With all the crying and carrying on by the OEMs over the upcoming CAFE standards, you'd think the apocalypse was nigh. But while some companies are crying and whining about the "impossible" standards, others are quietly working in the background to try and make the transition as painless as possible, and likely profit in the process.
Now don't get me wrong, 35 mpg is a pretty lofty standard, one that only a select few cars meet today. Even my "efficient" Mazda Protege averages 28 mpg by the "old" standards, and about 25 by the "new" standards.
Some believe we will be forced into goofy-looking transport pods foisted upon us by a socialistic governmental agency to be compliant with the standards. I want to make it clear I don't care to ever own a Prius, or ever intend to.
But I'm not all that worried about being forced into a boring, slow penalty box. You see, one of the top contenders for my next new car promises to whisk me around town with a 0-60 time of around 8.5 seconds, in leather-lined quiet comfort, with all the bells & whistles, while returning 40+ miles per gallon. And I'm not talking about a goofy little transit pod like the Smart. Nope, I'm talking about the 2009 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI.
The Europeans have been enjoying a version of this engine for several years, and from all indications, it's one gem of an powerplant, delivering ample power and outstanding economy. And as VW enthusiasts can attest, there is a strong aftermarket following for the TDI. Granted, this newest version has Piezo injection, a cat, particulate trap and all the other bells & whistles on it to bring it into compliance with the impossibly strict California air quality standards, but I am confident a way can be found to make it clean and mean. I don't think 180+ horsepower and 300+ lb./ft. of torque is that far-fetched for this motor with a few stratgic performance improvements, all while maintaining the 40+ mpg economy that makes this powertrain option so compelling in the first place.
Some people think I'm crazy for even considering a diesel with prices for #2 at around $4.50 right now in the Golden State, and likely to head to $5 or above. But the way I look at it, the cost differential between premium unleaded and diesel seems to be a relatively constant 10-12 percent, whereas the efficiency differential over a comparable gasser is about 30 percent. Okay, so you have to factor in the projected $2,000 premium the TDI option will run, but it's a lot easier pill to swallow than the $8,000 currently needed for the diesel option on the Big 3 diesel trucks.
Now, before you VW salespeople start reading this and start assailing me with unsolicited phone calls to come in to "make a deal," my likely purchase window is about 18 months. I simply have some other financial obligations that need to be taken care of before I can justify plunking down $30k on a new car. (Hey, if I'm going to do it, I'm gettin' it as loaded as I can. DSG, TDI, Nav, and whatever other acronym is on the option sheet.)
But come Spring 2010, you can be assured I'll be cruisin' the VW lot. Who knows, by then, VW may no longer have a monopoly on moderately-priced diesels. I've heard wind of a turbodiesel Subaru Impreza, even the Saturn Aura, and possibly the Mitsubishi Lancer. Hey, the more choices, the better, as far as I'm concerned.