Looks like Mercedes is in the gunsights now.
With VW shot full of holes and sinking fast over the diesel emissions “cheating” scandal, the heavy artillery has been retrained, azimuth and altitude calculated, the breech closed. The nextsalvo’s ready to fire.
At the three-pointed star.
At its line of BlueTec diesel engines.
Which are alleged to be “cheating” Uncle’s emissions tests, the same accusation that’s rocked VW and which may, ultimately, end VW (via potential liabilities/fines in excess of $50 billion)?
Automotive News reported the other day that “independent” testing discovered “evidence of a defeat device” that causes Mercedes’ diesel engines to emit larger-than-allowable levels (but not quantities; this is a critical point which I’ll get into shortly) of nitrogen oxides at low temperatures.
Uncle has “requested information” from DaimlerBenz. It is never good news when Uncle “requests information.”
Mercedes – for the present – denies having “cheated” Uncle. Which is like denying you successfully outmaneuvered street mugger.
A rather odd (perhaps not proof-read) statement was issued by Daimler AG, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, also late last week: “A component that inadmissiblyreduces emissions is not used in Mercedes-Benz vehicles.”
Italics added.
It’s still probably ok to sell a vehicle that erupts less rather than more of whatever it is Uncle objects to.
But perhaps it was a deliberate malaprop?
If the allegations are true, at least whoever wrote or signed that statement won’t be in peril of a perjury rap.
Either way, Benz is now the target as VW’s list continues to worsen.
Or rather, diesel engines – generally – appear to be the target.
Uncle seems determined to purge them from the marketplace. One wonders… why?
First, VW – the one car company that was selling affordable diesel – diesels that (interestingly) undercut the economic rationale for hybrid cars and to an even greater extent electric cars.
Hmm.
Now, Mercedes.
Who’s next?
BMW?
There seems to be a jihad under way against the compression-ignition engine. To either eliminate them entirely via a de facto illegalization or render them so expensive (and lackluster performing) that people will either decline to buy them or buy something else.
Like a Tesla, perhaps?
And that may be the key to understanding what’s really happening.
Uncle does not like diesel because they provide a solution to the problems that are used to justify Uncle himself.
