Diesel cars on the way; they are 1/3 more efficient

Over half of all cars sold in Europe -- and over three-quarters of performance cars -- are diesel powered. The reasons are that diesel engines achieve one-third better mileage and perform better (have better torque at lower speeds). Furthermore, at the manufacturing level, diesel fuel is less expensive to produce because it requires less refinement. As of today (July 3, 2006) only two manufacturers (VW and Mercedes) offer diesel cars in the U.S. This will change within the next two years as Honda among others enter the market. There are two reasons that diesel is not presently popular here: First, an outdated (mis)perception that diesel is smelly and dirty. In fact, the common rail diesel engines manufactured today are an entirely new breed from those sold here in the 1980s. Common rail is in many ways cleaner than gasoline engines. Second, certain pollution stands in the U.S. are specifically difficult for diesel engines to meet largely because the diesel fuel sold here is insufficiently filtered (unlike that sold in Europe). This changes as of September 2006 when an EPA mandated raising of this standard takes effect. Cleaner diesel fuel, combined with certain technological innovations, will enable diesel engines to meet particulate emission pollution standards.