Car Auto Magazine

Along with particulate and NOx emissions, BlueTec is rapidly abolishing that characteristic cylinder-full-of-pebbles diesel clatter as well. At idle, the driver has to be paying very close attention to notice that the engine underhood is popping diesel fuel rather than gasoline. Under acceleration, the exhaust sound is a little deeper and boomier than a gasoline Jetta, but not too noticeable to the average sorority member, a demographic that hoards transporter-loads of Jettas here in Ann Arbor. If they’re not used to running a gasoline engine up to redline (truncated in the diesel at just 4500 rpm), the only thing the Tri Delts will notice while driving the TDI is the inordinate number of leering stares they get at the diesel pumps.

Despite the BlueTec partnership, Volkswagen will refrain from using the BlueTec name on the Jetta TDI. Early information suggests that consumers associate BlueTec with Mercedes-Benz and incorrectly assume that a Volkswagen with a BlueTec badge is powered by a Mercedes engine.

Incidentally, to celebrate thirty years of selling diesels in the U.S. Volkswagen is searching for both the oldest and the highest-mileage diesel VWs still running their original engines. If you think your car could be a contender for one (or both) honors, go to www.vw.com starting March 1 to enter your car. VW is expecting at least one to be a 1977 Rabbit diesel. We know a guy who ran one at the 24 Hours of LeMons in October….