AURA and CTS getting Diesels by 2010

[Flybrian]

Diesels Coming to GM Cars
Cadillac, Saturn vehicles to use motors by 2010

By JAMIE LAREAU & RICHARD TRUETT | Link to Original Article @ AutoWeek | Published 07/12/07, 2:17 pm et

DETROIT -- General Motors plans to put diesel engines in Cadillac and Saturn cars in the United States by 2010.

GM confirmed it will use the fuel-saving diesel engine on U.S. passenger cars, crossovers and light-duty trucks during a video blog by Vice Chairman Bob Lutz on GM's Web site, http://fastlane.gmblogs.com

GM sources say the automaker will show a diesel engine at the Frankfurt auto show in September on an e-flex Opel Vectra. In GM's e-flex powertrain, a traditional engine such as a diesel or gasoline engine, recharges a battery pack that provides power for an electric motor.

GM will show the same variant at the Detroit auto show in January on a Saturn, most likely the Aura sedan. GM showed off the e-flex system on the Chevrolet Volt concept car at the Detroit auto show this year.

"It'll end up in a Cadillac, and there will be a front-wheel-drive version of the engine in 2009 or 2010 calendar year," says a source familiar with the program. "It's an Epsilon (mid-sized car) based product."

The source said the diesel will go in the Vectra in 2008 and will come to the United States as a Saturn for the next generation Aura if all goes as planned.

Lutz cautioned that the diesel engine is not a panacea for upcoming stiffer corporate average fuel economy standards.

Says Lutz: "There's a lot of hype on diesels right now. It's not going to be a 50-state solution. It's going to be minus California and minus what other states adopt California standards."

But he said GM is charging ahead with diesels and that it will be one way GM will boost fuel economy: "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."

A spokesman for GM confirms what Lutz said in his video blog, saying that diesels are in GM's European products because European regulations are more receptive to diesels.

"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 at least two diesel engines under development. A 4.5-liter V-8 is due in 2010 for light-duty pickups and SUVs. The other engine is a 2.9-liter V-6 being developed with Italy's VM Motori S.p.A.. The V-6 will be launched in Europe in the 2009 Cadillac CTS, which will later appear in the United States.

[NOS2006]

Very, very cool. What happened to the diesel they showcased at an autoshow in Europe a few months ago?

[Drew Dowdell]

about flippin time!

[Clownzilla]

Finally!!!!

[Oracle of Delphi]

Sooner would be better than later. I wish those engines would be here for the 2008 models.

[big blue]

Well damn here I am saying the how I hope the Accord diesel gets GM into gear and it looks like they already were. A good surprise indeed.

[LS7]

This is good news. It's too bad they don't import the 9-3 with the 1.9L diesel thats available in Europe.

[prototype66]

Being in the Epsilon I hope it will be in the Malibu as well!

[bowtie_dude]

If I'm in the financial position in 2010 to be able to afford, I'd consider an Aura diesel only if it had a manual transmission offered.

[eldiablobanshee]

"It'll end up in a Cadillac, and there will be a front-wheel-drive version of the engine in 2009 or 2010 calendar year," says a source familiar with the program. "It's an Epsilon (mid-sized car) based product."

front-wheel-drive??? Don't diesels make a lot of low end torque, that sounds like allot of tire spinning torque steer to me.

[cmattson]

I'm more disappointed that GM isn't offering a 4cyl diesel of some sort. I'm guessing that their reasoning is more financial-related. Diesel's are higher-cost powertrains and a larger-margin vehicle can buffer than somewhat.

[GMman]

Leave it to California to screw things up for the rest of the country....today's diesels are pretty dang clean and if allowed to flourish, the increase in fuel economy would greatly reduce our dependence on foreign oil....right now....but it makes the politicians feel good to set crazy friggin' standards...

As far as a 4 cylinder diesel, Lutz just said GM has diesels all the way down to a 1.3 liter, which, I'm sure is a 3 or 4 cylinder....

[sciguy_0504]

Good news. Anticipating future wants and needs of customers.

[LS7]

As per Bowtie Dude. I agree, I'll buy the diesel (any GM) as long as it's got a manual transmission. Why the hell the Aura does not have a manual, Grand Prix etc. will keep me in my SAAB.

[aaaantoine]

I'll buy a diesel if I can afford to.

Of course, if diesel engines become popular here, watch the price of diesel fuel shoot through the roof.

[ImpalaPete]

About time. Only three to four years late. Were they here for sale now offering great MPG, GM could probably sell every one without any need for big discounts. There would certainly be one in my driveway. I have no doubt there is a sizable percentage of new car buyers in the U.S. who would prefer diesel cars over the compromises, costs, and marginal benefits of gasoline hybrids. GM could really rock the boat by selling a hybrid diesel right out of the gate, something I doubt GM has the guts to do.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Well after thinking about this news, it works for me, as I will be putting the 07 Grand Prix GXP in the garage next to the 69 Custom-S in 2010. Since Pontiac will no longer exist for me at that time, I will be moving on to Cadillac and buying the CTS diesel.

One door closes, another door opens, that is until Holden starts sending us rebadged Holdens as Cadillacs, should that happen, it's hello BMW!

[thegriffon]

Leave it to California to screw things up for the rest of the country....today's diesels are pretty dang clean and if allowed to flourish, the increase in fuel economy would greatly reduce our dependence on foreign oil....right now....but it makes the politicians feel good to set crazy friggin' standards...

As far as a 4 cylinder diesel, Lutz just said GM has diesels all the way down to a 1.3 liter, which, I'm sure is a 3 or 4 cylinder....

It's actually a 1.25 L 4-cylinder, but if you were noticing they had a potential 1.0 L diesel in one of the minicar concepts, which would be the smallest diesel on offer in a regular automobile (smaller 1- and two-cylinder diesels are built for quadricycles and domestic gen-sets etc.).