more per gallon than 87 octane at my last fill up here in Houston. Doing some quick math shows that a diesel vehicle has to average 3+ mpg more than a gasoline (87) octane vehicle just to break even on fuel costs. This doesnt even count for the additional initial cost for diesel vehicles.
So the upcoming Golf claims to deliver more mpg than Prius that has been on the road for five years now. VW is having trouble getting single propulsion work reliably (MAF sensors and coil packs failures etc.) in their cars so far, good luck with their hybrids. And no mension of bluemotion premium over hybrid synergy drive.
Yes, but how much torque. The Prius electric motor puts out a huge amount of torque (relatively speaking). I’m sure the combined torque output for the VW is less than the Prius, but is it in the same park?