For Mercedes-Benz it is payback time for VW snubbing its diesel engine technology. VW is now generations behind from the pursuit of its financially-crippling diesel engine lie.
THE DAMAGE that Volkswagen has inflicted upon itself with the diesel emissions scandal continues to grow with the company now facing a severe competitive disadvantage in the diesel engine market which was to be so important to its drive to become the world’s top car maker.
This is because the car maker on which VW turned its back when seeking a solution to a low-emissions diesel engine – Mercedes Benz – has just revealed a hugely competitive four-cylinder diesel engine that leaves Volkswagen wallowing in its dishonesty. It is a huge vindication of Mercedes and a punishing lesson for VW.
The new four-cylinder diesel engine, which is the first of a series of modular engines, will see duty late this year in the Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan before being shared with other models. It leap-frogs Volkswagen’s diesel engine offerings.
Mercedes two-litre versions are streets ahead of VW curent two litre diesel on all measures – power, torque, fuel economy and emissions.
Volkswagen has responded that it will launch an all-new 1.5-litre turbo-diesel (and 1.5-litre turbo-petrol) for production in early 2017 – still a year away. The new diesel replaces the existing – and contentious – 1.6-litre unit and will have ancillary equipment – the same as used by Mercedes – in its bid to reduce emissions.
But why is the Mercedes engine so important?
Because it exposes the sheer foolishness of the path VW chose to follow with the defeat devices leaving it years behind in the diesel engine stakes and potentially forces it to swallow its pride and adopt the Mercedes technology or something similar – something it should have done in in the first place back in 2008.
Readers will recall that in the mid 2000s, VW needed a clean four-cylinder diesel engine in order to meet US fuel economy standards and drive a surge in North American sales as part of the plan to become the top car maker in the world.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
They had arranged to buy technology from Mercedes that would provide the performance and fuel economy needed as well as meet stringent US emissions standards. But in “a fit of Peich” heads at the top of Volkswagen were rolled and the Mercedes deal was called off; leaving VW without a suitable engine. The boss, Ferdinand Piech, did not like the fact that they had to go to Mercedes for their clean engine solutions.
So they lied. And lied. And lied for years and years.
They were not even smart enough to figure out that the defeat device had actually bought them some time. Why did they not scramble to get a replacement engine to meet the US standards in 2009? Or 2010? Or 2011? But no. They just kept operating under the lie when they should have been working to solve the problem.
So they have lost all this time and are now forced to cobble up a solution for the existing cheat engine that is more a legal and regulatory solution that a technology solution. This is certain to compromise their ability to compete in the US diesel engine market in future.
And now, of course, the company is facing such gigantic financial restraints because of the penalties and fines that are coming at them from all sides that they are unlikely to have the budget to develop the ideal diesel engine solution they need.
But it gets worse.
Volkswagen faces more hurt as the all-alloy Mercedes OM654 turbo-diesel 2.0-litre engine is the first in a family of high-tech diesels and is poised to be shared with VW’s direct rivals.
Mercedes has an agreement for technology sharing with Volkswagen competitors Nissan, Renault and Infiniti. It is very likely this advanced new emission-legit diesel family will wind up in cars fielded by these brands.
And if VW is wondering if the diesel engine does not have a future then they need to think again.
Mercedes-Benz’s alloy diesel engine meets future US emissions rules and may just be the candle in the Volkswagen-inspired gloom that has globally cast doubt about the future of the engine as a competitive power source for passenger cars.
The Mercedes engine shows that diesel is back in the low-emissions race.
For Volkswagen, it’s an embarrassing thumping.
For Mercedes – which offered Volkswagen its coveted key to unlock the stringent US diesel emission regulations; but was dismissed – it’s vindication.
By Neil Dowling and John Mellor on 7th April 2016 Comment Diesel, Emissions, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen
This is because the car maker on which VW turned its back when seeking a solution to a low-emissions diesel engine – Mercedes Benz – has just revealed a hugely competitive four-cylinder diesel engine that leaves Volkswagen wallowing in its dishonesty. It is a huge vindication of Mercedes and a punishing lesson for VW.
The new four-cylinder diesel engine, which is the first of a series of modular engines, will see duty late this year in the Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan before being shared with other models. It leap-frogs Volkswagen’s diesel engine offerings.
Mercedes two-litre versions are streets ahead of VW curent two litre diesel on all measures – power, torque, fuel economy and emissions.
Volkswagen has responded that it will launch an all-new 1.5-litre turbo-diesel (and 1.5-litre turbo-petrol) for production in early 2017 – still a year away. The new diesel replaces the existing – and contentious – 1.6-litre unit and will have ancillary equipment – the same as used by Mercedes – in its bid to reduce emissions.
But why is the Mercedes engine so important?
Because it exposes the sheer foolishness of the path VW chose to follow with the defeat devices leaving it years behind in the diesel engine stakes and potentially forces it to swallow its pride and adopt the Mercedes technology or something similar – something it should have done in in the first place back in 2008.
Readers will recall that in the mid 2000s, VW needed a clean four-cylinder diesel engine in order to meet US fuel economy standards and drive a surge in North American sales as part of the plan to become the top car maker in the world.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
They had arranged to buy technology from Mercedes that would provide the performance and fuel economy needed as well as meet stringent US emissions standards. But in “a fit of Peich” heads at the top of Volkswagen were rolled and the Mercedes deal was called off; leaving VW without a suitable engine. The boss, Ferdinand Piech, did not like the fact that they had to go to Mercedes for their clean engine solutions.
So they lied. And lied. And lied for years and years.
They were not even smart enough to figure out that the defeat device had actually bought them some time. Why did they not scramble to get a replacement engine to meet the US standards in 2009? Or 2010? Or 2011? But no. They just kept operating under the lie when they should have been working to solve the problem.
So they have lost all this time and are now forced to cobble up a solution for the existing cheat engine that is more a legal and regulatory solution that a technology solution. This is certain to compromise their ability to compete in the US diesel engine market in future.
And now, of course, the company is facing such gigantic financial restraints because of the penalties and fines that are coming at them from all sides that they are unlikely to have the budget to develop the ideal diesel engine solution they need.
But it gets worse.
Volkswagen faces more hurt as the all-alloy Mercedes OM654 turbo-diesel 2.0-litre engine is the first in a family of high-tech diesels and is poised to be shared with VW’s direct rivals.
Mercedes has an agreement for technology sharing with Volkswagen competitors Nissan, Renault and Infiniti. It is very likely this advanced new emission-legit diesel family will wind up in cars fielded by these brands.
And if VW is wondering if the diesel engine does not have a future then they need to think again.
Mercedes-Benz’s alloy diesel engine meets future US emissions rules and may just be the candle in the Volkswagen-inspired gloom that has globally cast doubt about the future of the engine as a competitive power source for passenger cars.
The Mercedes engine shows that diesel is back in the low-emissions race.
For Volkswagen, it’s an embarrassing thumping.
For Mercedes – which offered Volkswagen its coveted key to unlock the stringent US diesel emission regulations; but was dismissed – it’s vindication.
by Neil Dowling and John Mellor
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