Nissan & Honda Going Diesel
October 24, 2007 by Alborz Fallah
Japanese manufacturers might have the jump in Hybrid technology over their European competitors, but Europe has long been the home of Diesel powered cars. With the Japanese playing catch up, Nissan is taking the challenge seriously.
Set to introduce a range of diesel powered cars in Japan, Nissan plans to bring diesel power home. The company’s M9R diesel engine is already available in the Qashqai (Dualis) SUV in Europe and has low NOx and particles emissions.
Meanwhile, Honda is rumoured to be working on a diesel-powered Civic Type-R.
“As long as it is in keeping with the Type-R brand we will do it.” Honda’s powertrain engineer, Kenichi Nagahiro told Autocar. “But high revving has to be part of it and that’s what we’re working on.”
If a Diesel Civic Type-R goes ahead, it will most likely have a hard time making its way to Australia. Nonetheless, it will probably be powered by Honda’s new 2.2-litre diesel engine destined for the new Accord. The engine is expected to produce 180bhp and 320lb ft of torque.
Print it: 
Diesel and VTEC, VTAC yo????!?
Finally, some Japense manufacturers are recognising the torque and fuel consumption advantages of diesel passenger (and sports??) cars, even over hybrids. And which manufacturer keeps falling behind…wake up to yourself TOYOTA.
The only people that doen’t recognise the advantages of modern diesel engines are those who aren’t driving them.
Lets hope Nissan and Honda have the smarts to bring them to Oz.
And before you non believers start whining about the extra initial cost involved when going diesel instead of petrol, look at resale value. Diesel easily recoups those costs at the other end and you’ve saved yourself a stack of dough in the mean time refueling nearly half as often.
I love diesel engines due to ther huge torque and low end grunt. But savings don’t really occur until after 7-10 years of ownership. A lot of people don’t keep their cars that long, so the value is thrown out the window. Unless they do a heck of a lot of kilometers.
Sure resale vaule might be okay, but unfortunately Australia is one country where diesel costs more to make than petrol due to the extra refining in order for the fuel to work safely in moderm diesel engines and not pollute the air so much (read, pollute it in a different way).
There was a time when diesel was “dirty”. It was cheap due to lack of refinement. These days it’s the same if not more refined than petrol. Hence the higher asking price for fuel.
I’m still flying the turbo diesel flag though…
Steve
Steve, you may be correct about recouping costs a long way down the road, but if Aussies cared about paying a high price initally to have a higher retained value, they wouldn’t by Toyotas.
The only negative i see with the diesels, is the staggering repair costs if you get a batch of crappy fuel which can (and does) destroy pumps and injectors.
There are, as you say many positives.
Japanese manufacturers have been reluctant to embrace car diesels because they only have old diesel technology availabe (eg Isuzu, one of the very best – but not for car engines) and to get the new technology they have had to get into bed with their competition, the Europeans.
That must be a bitter pill for them to have to swallow, but if they hadn’t future sales in Europe would have been severely affected. Some are still dragging their heels (Toyota) and not offering the full monty of Euro VI technology preferring to offer their customers ageing Euro III and IV stuff instead. I’m not saying it’s bad stuff, but it is nowhere near the best.
Just have a look at the engine in the Touareg V10 which has been around for a long time versus the “new” Toyota V8 diesel in the LC200. The Toyota has nothing like the output of the old VW engine.
Sure it may take many thousands of km to recoup your initial outlay for a diesel but on a weekly basis, I can tell you that you really notice the savings and you soon forget the initial outlay.
I’ve owned a Santa Fe diesel now for 9 months, being the first diesel I have ever owned. Trading from an EL falcon, I now only fill up once a fortnight (1000 km) instead of once a week in the falcon and you really notice the extra cash in your pocket. Sport cars, yes stick with high octane petrol but for the family mover, diesel is the answer.
This has nothing to do with diesel Hondas, but the Dualis’s headlights scare me!
I meant Honda and Nissan (because Dualis is Nissan)
Coming back to Australia in six months ,cannot believe Honda Accord diesel is not available ,looks like much of the same for the Subaru.At 50 plus mpg can Australians afford to be without,especially as performace is comparable if not better than petrol cars.Guess I will have to import or drive to wherever and ship over.
Honda Europe offer a very refinning diesel engine, so why on earth does Honda Australia not offer the same engine for the civic or accord here?