AWD Diesel Wagon /w Manual Trans in the US

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Re: AWD Diesel Wagon /w Manual Trans in the US

Post by CincinnatiFiero »

I'd imagine its they weren't selling as the X5d is, and it uses the same motor.

I read that this year 25% of VWs sales were diesels. And the diesel cruze will be here soon, the cruze is junk and the diesels aren't getting the fuel economy they should but more and more diesels will be making their way onto the road.

Mercedes is offered a GLK350 Bluetec this fall, potentially with a small engine diesel C-class to follow.

They need to sell like C270 CDIs and 320d's not big HP big torque diesels, they need to sell some small engined, but adequately powered diesels to put down big MPG numbers to get American's enthused again.
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Re: AWD Diesel Wagon /w Manual Trans in the US

Post by Aaron »

If they had made a 335d in a coupe with a 6-speed, I'd have bought it yesterday. Fun to drive, plenty of power, easy to mod, reliable, and still good mileage.
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Re: AWD Diesel Wagon /w Manual Trans in the US

Post by Series8217 »

Mazda is rumored to be bringing the SkyActiv-D diesel to the US in the CX-5. In the UK, the CX-5 is currently available with the diesel, AWD, and a 6-speed manual.

We have the gasoline version of the CX-5 in the states, but the manual transmission is only available with FWD, not AWD.

I e-mailed Mazda about it and they have no further information yet. At least we're starting to see more diesels in the US...
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Re: AWD Diesel Wagon /w Manual Trans in the US

Post by CincinnatiFiero »

I bought the '85 300D from a Mazda rep, he said Mazda is bringing a diesel here, IIRC he said between now and 2014. They intend to sell a diesel 6 too but thats further down the road.

I just bought a diesel '87 300TD, been doing some wagon research.

The 4matic 300TE uses the M103 which has the same bell housing as the OM603 diesel, so in theory you could swap a 300TE to a diesel and have a 4matic diesel.

Mercedes built and imported some 4matic diesel wagons as test cars in the late 80s, some snuck out after the program was cancelled some guy in upstate New York supposedly has a real one but I haven't seen the car.

However this option is automatic only as the 4matic system is like an audi AFAIK where the transmission is made into the front diff. Also the oil pan for the 4matic is specific which could present problems on a diesel swap.

A 5speed 2wd 300TD wagon would be super easy, that would be a bolt in, bolt out swap.

But realistically I don't think a 4wd mercedes diesel wagon is feasible, unless you're Will lol.
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Re: AWD Diesel Wagon /w Manual Trans in the US

Post by The Dark Side of Will »

Series8217 wrote:Does ANYONE make an AWD diesel wagon with a manual trans for the US market? I know Subaru makes a diesel Outback available only with a 6-speed manual transmission. That would be ideal, but they won't sell it on the US market since they don't have an auto for it. Blah.
http://jalopnik.com/vw-will-bring-an-aw ... 1562176442
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Re: AWD Diesel Wagon /w Manual Trans in the US

Post by Series8217 »

:Bravo:

Oh my.

Kinda sad it's not a BMW though.
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Re: AWD Diesel Wagon /w Manual Trans in the US

Post by CincinnatiFiero »

Very cool, I'm mixed on VW diesels, they are the cheapest diesels, and they do really well on fuel. However all of my friends with newer TDIs have had lots more problems than the CDI and Bluetec Benzes. Especially guys who bought the Pump Deuse motors, but that's sort of exceptional.

BMW has a 320d out here now don't they? Or a 328d? Something like that. What they should have done from the beginning. 335i was a great car, 430ish TQ, more than an M5. But they all showed up allocated to dealers loaded up with options, and it was the biggest most powerful diesel BMW had in a I6. So they were close to $60,000 and thirsty, they didn't crack 40mpg did they?

On the old school front, it turns out Mercedes sold a decent number of W124 4matic diesels. 2.5L 5cyls and 3.0L 6cyls. Turbo and non. So a front oil pan for a 602 or 603 diesel with the provisions for the front diff exists. The question is getting a 717.4XX 5speed between the motor and the transfer case. I'm still thinging about the feasability of this. I don't have the skills necessary to come up with a way to connect the transfer case to the back of the manual. I've been keeping my eye out of a 4matic in the junkyard so I could snag some bits to at least think about this.

Early Euro-Spec G wagons with manual transmissions used a standard manual gearbox with a short shaft to the transfer case which was mounted solid in the center of the frame. 4, 5, and 6 cyl engines sit different amounts forward and backward in the engine bay, so the length of the transfer case to gearbox shaft varied with the motor. They are not all that big, but I don't think fitting a 2 range transfer case under an E class is feasable. But if it were it would make the transfercase full mechanical, the 4matic used a viscous coupling like mid 90s Jeeps (thanks magna steyr).

I don't know if Steven and Will are stilling thinking this through, but it was a good time killer at the office to consider it.

Yes the 4matic 1 system uses a really wacky front coil spring with one elongated coil to clear the front axle.
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This adapter replaces the tailhousing on the 722.3 automatic transmission and bolts to the transfer case on the other side
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Re: AWD Diesel Wagon /w Manual Trans in the US

Post by The Dark Side of Will »

Not diesel, but still pretty cool: http://www.vwvortex.com/news/find-of-th ... rn-passat/

B5 Passat W8 4Motion Wagon with *MANUAL TRANSMISSION*. Say WHhhhat?
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Re: AWD Diesel Wagon /w Manual Trans in the US

Post by AkursedX »

The Dark Side of Will wrote:Not diesel, but still pretty cool: http://www.vwvortex.com/news/find-of-th ... rn-passat/

B5 Passat W8 4Motion Wagon with *MANUAL TRANSMISSION*. Say WHhhhat?
I have a friend who owns one of these and has put quite a few miles on it. It's a pretty cool car, and has a few mods (chip, springs and BBS CH's). It's quite rare that they show up for sale though. He also owns a VW Doka TDI.
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