We’re curious to know how the news was received around the Ingolstadt traps. Auto, motor und sport has announced today that if the news is true (and it comes from a reputable source) Audi’s rivals will be in a league of their own. And this after Audi has only just revealed the new 6.0 V12 TDI, soon to be under the hood of the SUV Q7.

Audi risks portraying an image inconsistent with the “ecology” with which car companies have become obssessed over recent years. Neither the 4.4 V8 BMW nor the 4.0 V8 Mercedes will have heirs, being considered too big and polluting, according to the German companies. The units will be substituted with new six cylinder concepts, characterised by lower capabilities (around three litres) and drastically reduced consumption and CO2 emissions.

“The 4.4 V8 will be substituted by a straight-six cylinder twin-turbo”, Norbert Reithofer, General Manager BMW has revealed, underlining that they haven’t changed their tune for the current range. A similar discussion regards Mercedes, who in addition to exchanging the V8 will also gradually substitute the 3.0 V6 CDI with a 2.1 four cylinder twin-turbo. This engine is expected to debut next year on the C250 CDI in a version that will have both 204 hp and 480 Nm. Following will be versions taking a step further for higher power.

Continue reading: BMW and Mercedes farewell the super-diesel V8?

The new Nissan Murano will have a diesel engine. Its parent, while having discreet success here in Europe, was not quite up to the competition - in terms of sales - having had a reduced capacity of 3.5 V6 petrol, certainly not the most adapted to our latitudes.

The new Murano, presented in November in Los Angeles and closely linked to the Infiniti EX, will come with a 3.5 V6 petrol of 265 hp (31 more compared to the prior model) and 325 Nm. But in particular it will include the brand new 3.0 V6 dCi developed by the parent company Renault and presented in Frankfurt in the lovely Laguna Coupè concept. Unfortunately however, the wait for the new diesel unit will take until 2010.

Via | AutoWeek

Continue reading: Finally the Nissan Murano comes with diesel

Subaru has in store a nasty version of the Impreza, equipped with a diesel engine capable of 200 hp output, which is 50 more than the more normal boxer presented recently.

Prodrive of Banbury is behind the development, according to reports from Channel4Car. The Japanese hatchback has a strong point in its sporty attributes (225 km/hr, 0-60 mph in less than seven seconds), with performance and consumption comparable to the best common rail examples currently available.

The name will probably remain as RS so as not to infringe on the WRX STI range. Unfortunately we will have to wait until next year for sales. Until 2009, as regards a diesel, we will have to satisfy ourselves with the powerstep at 150 hp.

Continue reading: New version of the boxer diesel Subaru at 200 hp

Who knows whether Porsche will have the “courage” to ornate the back of the Cayenne with the word ‘diesel’? Probably, given that the choice to adopt a diesel motor has not been considered by the German manufacturer as an embarrassment from which to hide, but as a first and necessary step in the process of beating emissions (and increasing sales).

A shame though, to listen to Emg, that the Cayenne diesel will not count on the monstruous V12 6.0 of Audi origin, but will be sacrificed in favour of the greater lightness of the V6 3.2 biturbo at 300 horsepower. Notable is the single terminal exhaust encased in pipes too large for their relatively smaller size.

Continue reading: Spy photo: Porsche Cayenne diesel