Its no secret that gas is getting expensive and making efficient clean diesels look more attractive, but a new study is estimating that diesel light-duty vehicles will account for 12.4 percent of global sales by 2018.

Earlier in the month, Mazda announced its diesel racing program for the Grand Am series, but the Skyactiv-D will also be present at next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Audi announced today that it will debut its SQ5 TDI performance SUV at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend – an appropriate backdrop for its latest high-performance diesel. 

Audi’s diesel-hybrid R18 e-tron Quattro is sitting on the pole position after qualifying laps finished up yesterday at the Le Mans circuit.

In response to the World Health Organization’s recent decision to classify diesel exhaust as a carcinogen, more toxic to your health than second hand smoke, America’s largest retailer of diesel passenger cars is questioning the findings.

The World Health Organization has concluded that diesel exhaust is a cause of lung cancer, a move that could significantly impact the proliferation of diesel engine vehicles in North America.

Mercedes-Benz is bringing a host of updates to the 2013 GLK Sport Utility including an updated appearance, new standard safety features and for the first time in the U.S., a diesel option.

The Volkswagen Beetle TDI is the only diesel offering in the compact coupe segment, and will hit dealerships with a base MSRP of $23, 295 before a $770 destination charge.

Mazda Motorsports is looking to change the face of motorsports in North America, announcing that it will be supplying clean Skyactiv-D diesel engines to teams for the 2013 season.

Quite possibly, according to remarks by Volkswagen of Canada’s Media Relations Manager, Thomas Tetzlaff.

It’s mean and green but Heico Sportiv’s latest creation, based on the new Volvo V40 sport wagon launched at Geneva, has not only been designed to compete on the touring car circuit, it’s also a showcase for the firm’s aftermarket parts business.

With how popular diesel-powered cars are out in Europe, it’s no surprise that Maserati is working on its own diesel sports car.

Diesel is quickly becoming a new option for car makers looking to have powerful, yet fuel friendly engines. Mercedes and BMW’s AMG and M, in house tuning divisions have announced future diesel vehicles catered for performance driving, and it looks like the SRT brand will be offering its own in the future.

Delivery of diverse diesel passenger car lines in the U.S. isn’t an uncertainty anymore, but rather a waiting game. There’s almost no question that the world’s automakers will soon offer more diesel cars to Americans, it’s just a question of when.

Volkswagen continues to flex just how efficient its diesel models are, with a 2012 Passat TDI SE claiming a new world record by traveling 1,626.1 miles on a single tank of ultra-low sulfur diesel.

An interesting report has surfaced from the 33rd Vienna Motor Symposium that revealed Porsche has diesel powerplants firmly in its strategy, while electric vehicles are not.

Consumers aren’t the only ones concerned with saving money on gas. The U.S. Army unveiled its Fuel Efficient Demonstrator (FED) Bravo concept at the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress sporting a diesel-hybrid setup in hopes of reducing the cost and risk with delivering fuel to its military vehicles.

A diesel-powered Mazda CX-9 featuring the brand’s 2.2-liter SkyActiv-D engine could be on the horizon soon.

Demand for diesel-powered passenger cars is growing in the U.S., though it’s still a fraction of the market — a trend Bosch boss Peter Marks sees accelerating in the future.

A battle that almost seems to have fought it self, selling diesel cars in the U.S. used to be little more than a fool’s errand for most automakers, but that is quickly changing with companies competing to catch up with the trend.

The 2013 Mazda 6 is going to debut at the 2012 Paris Auto Show, and when it does there will be no V6 engines in the product lineup.

Porsche‘s announcement that a Cayenne Diesel will finally be available to U.S. buyers was fairly big news at this year’s New York Auto Show. However, we’ve now learned that the Stuttgart automaker plans to introduce a more powerful oil burning SUV, a V8 diesel Cayenne S.

Details are still rather sketchy on exactly which engine it will use. While the existing V8 diesel used by Audi for its A8 flagship might seem the most logical choice, it’s getting on in years and with looming tighter emissions standards in Europe it probably won’t make the cut.

Price, looks and size… these are the few factors that used to decide what vehicle you’d park in your driveway. Looking for a cheap and small car? A Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic will do. Need something bigger, perhaps a mid-size Hyundai Sonata or an SUV. Things used to be pretty easy.

With increasingly high gas prices and an overall movement towards green, fuel efficient vehicles, fuel economy has become more important. In fact, for many price, looks and size are now completely trumped by fuel economy.

“Buyers just look at the MPG on the sticker,” says IHS Automotive Analyst Devin Lindsay commenting that car buyers are now completely mesmerized by the EPA sticker label.

Take a look at the Toyota Prius, for example. It’s not terribly big, is fairly expensive, and looks… well… weird. But that didn’t stop three million of them from being sold, all thanks to a hybrid gas-electric engine that provides excellent fuel economy.

The Prius isn’t the only option for someone looking for a fuel efficient car, however; especially those in search of a more engaging driving experience. If you want to cut down on trips to the pump, and still drive a fun, powerful, good looking car, your best bet might just be in a diesel powered vehicle. That does mean you’ll almost certainly have to drive German, although a flood of new diesel-powered vehicles are about to hit our shore.

Mid way through its product cycle the 2013 GLK has received a nip-tuck from the styling department at Mercedes-Benz. It has also receive one very major change.

