Dr. Diesel's Dreamboat Back in simpler times, diesel cars squeezed more mileage from a fuel that cost less. If you were wi11ing to look for filling stations that were scarce, and had the patience for torpid acceleration, a diesel was the cents-per-mile champ.
Today diesels are prestigious in big pickups and mostly shunned in cars on American roads. Government standards are intolerant of diesel exhaust, and few auto makers see much opportunity until after low-sulfur fuel arrives in 2006. We hear of diesel's great popularity in Europe. Don't be misled. Those folks don't love diesels any more than we do. It's the fuel cost, stupid. Although diesel fuel prices in the U.S. have been well above gas prices over most of the past few decades (they happen to be lower now), many

European countries have tax incentives for diesel fuel. As a result, in April 2004 diesel cost 41 percent less than gasoJine in
Poland, 34 percent less in Belgium, and 21 percent less in Germany and Italy. So 0f course diesel cars are popular where fuel is cheap. In the British Isles and Switzerland, where diesel fuel costs a shade more than gas, gasoline cars remain dominant..
Currently, Volkswagen is the leading diesel supplier in the U.S. Representinf that choice in our Frugalympics is a VW Jetta GLS TDI powered by a 100-hp turbocharged four.

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