[Leica] euro vs dollar and leica

[henningw at archiphoto.com (Henning Wulff)]

At 4:21 PM -0400 10/27/08, Charles Hehl wrote:
>I just purchased a new GMC diesel truck and it requires ultra low 
>sulfur diesel fuel as it is designed to meet the 2010 EPA standards 
>for pollutants. I also understand that most states now only sell the 
>ultra low sulfur diesel fuel and that it takes a bit more refining 
>to make...hence the higher price.
>
>Charlie Hehl


That's the fuel that's been available in Europe for 10 years or more, 
and why we in North America are only now getting the better diesel 
engined European cars.

About 2000 I asked a VW dealer here why we didn't get the more 
interesting diesel cars, and he said that:

1. No one wanted diesels and he wouldn't be able to sell them

2. They (the oil companies) couldn't make that kind of fuel here and

3. The hybrids have a lot better fuel consumption numbers


All of these are only partially true, because

1. No salesmen could sell them because they didn't have any to sell

2. The oil companies had other priorities

3. Hybrids and diesel powered cars excel at different types of 
driving, but hybrids tend to be more expensive up front, and rarely 
repay the increased capital cost.


So bring on the better diesel cars!

VW still doesn't get it; they will now offer one car, the Jetta, with 
a diesel engine that gives the worst consumption/performance 
combination of those they offer in Europe. Go figure.


-- 
    *            Henning J. Wulff
   /|\      Wulff Photography & Design
  /###\   mailto:henningw@archiphoto.com
  |[ ]|     http://www.archiphoto.com