Volkswaegn TDI's are awesome engines. I have a 2005 Passat TDI that gets 38mpg around town and 44 mpg at 80 mph on the interstate. This car never ceases to amaze me. Runs on my biodiesel too. I am looking forward to the Tiguan. Now can someone please make a small diesel pickup like the old VW caddy from the 80's.

Speaking of VW diesels, any word on whether there will be a TDI Passat wagon in the U.S. anytime soon?

I actually e-mailed VW on this very question. They didn't specify the Passat but said the '08 Jetta's should have the technology listed above. I know if they came out with an '08 Passat Wagon with TDI I'd already be at the dealership ordering mine...

I've read that VW will offer the 140 bhp TDI engine in all 50 states, thanks to a new, advanced catalytic converter that reduces NOx emissions so it meets current US emission laws. Given the high torque peak of this TDI engine, the Tiguan, and the 2008 Rabbit/Jetta models that use this engine won't be slow.

VW has officially announced that the Jetta Sedan; Jetta SportWagon (coming in '08); and the Tiguan (coming in '08) will get the new 2.0 CR TDI engine for the U.S., but the Tiguan will not get it initially at launch.

The two Jettas will get them in the first quarter of '08. They contend that mpg will be up about 7 mpg (from 38 combined to 45 combined rating), however, us dieselheads know that diesel mpg numbers are always underestimated since the EPA doesn't account for the 10% improvement after break-in. My '06 Jetta TDI, for instance, gets me 45 mpg on a regular basis, even as the EPA estimates it @ 38.

When one considers that: hp will go from 100 in the 1.9, to 140 in the 2.0(+40%), and torque will go from 177 in the 1.9, to 236 in the 2.0 (+59%); that the new VW TDI will be about 80% cleaner burning and will still accept any blend of biodiesel as a renewable fuel which makes it even cleaner; that a consumer can get all of this with an 18% increase in fuel economy as compared to the outgoing, 1.9; is there any doubt that diesel cars just can't be beat right now for moving towards a more progressive energy strategy. Now, if America only had some diesels to choose from.

Oh yeah, VW spokespersons have also stated that they don't expect to raise the price on the new Jetta TDI from the 2006 TDI level, which means an '08 Jetta TDI sedan can be had for around $23K.

Any word on using biodiesel in the upcoming VW TDi? I heard from a very reliable source that they're saying "no biodiesel at all" in the '08 model. Do they want a huge revolt on their hands? I don't want Volkswagen USA to shoot themselves in the foot, which saying "no bio" would really do. Hell, I use it in my '06 despite what they say. Runs great! (Ask me in five years if I had any problems.)