The Detroit News reports, "Diesels already match the much beloved two-mode gas-electric hybrid on the highway -- mile for mile -- but here in America they remain the Rodney Dangerfield of powertrains: They get no respect."  Diesel engines, on average, are "up to 30 percent more efficient than their gasoline equivalents."  But U.S. automakers "have relegated diesel engines to big trucks. And U.S. consumers have placed only hybrids on the pedestal of environmentalism."  Still, "some consumers, desperate for high mileage and solid performance, are starting to consider diesels as a viable alternative." 

Inventor Spot profiles a diesel-powered version of Subaru's Legacy wagon and sedan that "will have more than enough cranking ponies to merge with freeway traffic and get an estimated 50mpg."  The Subaru diesel option will be offered in Europe "for at least 2 years before it makes the journey across the Atlantic."

Automobile reports that Audi is "well on the track to making the world's cleanest diesel available for our North American market too." 

Popular Mechanics reports that at the recent 2008 Geneva Motor Show, Audi offered a version of its R8 sports coupe "packing a twin-turbocharged -12 diesel engine...that makes 500 hp, 737 lb.-ft. of torque and accelerates like a dragster right up to 185 mph. And yet it delivers 24 mpg with very low emissions."  Toyota also "showed the production version of its cute little iQ urban car concept with a choice of gas and diesel engines." Diesel-hybrids are part of the next wave of more fuel-efficient automobiles as well.   Mercedes "released the details of its S400 Blue hybrid luxury car, using a small turbodiesel engine and next-gen li-ion to produce only 306 grams of CO2 per mile, get 29-plus miles per gallon, and run 0-60 mph in 7.3 seconds."  BMW and Volkswagen also showed diesel-hybrids in Geneva. 

CNN Money reports, "Volkswagen unveiled" a diesel-hybrid "Golf hatchback in Europe this week that gets even better mileage than the Prius."  The golf is sold as the Rabbit for the U.S. market.  "Customers in the U.S. would have to wait a little longer, but a car like this could eventually be sold here, said Keith Price, a spokesman for Volkswagen of America."

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