Passat Turbo displays idvantage of diesel fuel :Amazingly low fuel consumption figures in °93 VW ECONSIDER THIS. With a full tank of fuel, a long stretch f highway, and the wind at your back, it’s quite possible to drive the new Volkswagen Passat Turbo Diesel 1,500 ilometres on a single 75-litre tank of diesel fuel! That translates into highway xel consumption of just 4.8 litres er 100 kilome:res (59 mpg), an amazing figure. for a 1,300 Hogram car that is almost mid- sized in its dimensions. This figure was achieved by ours truly on a fuel economy run rom Calgary to Vancouver Oct. 6 and 7. I was the last of a group of nine Canadian journalists who drove a total cf 7,000 kilometres from Halifax to Vancouver in 2 friendly competition to see who could achieve the best fuel miile- age. Highway fuel consumption fig- ures varied from 6.0 to 4.8 litres per 100 kilometres, depending f mostly on different driving styles and speed. To my surprise, my car’s fuei & consumption was the least, despite the fact that I drove across three mountain ranges while other drivers drove across the prairies. I concluded that the extra amount of diesel fuel used going up a hill must be gained back on the way down. I’m sure Isaac Newton has an equation for this. In order to appreciate the Passat Diesei’s excellent fuel con- sumption figures, you oniy have to look at the highway fuel con- sumption of a Passat with a 2.0- litre gasoline engine: 7.3 litres per 100 kilometres (39 mpg), accord- ing to Transport Canada — 2.5 litres per 100 kilometres more than the 1.9-litre diesel engine. The difference in urban fuei consumption ratings is even more dramatic. TIGER PAW A/S ALL-SEASON STEELBELTED RADIAL ® Good tread lite © Penetration resistance * Good raction © Comfortable nde © Good value = = 30" | _VSSISRI2 LAREDO® ALL. SEASONS ALLSEASON LF TRUCK RADIAL LTISE75R14 $94.19 LIQUS7SR15 88.80 LT23575A15 102.48 LT2SH75R18 123.18 SPECIAL UNIROYAL LAREDO P235i75 Rt ANOQ BALANCED Greg Wiison AUTOMOTION The Passat Turbo Diesel con- sumes 7.7 litres per 100 kilometres (37. mpg) while the gasoline- engined Passat uses 11.4 litres per 100 kilometres (25 mpg), a dif- ference of 3.7 litres (13 mpg}. Since gasoline and diesel fuel are priced about the same at the pump, the financial advantages of diesel fuel are obvious. Of course, diesel owners have known this for decades. They’ve also known that diesel engines are very reliable and can last over 300,000 kilometres if maintained regularly. And unlike most alternative fuels, dicsel fuel is available just about everywhere. So why isn’t diesel fuel more popular? In short, diesel car engines are less powerful, noisier, and dirtier than comparable gasoline engines. Oil changes must be done more often, and diesel owners must wait up to 20 seconds for a glow plug light to come on before starting an engine in sub-zero temperatures. In addition, gasoline is rela- tively cheap in North America, and good fuel economy has not been as much an issue. After it was discovered that diesel cngines might have trouble meeting future tailpipe emissions standards for soot and par- ticulates, many people thought the diesel engine's days were numbered. But new technology has come to the rescue. The new Volkswagen 1.9-litre turbocharged diesel engine is one of the first diesels to meet future Low Emission Vehicle standards to the year 2000, scor- ing better than gasoline engines in emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide. The problem of soot and par- ticulates has been partially rec- tified by a redesigned tur- bocharger which providcs more air for better combustion and a new catalytic converter which reduces hydrocarbons, dirt particles, and exhaust odor. But the turbo diesel is still no powerhouse. Its 75 horsepower compares to 134 for the 2.0-litre gasoline engine, and 172 for the Passat V6 engine. The Passat with a turbo diesel will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 17.7 seconds, a slow time com- pared to 9.5 seconds for the Passat four-cylinder gasoline car, and eight seconds for the Passat 6. . See Passat page 33 RALLYE® GTS PERFORMANCE STEEL-BELTED RADIALS © All-season tread design © Precise steering response ‘© Aggressive performance appearance == $6 95 175170 P13 NAA PAMAVAVAYA SSA e ae he on FY ” WAVAW, 21S/I6SRIS. Lr21sesn18 LTz3585R16 LTa7SA18.5 CT#.S0R16.5 124.41 118.95 129.87 141.12 INSTALLED © PASSENGER, LIGHT TRUCK, HEAVY TRUCK INDUSTRIAL,EARTH MOVER, RETREADING, 24 HOUR EMERGENCY COMMERCIAL SERVICE 186" VOLKSWAGENS TO BE CLEARED AT 2 LOCATIONS ONLY Friday, October 23, 1992 - North Shore News — -f Photo submitted AUTOMOTIVE columnist Greg Wilson stands in front of his VW Passat Turbo test car. Greg’s car rated the lowest fue! consump- tion on an economy run competition between nine journalists. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT “BRAND _ NEW ” 1992 WITH SPECIAL FACTORY INCENTIVES BEING PASSED ON, YOU WILL ... “SAVE LIKE NEVER BEFORE" SAVE ON THESE 1992 vw MODELS. * VW PASSATS *x VW GOLFS SEDANS & WAGONS INCLUDING SPECIAL GTI * VW JETTAS * VW CABRIOLETS MANUAL OR AUTOMATIC 5S SPEEDS / AUTOMATICS * VW EUROVANS ‘nea sie: “REALLY BIG" VANS LOCAL BUYERS — CHOOSE THE LOCATION NEAREST YOU. OUT OF TOWN — CALL COLLECT TO “RESERVE YOUR CAR” TRADE INS WELCOME — Low COST vw LEASES ARE IN EFFECT FOR THIS SALE. SPECIAL ON THE SPOT BANK FINANCING AVAILABLE WITH APPROVED CREDIT.