History of the diesel car Its 1.3 L XL4D engine produces at 5,000 rpm. Following the 1970s oil crisis (1973 and 1979), Volkswagen introduced their first diesel, the VW Golf, with a 1.5 L naturally aspirated indirect-injection engine which was a redesigned (dieselised) version of a gasoline engine. Mercedes-Benz tested turbodiesels in cars (e.g. by the Mercedes-Benz C111 experimental and record-setting vehicles) and the first production turbo diesel cars were, in 1978, the 3.0 5-cylinder 115 hp (86 kW) Mercedes 300 SD, available only in North America, and the Peugeot 604. The biggest single step forward for mass-market diesel cars came in 1982 when PSA
Avion (car) updated version was entered in the Progressive Automotive X Prize competition. Recent testing, using the original body and replacing the original Volkswagen Rabbit diesel engine with the Smart Car ForTwo diesel show 80 MPG at and a remarkable 114 MPG at . The car was designed to be manufactured in small volume using existing automotive components, including a small automotive diesel engine. A lightweight composite body of highly aerodynamic design is attached to an aluminum frame, and features Butterfly doors. Avion (car) The Avion is a prototype sportscar that achieves over 100 MPG. The Avion car is based on a