There’s a bit of an oil burner renaissance going on at this year’s New York Auto Show. Besides Mazda talking about Skyactiv Diesels, and Mercedes revealing a diesel GLK, Porsche also made news, displaying its Cayenne Diesel SUV in U.S. specification.

Much the same as the smaller GLK, the 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, which debuted today at the New York Auto Show will come with a higher-horsepower gasoline engine or a more eco-minded diesel.

This year the 5.5-liter V8 that sat in the 2012 GL550 will be replaced by the 4.7-liter V8, but if last year’s sales are any indication, many customers will look to the more efficient GL350 BlueTEC. In 2012, 40 percent of customers opted for the less-thirsty version over both the 4.7-liter and 5.5-liter V8s.

The middle-ground GL450 shares engine displacement with it’s top-of-the-line sibling, but has 362 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque to the GL550’s 429 hp and 516 lb-ft, meaning there will still be significant performance differences between the to despite the axed 5.5-liter V8.

Among the three debuting Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the 2013 GLK crossovers bowed at the 2012 New York Auto Show today. 

Consumers will be able to choose between two versions: the higher-level GLK 350 which comes with a 3.5-liter V6, or the more efficiency minded GLK250 BlueTEC, which comes with a 2.1-liter diesel engine.

While some Merc loyalists might find the 350 variant’s brawnier 302 horsepower rating attractive, we’re calling the cheaper diesel option a better bargain. That assertion is based on a couple of points. First, the GLK 250 BlueTEC only packs 190 horsepower, but a whopping 369 lb-ft of torque, which will be more readily apparent to most drivers.

Gas prices might not have hit the budget-busting $5/gallon yet, but drivers are already feeling the pinch. Consumer Reports has exposed a list of the top 10 most expensive vehicles to fill up. All prices are based on the average fuel price in the United States. 

The Porsche Cayenne diesel has been on its way to America for a while now, and will finally greet U.S. customers this week at the 2012 New York Auto Show.

Spring is in the air, but in Northern Sweden, where these latest spy photos come from, winter testing is ongoing. Shown here are test mules for the next generation Infiniti G sedan and this rare glimpse of a Japanese car where the German automakers normally do their testing is no coincidence.

The Moab Easter Jeep Safari gave us six new Jeep concepts last week that were exciting to see and gave us a sneak preview at what Jeep may have in the works for the future.

Volkswagen revealed its new Alltrack Concept ahead of the upcoming New York Auto Show.

Among the many announcements piling up before next week’s New York Auto Show, Mazda dropped a subtle bomb. 

Ford Motor Company has announced that it is pursuing a number of avenues aimed at easing the financial burden on small businesses and fleet companies, many of which are feeling the pinch of current gas prices.

BAE Systems, with the aid of Northrop Grumman and Meritor Defense is submitting a proposal for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase for its Joint Light Tactical vehicle (JLTV) program.

As we draw closer to the upcoming 2012 New York Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz continues promote its new 2013 GLK compact crossover.

Featuring multiple shots, the automaker highlights the GLK’s versatility, road manners and its ground clearance over a range of conditions. Interior shots reveal a luxurious, welcoming, and airy interior.

Competing against the likes of the Audi Q5 and BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz offers two engine choices for the GLK: an updated 3.5-liter V6 producing 302 hp for the GLK350 and a 190-hp turbo diesel 2.1-liter four-cylinder for the GLK250 BlueTEC. Both trims will be mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission and both the GLK 250 Bluetec and GLK350 will be available in either rear-wheel-drive or 4Matic all-wheel-drive. To further improve efficiency, the GLK will use engine start-stop technology and inform the driver of its performance over time via the ECO display within the instrument cluster.

Look out for the official debut of the Mercedes-Benz GLK at the 2012 New York Auto Show and our other coverage on March 4. In the meantime, watch the promo trailer after the jump:

In an effort to improve the Sprinter’s fuel efficiency without compromising its rugged dependability, Mercedes-Benz has introduced an optional seven-speed automatic transmission, capable of delivering “silky smooth gear changes” at temperatures as low as -30ºC or -22ºF. Additional fuel saving updates that help optimize performance from the 4-cylinder diesel engine include BlueEFFICIENCY engine start/stop technology, low rolling-resistance tires, an ECO steering system, and high-ratio rear axle to achieve 7.0liters/100km or approximately 33 mpg.

Out of all the Detroit automakers, Ford Motor Company was arguably the first to really establish itself as a true global entity, designing, engineering and manufacturing vehicles under a single brand in different parts of the world, catered to different regional needs.

If there’s an age old adage in motorsports, then it has got to be “racing improves the breed.” This idea is particularly close to Audi‘s heart, as the German automaker has participated in decades of racing and development for its Quattro all-wheel-drive technology.

This year, Audi will field a pair of R18 e-tron Quattro cars which will compete in a series of endurance races including the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans. The added e-tron designation on the new R18 refers to an all-new hybrid system for Audi’s LMP1 racer. Featuring a V6 TDI diesel powerplant sending 510-hp to the rear wheels and an additional pair of electric motors to motivate the front, the R18 e-tron Quattro is, without a doubt, one of the most technologically advanced racing cars in the world.

Danny Choy Mar 08, 2012