We should also remember that we can also reduce pollution by car-sharing, limiting or bundling trips, riding the bus or light rail, and even using bikes and feet when possible.

It’s a tradeoff. We don’t have smog problems here in MN so the particulate issue is kinda moot. That and the fact that PM filters are just about ready for full production use makes diesels a viable alternative to gassers.

And turbos FTW. I’m addicted to boost.

The reason the US has fewer turbochargers is because of the drive-cycle the EPA uses to test emissions. The Europeans use a blocky, unnatural combination of acceleration and breaking, on a test bench, while measuring the exhaust for emissions. Americans use a combination of accelerations and brakings which are meant to resemble driving around California one afternoon, I think. I can’t remember. But we figured it out in the 70s I think, and the auto companies aren’t real fond of it, especially since they have to tune engines differently for the US and for Europe.

The short of it is that the US drive cycle disfavors turbo-chargers, because it has long periods of hot exhaust, which causes the formation of NOx. You need to get NOx emissions down in the US. It may be that the bio-power Saab does this.

In other bonehead news, what’s up with D-rock pushing corn gas so heavy, with no good cars to burn it?!? About the only steed in the GM stable I’d buy is the 9-3.