If you happen to be in Austria you should go check this out and send me pictures. It’s supposed to be a huge event going on now! Here’s Audi’s press release:

• Audi at the big “GTI meet” in Kärnten
• A3 TDI clubsport quattro concept with 224 hp
• Attractive program with numerous highlights

Audi is again presenting spectacular showcars at the Wörthersee Tour in 2008. The big meet for horsepower-loving Audi and VW enthusiasts runs from May 21 to 25 in Reifnitz (Kärnten), Austria. The brand with the four rings is showcasing its high-performance and highly efficient TDI technology.
The highlight is a showcar, the Audi A3 TDI clubsport quattro, whose two-liter diesel engine churns out 165 kW (224 hp) and 450 Nm (331.90 lb-ft) of torque. The concept car is a driving machine loaded with innovative solutions.

The A3 TDI clubsport quattro sprints from a standing stop to highway speed in 6.6 seconds and tops out at 240 km/h (149.13 mph). A six-speed transmission transfers the torque to the quattro all-wheel-drive system; 20-inch wheels deliver it to the street. Sitting behind the front rims are carbon-fiber-ceramic brake discs.

Another highlight is the Audi drive select dynamic control system, which allows the driver to alter the throttle response characteristic, exhaust note, power steering boost, ESP response and the damping of the shock absorbers, which use Audi magnetic ride technology to instantly adjust to current conditions. Numerous modifications to the interior and exterior round out the dynamic image of the A3 concept.
Besides the A3 TDI clubsport quattro, Audi is presenting another high-end showcar in Reifnitz, the R8 TDI Le Mans. Its diesel V12 produces 368 kW (500 hp) and 1,000 Nm (737.56 lb-ft) of torque – enough to accelerate the supercar from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 4.2 seconds on its way to a top speed of well beyond 300 km/h (186.41 mph). The open Audi TT clubsport, whose purist character made it the star of the Wörthersee Tour 2007, is also making a return appearance in a further-developed form. Audi is also showing 24 production vehicles, including the recently introduced Audi TT TDI. The coupe’s 125 kW (170 hp) two-liter diesel delivers sporty performance while setting new efficiency standards in the sports car segment by consuming only 5.3 liters of diesel/100 km (44.38 US mpg) on average.

The Wörthersee Tour, also known as the “GTI Meet,” is a magnet for horsepower-loving fans of the Audi and VW brands and last year drew roughly 200,000 visitors. This was the first time that Audi had taken part in the event – and the response was overwhelming.

This year the brand with the four rings is going full-throttle. The Audi Genuine Accessories division and quattro GmbH have their own stands where they are presenting their accessory, upgrade and customization lines.

The interactive highlight of Audi’s presence is the “quattro mountain.” Paraphrasing the Wörthersee motto “The lake is calling,” the motto here is “The mountain is calling.” The structure is reminiscent of the ski jump in Kaipola, Finland, on which the legendary advertisement with an Audi 100 CS quattro was filmed in 1986. The Reifnitz mountain may only be 12 meters (39.37 ft) high, but it is still spectacular thanks to a 30% slope and a rocker board at the peak for the transition to the equally steep descent. And the fans can experience it first-hand: Professionals drive a series of demo cars over the mountain, and passengers are wanted.

LAS VEGAS, May 13 /PRNewswire/ — When consumers understand the advantages of today’s clean diesel power, it turns conventional thinking about diesel on its head, explained Gale Banks, chief executive officer of Gale Banks Engineering, and a featured speaker at the Alternative Fuels & Vehicles National Conference + Expo. The conference runs through Wednesday, May 14, at the Rio All-Suite Hotel.

“With clean diesel power, drivers can have approximately 30 percent better fuel economy and 50 percent more torque, as well as reduce emissions by up to 25 percent, when compared to gasoline-powered passenger car engines. With clean diesel no longer are fuel economy and performance mutually exclusive,” Banks said.
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I was asked for more information about the forthcoming Subaru boxer diesel and I found this, originally from Newspress UK.

