Currently reading: Audi customers still want diesel engines in the US

Audi says its American customers still want the firm to sell diesels in the US, despite the ongoing emissions crisis

Audi’s American customers are “demanding” the firm still offers diesel powertrains, despite the fallout from the recent dieselgate emissions crisis, according to the firm’s member of the board in charge of technical development, Stefan Knirsch.

Speaking after it was announced that Audi had sold more than 200,000 cars in the US for the first time in 2015, a doubling of sales since 2011, Knirsch said: “In particular, customers of our Q models are saying ‘give us diesel engines’.

“The message we have received is that some of them love our diesel engines. Clearly they want them to comply with regulations, but that issue is set aside now. The fact is they love 900-1000km (610 miles) of driving range on the US cycle.”

Knirsch added that as a consequence of the customer feedback, the Audi SQ7, revealed last week, will be sold in the US.

Knirsch’s comments also come in the wake of a collapse in diesel sales in the US at the start of 2016. In January 2016, just 225 diesel cars were registered in the US, in comparison with 4448 in the same month of 2015. At the peak of diesel sales in the US - when 9500 cars were sold in a month - they accounted for 3% of all sales.

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Campervan 8 March 2016

Diesel doing well in USA

As JLR started selling diesel range rovers late last year they have been praised by motoring journalists in the USA. The Ram 1500 EcoDiesel has been voted best truck for two years running. US reviewers praise the ability of the Range Rover diesel and Ram truck giving them 25 to 28 mpg , US gallons, on the highway and the ability to travel many hundreds of miles without refuelling.
scrap 7 March 2016

More evidence that SUVs are

More evidence that SUVs are killing us. People like their big heavy trucks but they don't like paying big bills for fuel. US customers have much more reason to buy SUVs than European drivers, though, with wide open expanses of wilderness and tough winters in the snow belt.
Norma Smellons 7 March 2016

Dontcha know

Audi wrote:

The fact is they love 900-1000km (610 miles) of driving range on the US cycle

Ah but they could get this sort of range from an EV, too. After seven recharges, that is. Over the course of a week, say. If it's not cold. And the socket is available. And they don't get lost on their way, ever. And they don't forget to charge it up. But hey, they'll love it all the same!

xxxx 7 March 2016

Side stepping the article

Norma Smellons wrote:
Audi wrote:

The fact is they love 900-1000km (610 miles) of driving range on the US cycle

Ah but they could get this sort of range from an EV, too. After seven recharges, that is. Over the course of a week, say. If it's not cold. And the socket is available. And they don't get lost on their way, ever. And they don't forget to charge it up. But hey, they'll love it all the same!

Sorry you've lost me, where did EV's come into this story which was about VW's illegal, noisy, polluting, complicated, expensive to run diesel engines?

Phil R 7 March 2016

xxxx][quote=Norma Smellons]

xxxx][quote=Norma Smellons][quote=Audi wrote:

Sorry you've lost me, where did EV's come into this story which was about VW's illegal, noisy, polluting, complicated, expensive to run diesel engines?

Norma has previously discussed her thoughts on troll's "Typical troll, happy doling out off-topic abuse in lieu of a reasonable argument. You're a disgrace." on the 5th of January, 2016. I think we can all agree with that opinion of her?