Diesels are quite popular in Europe due to their fuel efficiency and low cost per kilometer, but in the U.S., things are quite different. Americans don’t have great memories of unreliable Oldsmobile diesels or slow and smokey Volkwagen Rabbits and, besides, the cost of diesel fuel is more expensive than gasoline (almost $0.25 more around the corner from us). Still, a small but fervent band of enthusiasts and other consumers are pining for diesels in the U.S. General Motors seems to be listening.
GM vice president of global powertrain, Steve Kiefer, told Automotive News at this week’s Center for Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminars, “The Chevrolet Cruze diesel will be the first of many diesel-powered passenger cars General Motors will offer in the United States. We will continue to introduce more diesels as appropriate and as the market accepts them.”
Right now, other than the Cruze, GM doesn’t have a passenger car diesel in the U.S. GM’s full-size truck line, however, relies on diesels for those requiring heavy payloads. And the new Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon compacts will also have a 2.8L four-cylinder diesel option.
So for which model do you think we can expect GM to release a diesel next? We seem to think SUVs will be the natural progression, with sedans still requiring more demand to be considered, but who knows?
Comments
I don’t see why they couldn’t use the 2.8 diesel in the 1500s.
I do think diesel’s will become more successful as they become available on more high volume GM vehicles.
1.3tdi I4 – 95HP/150-165LB-FT-
Spark
1.6tdi I4 – 130HP/215-230LB-FT-
Sonic
2.0tdi I4 – 170HP/270-285LB-FT-
Cruze and Trax
2.5tdi I4 – 225HP/310-325LB-FT
Malibu and Equinox
ATS and KRX
2.8tdi I4 – 240HP/350-365LB-FT
Colorado
Canyon
CTS
3.2tdi V6 – 260HP/450-465LB-FT
Silverado
Yukon and Sierra
6.6tdi V8 – 430HP/790-805LB-FT
Silverado
Sierra
Considering Cruze Diesel sales have been far, far below GM’s sales forecasts, they had better figure out the marketing end of things too.
Please post where chevy cruze diesels arent meeting expectations. Gm has already said there meeting the sale goals and there def taking it slow with the cruze
My guess would be the 1/2-ton pickups and the truck-based SUVs. Considering the profit margins on those (as well as CAFE), it’d be logical.
I’m guessing the light duty pickups first. Later, the next-gen Regal will be built in Germany, where the same car as the Insignia already has diesels and will continue to have them. It would be easy to send some over here with the 2.0 diesel that is already certified for NA on the Cruze and being worked on here.
That’s sort of what I’m thinking: outsourcing of these engines may begin in Europe, then further development of the diesel engines could take place here. It makes sense to start with the light duty trucks, then branch out.
I’m glad to hear GM is really starting to invest in diesels again.
GM has met sales expectations with the Cruze as they have set the numbers low.
GM still needs to do a better job selling these cars and getting people to drive them.
GM has three issues here.
#1 the engines are more expensive to buy and repair and emission will only get stricter due to government regulations.
#2 Americans need to be sold on these as most have no care of love for a Diesel. GM needs to change this with better marketing.
#3 GM also still fights the stigma of the Olds Diesel as many still remember and for those who don’t the older generation has passed the story down. Again better marketing is needed here.
These engines are like Nitrogen for the tires. Not really needed but it does work. You have to sell the American public on these engines and just why they need them if you expect to sell more than 6-8% of any model as a Diesel.
It is ok for GM to expand sales just use proper marketing to back it up or you will fail even with a good product.
*diesel engines last longer.
*diesel fuel stores longer.
*diesel fuel is safer in a collision, where fuel tanks are ruptured.
*diesels have much higher torque ratios.
I emailed GM for years, begging for a diesel Volkswagen equivalent… They finally delivered with the Cruze. Even my wife is now a convert, after driving our Cruze diesel.
GM was once a leader in diesel engines. It’s good to see GM returning to diesel engineering, and manufacturing.
I’m really looking forward to the Colorado/Canyon diesel models.
When will they pair the diesel and a manual transmission? They are missing the boat in a head to head with the VW TDI.
OH NO, not more stinking diesels on the road, hate following or meeting them, no matter what brand or age of the vehicle. Yes, I did own a diesel pickup at one time, the novelty wears off as the smell gets to you and the expensive, compared to gasoline engines, repairs add up. I for one, hope they work out just as well as the old Oldsmobile diesels did…..
Fully agree, I moved from the UK to the US and one of my greatest joys is escaping hateful diesel engine cars. Why anyone would choose a diesel with it’s narrow power band, death rattle and carcinogen producing exhaust I will never know. The latest problem in Europe is that the particulate filters used to reduce the pollutants clog up and the resultant damage can cost 1,000’s to repair. The only way to reduce the chances of this happening is to consistently hammer the vehicle, something that would be very difficult to do on American roads with our lower speed limits and ever present cops.