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.

The three liter diesel engine by the Volkswagen group is exactly the right engine for the Touareg and the Q7; the torquey engine gives the elegant 2.5-ton SUVs great momentum. Even more so with Power S by ABT Sportsline, as Power S increases the diesel’s performance from serial 225hp/165kW (Touareg) and 233hp/171kW (Q7) to impressive 300hp/221kW. This plus in power of more than 30% also affects the torque; instead of serial 500Nm, now 600Nm provide for enormous thrust. ABT AS7 and ABT Touareg 3.0 TDI have enough power reserves at any time, and the 300hp of the diesel perform very well even in the low rpm-range: from 0 to 100km/h in 8.2 seconds (Touareg) and 8.5 seconds (AS7) – these Allgäu SUVs are not only strong athletes but also good sprinters. The top speed is 214km/h (Touareg) and 222km/h (AS7).

Wolfsburg / Geneva, 03 March 2008 - Volkswagen is putting on a spectacular parade of new models in Geneva with a host of international product debuts. Taking centre stage will be the highlight of the show, the new Scirocco – a completely re-engineered all-round sports car. Another vehicle being showcased at Lake Geneva is the Golf TDI Hybrid. This concept car runs on just 3.4 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres. The 150-PS Passat Estate TSI EcoFuel, also debuting in Geneva, represents a technology leap for automobiles run on natural gas. Other Volkswagen world premieres will be the extremely fuel-efficient Sharan BlueMotion (6.0 litres per 100 km) and the four-wheel-drive Golf Estate 4Motion. The Passat CC will also be on display for the first time ever in Europe.

I found this video on TDIClub.com and had to share it with everyone. Fifth Gear takes a bone stock AUTOMATIC diesel Golf and straps on a nitrous kit to see just how effective it can be. The results are pretty incredible.

While Lutz may be the loudest voice at GM, he’s not the only voice. There may be small diesel hope from GM yet.

From autonews.com

DETROIT — To meet fuel economy regulations, Chevrolet is looking at ways to use diesels in cars. The brand also is considering a U.S. model smaller and cheaper than the Aveo.

“We’re going to have an opportunity to see a lot of things around the world that could very well work nicely in our portfolio here,” Ed Peper, Chevrolet’s general manager, told Automotive News at the Detroit auto show.

Last year at the Los Angeles auto show, Chevy said it would sell a minicar, the Beat, next year outside the United States and Canada. Chevy executives said they would watch how U.S. consumers receive Daimler AG’s Smart minicar to help determine whether to sell a minicar here.

In the meantime, Chevrolet, like Cadillac, is considering diesels. Peper pointed to GM’s European diesel technology that could be applied here. GM has a 2.9-liter turbocharged V-6 diesel that will be used in the Cadillac CTS in Europe. Also, GM’s European brand, Opel, has three diesel four-cylinder engines used in the Astra small cars: 1.3-liter, 1.7-liter and 1.9-liter diesels with 90 to 150 hp.

Says Peper: “We’re not going to rule out anything.”

This makes me wonder how much I could get for those extraneous body parts I don’t use like that second kidney.

From autoexpress.co.uk

Power to the diesel! That’s the message from Mercedes, as bosses prepare to follow Audi into the high-performance oil-burning market.

Auto Express can reveal the firm is closer than ever to launching an AMG-badged diesel model. With Audi unveiling its R8 V12 TDI concept at the Detroit Motor Show and Ferrari taking the wraps off its Biofuel F430 prototype, the pressure is on for Mercedes’ performance division to follow suit.

Subaru will be launching their 2.0L four-cylinder diesel following the Geneva auto show, offering it as an option in its Legacy and Outback models. Unfortunately, it will be at least 2 years before we see it in the States. Further insult to injury is that we will most likely not be able to get the five-speed manual that is being designed specifically for the diesel. Instead we will have to wait for the automatic that is currently being developed.

Oddly enough, though the engine is built in Japan, it will not be available to the Japanese until after the US launch.

The Audi A3 Cabriolet

Sporty, elegant, and emotion-packed – the new A3 Cabriolet is set to roll into showrooms in spring 2008. This four-passenger convertible model is the premium product in the compact class. It brings with it the distinctive sportiness, highly developed technology, and uncompromising quality that mark all Audi models. There are four powerful and efficient engines to choose from – two TFSI and two TDI – as well as a broad range of individual equipment options.

Wolfsburg, 20 December 2007 - The bestseller shifts up a gear. Following sales of around 1 million units, Volkswagen’s intelligent DSG automatic gearbox is now not only available with six, but also with seven gears. The first 7-speed DSG is now available for the Golf and Golf Plus with the 1.4 TSI and 1.9 TDI engines. This represents a milestone in the gearbox strategy of the Volkswagen Group.

Audi is introducing a new vehicle segment with its presentation of the Audi Cross Cabriolet quattro concept car at the Los Angeles Auto Show (14 – 24 November 2007). The two-door, four-seater car measures 4.62 metres in length and combines the genes of a typical dynamic soft-top convertible from Audi with the all-round qualities of a fully fledged SUV. The muscular, powerful, but also elegant lines make no secret of this vehicle’s potential. The 240 bhp three-litre TDI engine with ultra-low emission technology delivers sporty driving dynamics with exhaust emissions on the level of the EU 6 limits. The quattro permanent four-wheel-drive system and high-tech chassis with electric ride height adjustment are a recipe for driving pleasure on all terrain and in any curve radius.