Diesels

Diesel-Powered Vehicles at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show

Say the word "diesel" and people immediately think of dirty, stinky and loud over-the-road trucks. That’s just not true any more. Today’s modern diesel engines are quiet, powerful and efficient. Best of all they don’t smell any more!

Diesel engines are inherently more efficient than their gasoline counterparts. Take, for example, the new Audi Q7. With the six-cylinder gas engine the Q7 is EPA rated at 14 mpg city and 19 mpg highway. The diesel counterpart carries a rating of 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. That’s roughly a 25% improvement. Better yet, the diesel will save you more than $600 per year in fuel costs.

An the other end of the spectrum, there’s the tiny little Audi A3 wagon. The gas engine rates a respectable 22 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. Opt for the diesel and you’re cruising to the tune of 30 mpg city and 42 mpg highway--those are hybrid numbers.

Another advantage of diesel engines is the amount of low-speed grunt they offer. Exhibit A, Ram’s Cummins Turbo makes 650 lb-ft of torque. Exhibit B, Chevy’s Duramax diesel pumps out 765 lb/ft of torque. Exhibit C (and the closing argument) Ford’s 6.7-liter Powerstroke in the Super Duty produces 800 pound-feet of torque at 1600 rpm. So if you’re pulling a boat out of the water or stump out of the ground, there’s not better choice than a diesel.

You can find the following diesel-powered vehicles on display at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show or at the Vehicles on Display section of the auto show Web site.