GM moves forward with diesel plans

Volkswagen’s emissions crisis could have broader repercussions for diesel growth in the US, however General Motors sees no reason to stall or scale back its diesel expansion plans.

Introduced for the 2014 model year, the Chevrolet Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel represented GM’s first US-market oil burner in decades. Sales did not immediately take off, with deliveries remaining well below 10,000 units in the first year of availability — just two percent of overall Cruze sales.

A diesel-powered GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado were recently added to the lineup for the 2016 model year, though neither pickup has arrived yet in US showrooms.

The company is now focused on delivering the next-generation Cruze diesel, arriving for the 2017 model year with a smaller 1.6-liter engine, and developing a Cadillac-specific diesel engine.

“The Cruze Diesel is too good not to do it,” GM development head Mark Reuss told Car and Driver.

The executive also suggested there are no delays in developing Cadillac’s new diesel engines. They will quickly head to international markets, however the company has not finalized a launch window for the US.