Diesels

Diesel-Powered Vehicles at the 2013 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 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway. The diesel counterpart carries a rating of 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. That’s roughly a 25% improvement. Better yet, the diesel will save you more than $300 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 21 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, Chevy’s Duramax diesel pumps out 765 lb/ft of torque.  Exhibit B, Ford’s Powerstroke in the Super Duty produces 800 pound-feet of torque. Exhibit C (and the closing argument) Ram’s Cummins Turbo makes 850 lb-ft of torque. 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 2013 Chicago Auto Show or at the Vehicles on Display section of the auto show Web site.