2008 Volkswagen Touareg BlueTDI

Volkswagen Touareg BlueTDI

GENEVA ??” Volkswagen so badly wants to convince Americans to "go diesel" that it says it will forgo a European launch of its new Touareg BlueTDI and instead focus on selling the SUV in North America starting in 2008.

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The Touareg BlueTDI is designed to meet the tough emissions standards set in California and other states with stringent emissions limits. The vehicle features a new "selective catalytic reduction" or SCR, system that reduces nitrogen-oxide emissions by up to 90 percent, thus making it what VW asserts is "one of the cleanest diesel engines on the market." The system is linked to a diesel 3.0-liter V6 TDI that makes 222 horsepower.

Simply put, the system in the Touareg BlueTDI coverts nitrogen oxide into harmless nitrogen and water. The SCR system works together with a diesel particulate filter and a conventional catalytic converter to further cut emissions.

The vehicle is one of the offspring of the Bluetec Alliance that VW entered with Audi and DaimlerChrysler at the end of 2006.

What this means to you: VW puts forth the technology it hopes will convince American buyers that diesels are no longer smelly, loud and polluting.

Source: [url=http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/AutoshowArticles/articleId=119897]Edmunds.com/Inside Line[/url]