Update: Almost 2 months now.

[DmaxMaverick]

Its very possible with the game of musical corporations that VM is building this engine elsewhere in Europe but VM Motori is a very old and respectable Italian engine manufacturer. Very big in the large industrial engine sector. The 4 cylinder version has been used for years in MoPar products in Europe (Caravan, Jeep, etc.).

Bill

I'm familiar with VM, and have nothing against them. The quality of their engineering is on par with the best in Germany. The manufacturer disconnect, if it exists, is either ego (maybe they're not proud of it), or more likely a contractual obligation. I'm sure we'll know soon enough. The VM engine was reported, apparently incorrectly, to be used in the (US) Cruze, before the Cruze was available to the public. I'm still not smart on it, but I do know this: The Diesel engine in the Cruze is not the same as the previous VM Motori engines I've seen, and it appears to be more similar to the VW, Audi and Mercedes engine designs (currant TDI and BlueTec).

[Big Green]

As a Cruze Eco owner I have been watching the diesel cruze come to market with some thought. Although I love the Eco and the above epa rating MPG's I'm getting as well Im just not sure I can justify the extra expense.

Some of the extra $$ goes to the upgraded options such as climate control, heated seats, spare tire, etc. I could really care less about most of the upgrades, I drive a 1995 saturn as my commuter car) so the extra cost doesn't interest me. I also priced the bigger 18" tires and found that exact replacements were $320 EACH.

The computer mpgs of my eco are just like yours, spot on. On several occasions running a 400 mile round trip from home to see the kid at college, I've seen 25 mile rolling average above 50mpg. Unfortunately it only seems to go to 50 for the rolling average. The round trip, which included some around town stop and go plus the 20 miles of goat path to get to the highway impacted my overall mpgs but I still averaged 46-47.

Then of course there is the .50 to .60 cents more expensive diesel fuel issue...


For me the diesel just doesn't make sense however I'm still very interested in it's development

Big Green

[Mallthus]

The Cruze diesel isn't a VM Motori engine, but is is based on a joint Fiat/GM design. Fiat, of course, owns VM Motori, but the engine in the Cruze is based on the Family B architecture. That engine group was designed by Fiat and GM jointly and wasn't from VM Motori. Confused yet?

When GM and Fiat got divorced, each retained intellectual property rights to the designs and both have continued to develop engines based on the architecture.

The engine in the Cruze is built by Opel (part of GM) in Kaiserslautern, Germany, but is unique to the North American Cruze. Although there are 2.0l Fiat engines on the same architecture, they were developed by Fiat. The engine we get is exclusive to GM and was designed by GM. Not one single part interchanges with the Fiat engines.

Although it would be nice to have production in the USA, the number we buy, relative to the world market, makes that a non-starter. It'd be like Germans wondering why they can't have SBC mills made there.

[Kennedy]

GM needs to start marketing the Eco turbo and TD models for what they really are. Fun to drive.

[DmaxMaverick]

GM needs to start marketing the Eco turbo and TD models for what they really are. Fun to drive.

No doubt. Reminds me of the '88 Beretta GTU I had. Probably one of the most fun cars I've driven, and it was marketed that way. "Goes like stink", I think it was.

[Dubdoc]

It's all about the torque, not horsepower. I've been driving VW diesels for years now, and presently have a hotrodded 2.0 turbodiesel in a 1981 VW Rabbit pickup as a toy. Torque makes a car responsive and fun to drive. This Cruze is a very fine car and the turbodiesel just makes it all the more appealing. With mileage like this, it may be back to American cars for me.