BMW won't join German carmakers' U.S. diesel push

FRANKFURT, Nov 22 (Reuters) - BMW will not join forces with German carmakers Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Audi to market clean diesels in the United States under the BLUETEC name. While Volkswagen and Mercedes already sell diesels in the U.S. market, BMW has no plans to do so any time soon and declines to use the BLUETEC name, currently being used to help sell Mercedes-Benz E 320s that run on ultra low sulphur diesel in the U.S.
The world's biggest premium carmaker, a fierce rival of DaimlerChrysler's luxury Mercedes brand, first wants to develop a urea-based technology to reduce nitrogen oxides before considering a sustained entry into the U.S. diesel market.
"We are in the process of thinking of a name that is different from BLUETEC," a spokesman for BMW said on Wednesday.

Helped by diesel fuel subsidies, diesels make up around half of the western European car market but traditionally they have been a tough sell for passenger cars in the U.S.
Widespread misperceptions of diesels as dirty and loud, regulatory hurdles and diesels' extra expense -- they cost around $2,000 more than petrol engines -- have limited their appeal in the past.
But last month's advent of diesel fuel in the U.S. with a low sulphur content of just 15 parts per million has opened a window for carmakers to highlight diesel's far better fuel economy and robust towing power. Diesels typically get around 30 percent better mileage than petrol engines.
Volkswagen, Audi and Mercedes consequently want to push diesels under the BLUETEC name as an alternative technology to counter the success of Toyota's hybrids.
"Three brands have more power," a Volkswagen spokesman said on Wednesday, adding Mercedes' sister brand Chrysler would also join the alliance at a later date.
A formal announcement was due on Nov. 28 ahead of the Los Angeles car show.
Developed by Mercedes-Benz and diesel injection system specialist Bosch, BLUETEC with AdBlue lets cars meet the stringent U.S. emissions norm, Bin 5, which goes into effect in 2009.
Due in 2008, the AdBlue system uses urea-based additives to cut nitrogen oxide emissions and thus meet clean air rules in all 50 U.S. states.

IamEvilHomer - 11/24/2006 2:32:05 PM

0 Boost

so BMW being an independent company wants to see how the innovators do it before they stick their necks out. Sounds very asian to me

IamEvilHomer - 11/25/2006 4:46:06 AM

+1 Boost

Microsoft didn't invent the OS but they sure kicked but with it

ASF ? Quattro? DSG (to be copied by BMW soon) FSI with Turbo FWD CVT

because there was some weirdo flying a plane years before the wright brothers dosen't meen anything if he can't do anything good with his invention

Audi has made the most of production tech

Oh i forgot the TDI W12 R10

no inovation there right ?

chewy - 11/25/2006 1:59:44 PM

+1 Boost

Wrong, the Caterpillar Lola used the rebadged VW V10 TDI diesel. Here is proof.

"Late in 2003, Taurus Sports approached Perkins with an idea - to use the VW 5.0 litre, V10 PDi engine as the basis of a diesel powered Lola racecar "

"Unrestricted engines rated at 313hp were procured from our local VW dealer, "

http://www.perkins.com/cda/components/fullArticle?m=96605&x=7&id=284098

S4cabriofoxone - 11/26/2006 7:23:56 PM

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And, the R10 is lauded for being the first SUCCESSFUL diesel racecar in the series. Lola wasn't nearly as good.

chewy - 11/23/2006 9:38:22 PM

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Too bad for them.

S4cabriofoxone - 11/23/2006 10:16:24 PM

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No, I don't think that's a smart move at all. If BMW wants a piece of the pie, they have to give their diesel cars an image. By the time (if they do) reach the American market, BMW diesels won't be nearly as well known as Mercedes or Audi diesels.

BMW530i - 11/24/2006 6:16:19 AM

-1 Boost

Good point.

Autoegr525 - 11/24/2006 12:12:00 AM

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I say offer a diesel in the new X5 and bring the 535d over in a limited run just to establish a presence in the emerging diesel market.

S4cabriofoxone - 11/24/2006 11:32:48 AM

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Pretty much exactly what I said.

I think people would love cars like that. E420 CDI, 535d, A8 4.2 TDI, etc...

synx - 11/26/2006 12:28:53 AM

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i dont mind what BMW do, as long as they don't go crazy with hybrid cars. hydrogen sounds very promising as an alternative fuel to petrol/diesel. the only big drawbacks are
1)dangerous to transport hydrogen
2)need to establish hydrogen stations throughout the world
3)takes up a lot of space