New Diesels Are More Cost Effective and Cleaner than Gasoline Engines
Today's diesel engines are nothing like the oil burners of the past, at least that's what luxury SUV maker Land Rover hopes to bring to light by bringing four of its sport utilities across the Atlantic for demonstration and testing purposes.
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| This fall a select few will get to test drive four of Land Rover's diesel SUVs. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
According to Land Rover test fleet spokesperson Bill Baker, two entry-level luxury Freelanders and two top-line Range Rovers will be arriving in the U.S. this fall for journalists, politicians and Ford Motor employees to test.
Does this mean Land Rover retailers will have diesel models for consumer purchase anytime soon? That's hard to say. The official word is no, but it's obvious the company is testing the waters. Rival 4x4 legend Jeep is bringing their Liberty to the market with a common-rail turbodiesel for 2004, which should help to open the market up for other brands such as Land Rover if they decide to do likewise.
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| Many North American's experience with diesel engines date back to the old-tech engines from the 80's. (Photo: Land Rover) |
A common belief among North American drivers is that diesels are slower, noisier, smellier and more polluting than their gasoline powered alternatives. That's a reasonable deduction considering most people's experience with the engine type dates back to the early 1980s and before, when old-tech diesel engines belched smoke, stunk up the parking garage, rattled and pinged annoyingly before clogging up the roadways due to poor acceleration.