2008 VW Tiguan diesel announced for the US
Posted By RichC on December 4, 2006
Big news for VW diesel lovers … according to an article in Autoweek, Volkswagen plans to sell the new Tiguan small SUV with a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine the US. The estimate is towards the end of next year and is said to be slated for all 50 states. With this small diesel SUV, Volkswagen will be in the unique position of having the only product to compete in the small SUV segment. (ie. Jeep Liberty CRD is no longer being offered)
Autoweek states that “VW unveiled a concept version of the 2008 Tiguan TDi last week at the Los Angeles Auto Show” and that “the engine is the next generation of VW’s long-running diesels and features a new common-rail, high-pressure fuel-injection system and several emissions components that use Bluetec technology.” This new vehicle is set to debut next fall with the gasoline engine, to be followed by the diesel in the US. Great news for all of us wanting a few VW diesel options.
EDIT: 12/5/2006 – There was a question as to space behind the rear seat and decided to add this photo. Again … see links above for additional photos and remember that the eventual ‘stock’ version will probably have an interior similar to existing VWs. Also I thought the YouTube clip was worth posting?
Contrary to what 70% of American motorist think, not all gasolines are equal when it comes to protecting the internal parts of your car’s gasoline engine. Pat Goss from 
for many Americans contemplate their propensity to over-eat … and probably make that worthless New Years weight-loss resolution too? Most know that regular exercise and better eating habits are the answer, but only a minority have the discipline to control our tendency to over-eat. Amidst the many scams, gimmicks, pills, etc, help might be on the way in the form of a drug that is showing promise in Europe … a drug called 
My son came home and demonstrated the “scared pepper” — surface tension of water experiment today. I’m not sure I fully understand the ‘science’ behind the dish washing soap and water, but from an offset printing background we depend on surface tension and even enhance it with isopropyl alcohol or a substitute to dampen aluminum and polymer printing plates. As I recall, the molecular bond on the surface of water is like a very thin skin … visualize it like the bubbles you blow. When the soap hits the “bubble,” it bursts and takes the pepper with it. Whatever happens, it just another one of those interesting school experiments.
One advantage of a “desultory” blog is that there are very few topics too far out to blog on. Last night I caught a ‘news teaser’ from local 
Master Sergeant John Gebhart was interviewed in reference to a photo of him holding a Iraqi baby on a morning television news show. According to Sergeant Gebhart, his photo had been singled out and for some reason circulated around by email. Although we don’t see many like this on the evening news, Gebhart said from his perspective compassion from American Troop stationed in Iraq is the norm. One wouldn’t know this from most of what is reported on Iraq … that reporting being our military mistakes and misbehavior … which is only a very small number of those troops. The rest are valiantly serving, with compassion, in a difficult war. It is nice to see a few positive images that reflect well on our troops and on Americans. I’ll include a short video interview below with John Gebhart and his wife from 
Long running Maryland Public Broadcasting automotive magazine