Talking to an Audi rep, and Diesels in the US

[L DC]

Based on my travels around certain parts of the world,
I have come to the conclusion that we get the
crappiest cars imported into the US, not to mention
American marques; no offense to anyone but that seems
to be a fact.

In a recent trip to Latin America, I got to see the
new generation of TDI automobiles from high end as
Mercedes to Toyota and Nissans. Hey, even Kia, Hyundai
and Daewoo got nice TDI cars!!!

Example:

Sold in the US as a gas guzzler Lexus GX470, in Latin
America is sold as the Toyota Prado.

Prado: Turbo Diesel, AWD, 5spd stick

http://www.toyota.com.ni/pradogaleria.html

Lexus GX470: V8 gas lover

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Lexus-GX470-06-GX-470-2006-DVD-NAVI-LOW-RESERVE-NO-X5_W0QQitemZ4639435200QQcategoryZ43917QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Also, and despite the fact they share the same
chassis, the Prado is equipped with all the goodies
such as euro headlights/ tail lights, antenna, etc.,
ect., unlike the US gas version. 

Forget the Tacoma or Tundra, can you get me a Hilux??

http://www.toyota.com.ni/hiluxgaleria.html

4runner or fortuner, you decide.

http://www.toyota.com.ni/Fortunergaleria.html


Check out the other models:

http://www.toyota.com.ni/

-Regards,

-Louis


--- Andrew Duane <andrew at savaJe.com> wrote:

> My recent trip to France had some interesting Audi
> side-effects.
> 
> On the airport shuttle bus, I happened to sit next
> to one of the
> VW/Audi regional factory reps, and we got to
> talking. After I vented
> a bit about my treatment by AoA and my dealer when
> my timing belt went,
> we started talking about TDIs in the US.
> 
> I've always been mad that Audi doesn't import it's
> diesels into the US.
> I love my A6Q, but 20-22MPG just doesn't cut it. He
> indicated that there
> are problems with diesel fuel specs in the US, which
> made it hard to make
> most new TDIs work well. That seems to be getting
> fixed, and he indicated
> that some new A6 and/or Q7 models with TDIs might be
> here soon.
> 
> On arriving in France, I discovered my rental car
> was a Peugot 307 TDI
> wagon. A very nice car, almost the equal of my A6.
> Handled well, ran
> smoothly, quite decent pick-up. And, when I refilled
> at the pump, I
> discovered that I got between 40 and 45 MPG, twice
> what my A6 gets! 
> 
> Now more than ever I wish Audi would get this ball
> rolling. Why waste
> money with hybrids of questionable longevity and
> $$$$ required battery
> replacements, when TDI technology is decades old,
> and gets an HONEST
> 40+ MPG in a decent inexpensive car? It would be a
> no-brainer for me to
> get an A6Q Avant TDI as my next car.
> 
> Rant off, back to my jet lag.......
> 
> -- 
> 
> Andrew Duane            Member Technical Staff - SPG
> SavaJe Technologies     andrew at savaje.com
> 100 Apollo Drive        p: 978.856.4943
> Chelmsford, MA 01824    f: 978.256.8386
> _______________________________________________
> quattro mailing list
> quattro at audifans.com
> http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/quattro
> ---
> Watch this space for ads :)
> 


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