GM Is Going to Release Diesel Cars in the US by 2010

July 12, 2007

GM has confirmed plans to release diesel engines in Cadillac and Saturn cars by 2010. Vice Chairman Bob Lutz discusses his take on diesel engines and their future in the US in his video blog.

http://fastlane.gmblogs.com/

Bob Lutz suggests that the diesel engine is going to not to solve the new stiffer corporate average fuel economy standards, although they will help.

“We’re doing a bunch of them right now. We will be introducing diesel passenger cars in the U.S. We are going to have a V-6 diesel engine for passenger cars, crossovers and light trucks.”

According to Lutz, it is also going to be very expensive to make the new diesel engines, due to the tighter emissions standards in the US. In addition US states that have adopted the same standards as California will not get the new GM engines. It is easier for GM to sell diesel engines in Europe because Europe has lower regulations.

“Getting those engines to be compliant in the U.S. is a matter of cost and emissions compliance,” says Chris Preuss, GM spokesman. “How we can market those in the U.S. is still a question, but we still see diesel having some limited role in the U.S. in the next couple of years.”

GM has two diesel engines in the works right now, a 4.5L V8 that is due in 2010 for light-duty pickups and SUVs and a 2.9L V6 that will first appear in a Cadillac.

Lutz’s video seems to contradict the headlines from Honda and VW in the past few weeks. Honda is planning on releasing “green” diesels in the next Accord, Ridgeline, Odyssey and Pilot SUV. VW also is going to release a new diesel powered Jetta next spring.

If GM prices the new diesel powered cars much higher than their regular gas counterparts will consumers still buy them? Either way it is good to hear that GM is going to have some diesel cars on the market in the next few years. Hopefully the other GM brands will get the diesels as well.

Full Story: Automotive News