Point taken, Mike.
However, the capability of meeting 49 States is around the corner with the less exotic engines (i.e. other than Merc) and VW, Ford, PSA, Opel, Audi and Vovlo will be introducing vehicles in 2007/2008 (I'll try and check that).
On the fuel front - we had the introduction of low sulphur fuels a few years ago now and I can't comment on what the cost of ULS diesel is with respect to gasoline as we get taxed so highly on all fuels.
Diesel costs about 5% more at the pump than 95 octane but my vehicles get 20 to 50% better mileage than their gasoline engined versions.
That extends the range of my Toyota bus from about 270 miles to about 400 miles for 5% more money. And that's an 'old' engine, not a common-rail type. A similar vehicle from Ford of Europe (7-seat MPV) with CR will do well over 40mpg at 'interstate' speeds.
I was working on a light truck programme several years ago which got transferred to the USA, and then back to us (!) and, while development work carried on in the US, there was a lot of trouble with the relatively poor quality of diesel in the USA compared to Europe and, indeed, much of the rest of the word.
The US standards of fuel available from filling stations were attuned to the wants of the big rigs (understandably) and things like cetane numbers, viscosities, cold filter plugging temps, etc., were all inferior relative to almost everywhere else.
I'm sure that, given the right direction from government (are they allowed to do that?) the huge petrochem industry in the USA could meet the challenge and give you ULS diesel at gas prices or better.
I vaguely recall something about parafins being several times more abundant in the refining process than the spirits blended to make gasoline, so the price should ultimately reflect the abundance.
Bill
