Diesel Dropped as a Priority for Automakers

For those of you still hanging onto the idea of a diesel renaissance here in the States, there’s bad news: Automotive News has reported that the six of the biggest names in the auto business have halted their diesel development plans for the US.

Honda, Nissan, Toyota, GM, Ford, and Chrysler execs felt the cost in making diesel engines fully compliant with US (and especially California) air standards was too high; in addition, consumer perception was not favorable enough to dent the move towards hybrids.

Honda had been on the forefront among the six, with diesel variants of the Accord, TSX, and TL in the pipeline.  One-by-one, management axed the proposed diesels, eventually putting the whole project on hiatus.  Plans from BMW and Volkswagen, however, appear to be moving forward.