Network
The diesel engine is celebrating its 120th birthday. (The birthday cake is courtesy of Volkswagen, which continues to develop and promote its TDI technology.)
It was on August 10, 1893, that Rudolph Diesel first ran a prototype engine — which stood 10 feet tall and was based on his compression-ignition theory that he patented earlier. Following a series of improvements, diesel engines kept the industrial revolution going in oil fields, mines, factories and large ships.
In the U.S. consumer auto market, diesel engines are most popular in the heavy-duty pickup lines where torque ratings hit 800 lb-ft. From left, Ford Power Stroke, Ram Cummins and GM Duramax.
From an automotive standpoint, diesel engines are the workhorses in heavy-duty trucks and the gas mizers in compact cars. Even winning racecars are powered by diesel engines. Although foreign markets have enthusiastically accepted diesel engines for personal transportation, only until advancements in clean-diesel technology have American auto buyers started looking at diesel for non-truck applications. Far too many shoppers have bad memories from the ’80s when GM tried to convert an Oldsmobile gas engine to diesel for its family cars.
Diesel are found in winning racecars, including the Audi prototypes at LeMans and Mazda road racers.
But today, diesels are found in luxury cars as well as econoboxes and big trucks. The market is often driven by fuel prices, but at least the smelly, dirty exhaust stereotypes are no longer applicable.
Here are a few of EL’s favorite diesel stories from the archives:
Mazda SkyActiv-D Records First Diesel Win At Indy
Gale Banks’ Super Turbo Concept Capable of 180 Pounds of Boost
Audi Reflects on 15 Years of Le Mans Engine Development
Video: Watch as Cummins Builds 2,000,000th Ram Diesel
Volvo Introduces New Diesel Technology; Calls V8 a ‘Dinosaur’
Video: Mazda Skyactiv-D Diesel Shows off Compound Turbos on Dyno
True Story Behind Massive Engine in Facebook Page Photo
Engine Detailing Wow! Cat 3406C Shines at Race Track
Some of our favorite diesel stories include, from left, Gale Banks' Pikes Peak engine, one of the world's largest diesel engines and a super-detailed engine for a Top Fuel dragster team.