Never one to follow the herd, for years Subaru has built cars that are just a little different from typical automotive fare. The 1989 Justy employed the first CVT transmission in a U.S. production car, and the exotic styling of the 1992 - 97 SVX still turns heads today. Now to promote the first ever boxer diesel engine offered in a passenger car, a Subaru dealer in the UK has created a special “see-through” Outback that shows off the automaker’s mechanical innovation to the world.
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It looks amazing in red! I would break quite a few laws for the chance to play with one of these.

Once again showing you everything goes good with diesel!

Sorry for the long delay in updates. I’m going to blame it on changing jobs, accepting too much side work, and a dead car (that is now living again…….kinda).

So like I said I’ve recently switched jobs. I’ll be working from home now most of the time which I hope gives me more time with this site. I’ll have to travel sometimes, but it shouldn’t affect much. I’ve also decided to stop accepting work on the side after I finish this last job because I need more personal time. And finally I went to add a larger turbo to my car and that’s when things started to go wrong.

Like most people that are probably reading this I enjoy cars and especially modifying cars. My diesel Jetta has been no exception to this rule. Previous to this I had put in larger injectors, retuned it, and put in a slightly bigger turbo. The first turbo I got was used but supposedly rebuilt. If it actually was then it was rebuilt pretty crappy because my car never ran ran since the moment I put it on. I had always thought it had to do with the programming, but I was very wrong. I drove that until about a month ago when I bought the 1856SV from kermatdi.com. Right before it went under the knife for the turbo upgrade the infamous VW auto tranny reliability reared it’s ugly head and my car would spin 3000rpms at about 58mph never fully locking up. Then turbo surgery started. Three weeks and 3 turbos later my car is back on the road with a tranny on it’s last leg. Hopefully it will survive anther month and then I’ll swap in a 5 speed standard. I didn’t really like the auto anyway. I thought I was going to because all my other cars were standards, but I really enjoy shifting. In the mean time my tranny switches on and off from kinda working to barely working. When it goes to barely working I do the reset trick and it’s good for a day or two and will go in and out of lock. For anyone that doesn’t know the reset trick for dubs it’s simple. Turn your ignition to the on position. Mash your foot all the way down on the accelerator pedal for about 10 seconds and then let it up. Turn the key back off and you’re good……for a bit. Oh yeah I also got some Audi TT 17″ wheels when it was time to replace the tires. Affectionately known as “Fat Fives” I think they really add to the styling of the Jetta. Eventually I’ll get pictures of my car in it’s current state, but for now back to work.

Thanks for reading and I’ll be back to the news now!

From Motortrend

General Motors is readying a new 4.5-liter V-8 Duramax turbodiesel engine for use first in the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra light duty trucks. The new engine is relatively compact thanks to integral aluminum cylinder head exhaust manifolds, integral cam cover intake manifolds, and a narrow V-angle block. As a result, GM says, the engine can fit in the same space as a small-block V-8 gas engine.
2008 Chevrolet Silverado

The 4.5-liter diesel will meet LEV2 emissions standards and be sellable in all 50 states. Producing 310 horsepower and 520 lb-ft of torque, GM says the engine will achieve fuel efficiency 25 percent better than comparable gas engines and is the first GM engine to employ a selective catalytic reduction NOx after-treatment system with a diesel particulate filter. Compared to “many diesel vehicles today,” GM says, the new engine reduces CO2 emissions by 13 percent as well as a 90 percent reduction in particulates and NOx.

The engine has a variable-vane turbocharger with intercooling and a compacted graphite iron cylinder block which helps make the engine strong and light, compared to one composed of aluminum or grey cast iron. If buyers are willing to pay the slight premium for new diesel technology (not to mention the diesel premium at the pump), we wouldn’t be surprised to see diesel-powered Chevy Silverados and GMC Sierras make up a larger share of GM’s shrinking fullsize truck and SUV production.