Honda Promises Diesel in 2009

[skip0110]

Honda is planning a 50-state compliant diesel 4-cylinder engine to be ready by 2009.

They are also replacing the fuel-cell FCX with a lighter sports car using the same driveline.

(From Bloomberg.com)

 

[a6m5]

This should be interesting. Nice find, skip. 👍

I've been interested in VW's TDI Golf. It'll be really cool to see Honda compete with that in the nearfuture.

 

[YSSMAN]

A Honda diesel? Now that certainly is something new here in the US...

Honda could be the company that takes it mainstream, and that is a good thing. With more and more automakers throwing their hats into the diesel-power ring, you can be certain that there will be a diesel option on a good number of cars in the near-future.

(YAY!)

 

[skip0110]

I wonder...Honda is know for it's high-rpm screamers...will this be a high rpm diesel?

I know that can be done, Banks Power has a 8000 rpm test engine

 

[red70mach1]

High RPM not likely. Knowing Honda in making an engine compliant they'll do it.

 

[L8 Apex]

Woo-hoo! 👍

 

[Eric.]

Now you won't be able to say Hondas don't have torque.

 

[skip0110]

Some sites are saying that this may actually be 2 engines, a 4-cyl derivative of the Euro 2.2 Diesel with 138hp/250lb-ft (and 50 mpg in the Euro Accord) and a brand new V-6 diesel for the MDX.

 

[YSSMAN]

I'd be willing to bet that if they cram a diesel in the MDX, you can bet your rear-end that Saturn will stick a diesel in the Outlook as well.

 

[niky]

Why is it taking so gosh-darn long?

Honda, Toyota, Nissan and the others have had their diesels in Europe for ages... about time they sent them our way.

I don't know about you guys, but considering my country has zilch in the way of diesel emissions regulations (as long as you pass the test, it's A-OK), and we still only have two diesel cars (not trucks or SUVs... we have lots of those in diesel).

 

[DQuaN]

I have never thought about this before. Honda have no diesel cars?? Now that I think about it, I can't think of any, but I would never have thought.

You learn something new everyday!

 

[YSSMAN]

^ Wait? You mean no diesel models in the US, or no diesel models in the UK?

...All we have had here is petrol models since the begining, and thats about it. Our main diesel suppliers have been Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz as of late, outside of the diesel trucks that have been sold here for decades by American automakers.

 

[L8 Apex]

^^^

And the big 3's 3/4- and 1-ton trucks (along with their heavy duty vans) are your only options for a new diesel if you're unlucky enough to be living in California or the 4 eastern states that subscribe to the same emissions standards. 🤬 But as history has repeatedly shown, if any car company can meet $acramento's loco-high emissions standards, it's Honda. Assuming they drop that motor in the next-gen Accord, they don't drop the ball on the styling and they don't price it obscenely high, then I'll have a hell of a time choosing between one of those and the Camry Hybrid my grandmother just bought with the intention of handing down to me when she quits driving in a couple of years.

 

[YSSMAN]

Honda could make it "popular" here in the US, but I think Toyota is going to have to join up as well to make sure it will happen. It looks as though diesel power is the way a lot of automakers are going, and I think companies that were once on the fringe are going to consider the switch now that Honda has joined up.

 

[skip0110]

Historically, diesel is the knee-jerk reaction of automakers to high gas prices.

Think of all the diesels we had in the US in the early 80s. Even BMW brought a diesel here.

With the general idea that variation fosters innovation, I hope that this is not just a fad.

 

[YSSMAN]

I watched a video interview with Bob Lutz earlier today and he was talking, for a short bit, about the new GM Diesel program for the United States. He mentioned that they are working on a V6 (unknown displacement) and a 4.5L V8 that will be sold worldwide, and will meet US regulations. He noted that the costs for developing the engines to meet US standards is adding unnecessary cost to the engines, describing them as "chemical plants" underneath the car.

...Oh well, I still am in love with the idea of a Zeta-based Impala Diesel...