A diesel variant of the
Volkswagen Rabbit may be coming to U.S. shores to be sold alongside the
German automaker's upcoming diesel Jetta, according to a report in Automotive News.
North
American VW officials have hinted that plans are being considered to
drop the diesel mill into its subcompact Rabbit, due in part to the
previous success of diesel-powered Jettas. Diesel Jettas were last sold
in the U.S. in 2006 and managed to account for 40 percent of total
Jetta production that year. With the availability of low-sulfur diesel
fuel and new technologies designed to greatly reduce emissions, VW is
hoping it'll be able to capitalize on buyers looking for options other
than hybrids.VW's
The new 140-horsepower,
2.0-liter turbocharged TDI diesel engine is on its way to 50-state
legality when it arrives in North American showrooms early next year,
and the automaker says the engine will pass the tough Tier 2 Bin 5
emissions regulations that high-sales states, including California and
New York, have adopted. Transmission options would most likely include
a six-speed manual and six-speed DSG twin-clutch gearbox.
Should
a diesel Rabbit make it stateside, it could provide a
practical, high-mileage option for buyers looking for something with
a little hipper image than the Toyota Prius. VW is reportedly
considering the TDI for use in other vehicles as well, and it's a good
bet the engine will also become available for the upcoming Tiguan small
crossover. The concept version of the Tiguan that VW introduced at last
year's Los Angeles show was equipped with a version of the engine.
