We've known about the new Subaru diesel for some time now, but we haven't had a real good walkthrough of this first-to-market boxer turbodiesel. You know, the whole shebang — specs, dimensions, power, transmissions, tricks. It's high time we rectified that. Luckily, TechOn did a sit-down with the chief engineers of the program a little while ago and got the whole kit, caboodle and whatever else goes along with it. What we came away with — other than a severe case of information overload — is that this clever little 2.0-liter horizontally-opposed four cylinder has some serious tricks up it bores.

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It's not often a design comes along and truly thinks outside of the box. What would you say to a GM developed, 4.5L V8 turbo diesel putting down 310 horsepower and 520 lb.ft. of torque in the footprint of a small block 350? What if we told you that same engine has common rail injection, a variable geometry turbo, no intake manifolds, and the exhaust ports on the valley side? Crazy! Yes - crazy good. More »

industry news

Huffing Diesel Fumes: Ford Earth Day Press Release Boldly Claims Diesel Emissions Leadership...From Behind

FoMoCo made a real big show of their bold environmental moves this past weekend in a press release they titled "EARTH DAY 'TOP TEN' - A SAMPLE OF FORD'S 'GREEN' INITIATIVES." Obvs, we expect that type of trumpeting bold declaration, especially as it happens every Earth Day — and usually they're overblown as all get out. I mean what do you expect, a Greenpeace award for patching the hole in the ozone layer? Come on, these are automakers we're talking about. And we know this year's list's going to be more overblown than most when "Use of Sustainable Fabric" is at the top o' the heap. But the item that I'm most interested in is the claim

"Ford is leading the diesel revolution with the 2008 Super Duty, offering the segment's first clean diesel engine."

No doubt the addition of the word "revolution" is meant to be a slight jab at the 'merican revolution and their new-for-2007 line-up of heavy haulers, but they're claim of "leading" the segment may be a tad bit disingenuous considering they may have forgotten another automaker in the rush to make sure they're protecting the right flank from the General. What about the 'merican side of the German-American hybrid? The big Dodge heavy haulers appear to be (after quick calls to GM, FoMoCo and Dodge) the only manufacturer HD's able to meet not only the current 2007 emissions standards here in the US, but also the 2010 standards for their big diesel — the Cummins 6.7-liter turbo. Maybe FoMoCo thinks it's in the diesel emissions lead because they've been huffing Dodge tailpipe — because although they're correct in stating their first-to-market status on the clean diesel engines, I don't think that necessarily defines "leadership." Full press release below the jump. – Ray Wert More »