This article is interesting because it again highlights the superior fuel economy of diesel and U.S. regulatory hostility to diesel. It absolutely kills me that I can’t buy a diesel car easily in CA (that Mercedes is only available as a lease option, BTW). This article is also interesting because it highlights the complex financial issues facing companies who manufacture globally as a result of capital investment and currency exchange rates.
The question, of course, is whether the U.S. ever will embrace diesel fuel and allow automakers to achieve sufficient scale to make money on such vehicles. California certified VW and Mercedes diesel cars earlier this year, after a four-year ban. James N. Hall, of auto researcher 293 Analysts, says that bellwether state and the Northeast remain “hostile to diesel.” But the risk to Ford is that the fuel takes off, and the carmaker finds itself playing catch-up—despite having a serious diesel contender in its arsenal.