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Think clean. Think green. Think, um, diesel? (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123137437553662817.html)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2009_BMW_335d.jpgSuzanne Vranica - WSJ - Jan. 9, 2009

2009 BMW 335d – 23/36 mpgUS city/highway on the 08 EPA.

Ultra fast and its highway fuel economy is through the roof. But will it sell? -- Ed.

BMW’s AG's North American business is kicking off a major advertising campaign, to begin airing this weekend, as part of an ambitious effort to promote two of its diesel vehicles: the X5 xDrive35d crossover and the 335d sedan.

Convincing Americans that diesel isn't a dirty word won't be easy. While Europeans have embraced diesel cars, thanks to tax breaks and a cleaner emissions profile than in years past, Americans haven't yet warmed up to the idea. Never mind that overall car sales have been anemic...

BMW says America's perception of diesel lags behind the reality. While most people associate the fuel with soot-spouting trucks, today there are cleaner diesel engines that run on low-sulfur fuel... Because diesel gets better mileage than gasoline, it emits fewer greenhouse gases. Diesel still releases pollutants that gasoline doesn't, but they can be minimized with filters.

To change diesel's negative perception, BMW is using ads that feel like a grammar-school science lesson...

The new campaign comes at inopportune time. The U.S. auto industry is suffering from abysmal car demand as consumers tighten their belts, and car companies around the world feel the pain. Moreover, gas prices have plunged since the summer. That could make consumers leery of paying more for a diesel model and then still more for the fuel. Regular gasoline sold for a national average of $1.73 a gallon Wednesday, while diesel sold for $2.41 a gallon, according to the AAA auto club… http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123137437553662817.html

A first step, but they really need to bring over the 4-cylinder diesel in the 1-series and MINIs sold in Europe.

Apparently, their strategy is to not be labeled "cheap", so it's probably too much to hope that they'd bring over the 116d hatchback. Still, the 4-cyl in the 123d coupe offers decent performance and very good fuel efficiency -- esp. compared with the 6-cyl diesel. They really need to bring that one over sooner rather than later.

I think we need to convince people to conserve, not buy an expensive fast status symbol that gets you 23 city, 36 highway ( fuel economy is through the roof - HA HA HA, NOT). Buying something like this now defines the problem we face. We continue to think of cars as a status enhancer, as a way to say "I have arrived". Driving around a HCH or Prius in this country is not only not status but it is negative status.

We have no conception of the problem we face. We cannot hope to solve our problems if we continue worshiping the great machismo god, speed!!

I think we need to convince people to conserve, not buy an expensive fast status symbol that gets you 23 city, 36 ( fuel economy is through the roof - HA HA HA, NOT) highway defines the problem we face. We continue to think of cars as a status enhancer, as a way to say "I have arrived". Driving around a HCH or Prius in this country is not only not status but it is negetive status.

We have no conception of the problem we face. We cannot hope to solve our problems if we continue worshiping the great machismo god, speed!!

As long as the attitude prevails that fuel efficient cars cannot also be fun, a significant segment of the population will continue buying less-efficient cars.

I'll bet you could get 40 hwy easily.

nf

I get 40+ mpg on my gasoline Jetta. Granted, normal people can't (or won't), but that just means we could get probably 50+ on the highway in one of those beemers.

It's a fabulous car and can do over 40mpg.

We refine crude into a product (gasoline) 30% less efficient (read that as 30% more wasteful) than diesel. Our energy policy, by default, is to keep refining in this grossly wasteful manner and instead apply expensive, complicated technology (gas/electric) to try to gain back some of that efficiency (perhaps ~20%) lost to diesel.

Simply, we are wasting 30% of our oil reserves because we will not change our refining processes.

Rumors that people at BMW are thinking about bringing a 1-series diesel to the U.S.A.:

http://www.bmwblog.com/2009/01/11/bmw-z2kinda-confirmed-123d-definitely-in-plans-for-the-us/

It's a fabulous car and can do over 40mpg.

We refine crude into a product (gasoline) 30% less efficient (read that as 30% more wasteful) than diesel. Our energy policy, by default, is to keep refining in this grossly wasteful manner and instead apply expensive, complicated technology (gas/electric) to try to gain back some of that efficiency (perhaps ~20%) lost to diesel.

Simply, we are wasting 30% of our oil reserves because we will not change our refining processes.

Well, it's not like that petroleum based diesel is being thrown out in the trash. It goes into 18-wheelers, ships, rail locomotives, etc. If, overnight, all passenger vehicles switched to diesel, we'd be in a world of hurt. Gasoline may be less energy rich when compared to diesel, but I'd rather have it going into passenger cars than trying to run trains or trucks.