DaimlerChrysler, AUDI and Volkswagen have announced that they
intend to establish the BLUETEC brand name as the designation for
particularly clean, highly fuel-efficient passenger cars and SUVs with
diesel engines. Under the shared concept of BLUETEC, each of the
manufacturers involved will be working on their own technical systems
for meeting the world's most stringent emission regulations. The latest J.D. Power study, "Global Outlook For Diesel," predicts
that the share of diesels among first-time registrations in North
America will rise to over 15 percent by 2015. It is in the light of
this development that Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Volkswagen will be
systematically expanding their ranges of diesel vehicles. All three companies are convinced that up-to-date diesel propulsion
systems play a major part in efficient and clean mobility. With their
high torque, agility, economy and robustness they display all the
qualities which American customers, especially, appreciate. With their outstandingly efficient fuel consumption, which lies some
20 to 40 percent lower than that of comparable petrol engines, these
particularly clean diesel engines now have the potential to comply with
the toughest emission limits in the world. They combine ecology and
economy with driving pleasure for the customer.
What is BLUETEC? The name BLUETEC covers diesel engines with exhaust emission
treatment systems which meet even the strictest emission regulations on
the US market. The systems employed by BLUETEC serve in particular to
reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) -- the only constituent part of the
exhaust gases which, due to the design of the diesel, inherently lies
above the value for petrol engines. In this way it will in future also
be possible to meet the strict limits imposed by the State of
California. Depending on the vehicle class concerned, various NOx treatment
systems can be used. In one version, for instance, an oxidising
catalytic converter and a particulate filter are combined with a
further improved, particularly long-life NOx storage converter. Another
way of cutting NOx emissions is even more effective. In this case for
example AdBlue, a water-based additive, is injected into the exhaust
gas. This causes ammonia to be released, which in turn reduces the
nitrogen oxides almost completely to harmless nitrogen and water in a
downstream SCR catalytic converter. BLUETEC is a brand of DaimlerChrysler which is already being used by
the corporation's Mercedes-Benz cars and commercial vehicles. In future
the name BLUETEC will also stand for clean diesel engines from Audi,
Volkswagen and Jeep(R) in the United States.
AUDI: Audi stands for sportiness, progressiveness and high quality -- for
"Vorsprung durch Technik". Audi currently makes the Audi A3, Audi A4
and Audi A4 Avant and the Audi S4 at its Ingolstadt plant, the Audi A6
and A6 Avant, Audi A8 and Audi RS 4 in Neckarsulm, and the TT Coupe and
TT Roadster at AUDI HUNGARIA MOTOR Kft. in Gyor, Hungary. The Audi Q7
is built in Bratislava. The Audi product range is rounded off by the
Audi A4 Cabriolet, which is made by Karman. The new Audi R8, made by quattro GmbH in Neckarsulm, is the first
super sports car in the Audi range. Audi stands for "Vorsprung durch
Technik" (leadership by technology), and this guiding principle finds
its expression in the company's products. Prime examples of this
include the quattro full-time all-wheel-drive system, aluminium
bodywork (Audi Space Frame in the Audi A8 and R8), the S tronic Direct
Shift Gearbox featured in the Audi TT and Audi A3, and the advanced TDI
and FSI engine technology. Audi is a pioneer in diesel technology --
both on the road and on the racetrack. The R10 TDI sports car was the
first diesel ever to win the legendary "24 Hours of Le Mans" race and
the ALMS Series in America. Audi will also be putting the world's most
powerful diesel on the road, in the form of the Q7 V12 TDI, with an
output of 500 horsepower and 1000 Newton metres of torque.
DaimlerChrysler: DaimlerChrysler is unique in the automotive business: its product
range extends from ultra-compacts up to sports cars and on to luxury
saloons -- and from versatile small vans to classic heavy-duty trucks
and comfortable touring coaches. The passenger car brands of
DaimlerChrysler comprise Maybach, Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Jeep(R),
Dodge and smart. Its commercial vehicle brands include Mercedes-Benz,
Freightliner, Sterling, Western Star, Setra, Mitsubishi Fuso, Thomas
Built Buses and Orion. DaimlerChrysler Financial Services offers
financial services as well as other vehicle-related services. DaimlerChrysler's strategy is based on four pillars: excellent
products offering outstanding customer orientation, leading brands,
leadership in innovation and technology, and global presence and
integration. DaimlerChrysler's workforce is based all around the globe,
and the same applies to its shareholders. With 382,724 employees
DaimlerChrysler achieved sales totalling euro 149.8 billion in 2005 .
Volkswagen:
|
www.bluetec.com