<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/audi/" rel="tag">Audi</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/mercedes-benz/" rel="tag">Mercedes-Benz</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/diesel/" rel="tag">Diesel</a></p><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-06/mercedes-audi-court-cher-with-diesel-challenging-lexus-hybrids.html"><img vspace="4" hspace="0" border="1" alt="Audi A3 TDI engine" src="http://blog.pangeic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/a3tdi-engine.jpg" /></a><br />
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Diesels have a tough stigma to overcome. Conventional wisdom - or just preconceived notions - characterize diesel engines as loud, slow and dirty. But even without the subsidies the fuel enjoys in Europe, diesels are starting to make an impact in the U.S. market.<br />
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<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/mercedes-benz">Mercedes-Benz</a> recently rolled the fifth of eight diesel models total planned over the next few years. Meanwhile <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/audi">Audi</a> - based on the success of the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/a3">A3</a> TDI (accounting for 53% of A3s sold in the U.S.) and the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/q7">Q7</a> TDI (43%) - is planning to launch oil-burning versions of the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/a6">A6</a> and <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/a8">A8</a> in the United States as well.<br />
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The difference comes down to improving technology (in the form of more advanced particulate filters that keep the exhaust cleaner) and increased availability of the fuel at the pump: studies found that, in 2007, 52% of gas stations in the United States were offering diesel, compared to 35% a decade earlier. Although Mercedes says it does not see the need to subsidize the purchase of diesel models, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/bmw">BMW</a> - a relative newcomer to the diesel game on these shores - offers big incentives to offset the higher purchase costs of diesel models.<br />
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Rapidly advancing sales of diesel automobiles in the United States could, according to <em>Bloomberg</em>, stand to overshadow those of hybrids, whose sales have been slightly dwindling of late.<br />
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<b><i><small>Photo copyright (C)2010 <a href="http://www.drewphillipsphotography.com/">Drew Phillips</a> / AOL</small></i></b><br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-06/mercedes-audi-court-cher-with-diesel-challenging-lexus-hybrids.html">Bloomberg</a>]<p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/11/report-audi-mercedes-to-double-down-on-diesels/">Report: Audi, Mercedes to double-down on diesels</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 17:31:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6></h6><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-06/mercedes-audi-court-cher-with-diesel-challenging-lexus-hybrids.html">Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/11/report-audi-mercedes-to-double-down-on-diesels/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19796231/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/11/report-audi-mercedes-to-double-down-on-diesels/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>