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VW has started launching TDI “value editions” of select models to better position diesel as a money-saving option on par with hybrids

The value Jetta starts at $22,115, including shipping, with a TDI engine and a manual transmission -- a $2,300 price cut that has bolstered its position as the least expensive diesel car on the U.S. market. That puts it squarely between the base Toyota Prius C ($19,890, including shipping) and the base Toyota Prius ($25,010, including shipping).

Research Association of Automotive Internal Combustion Engines. It pools the resources of Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co., Honda Motor Co., Mazda Motor Corp., Mitsubishi Motors Corp., Daihatsu Motor Co., Suzuki Motor Corp. and Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., the maker of Subaru-brand vehicles.

The objective is to share costs in an increasingly competitive, investment-heavy field to meet more stringent fuel economy guidelines, organizers

The strategy is patterned after a similar approach taken by competitors in Europe, organizers said. There, rivals cooperate with academia and the government on basic technologies, giving European carmakers a head start in cutting costs.

While Japanese automakers have developed advanced electric and hybrid drivetrains, the creation of AICE acknowledges that internal combustion engines will remain the workhorse of global fleets for a long time, especially in cost-sensitive emerging markets.

Organizers outlined a 10-year time frame for achieving world-leading advancements in combustion engine efficiency.

Engineers target thermal efficiency rates for both approaching 50 percent. That compares with today’s best rates of around 39 percent for gasoline engines and 42 percent for diesel engines. Higher thermal efficiency means more energy from internal combustion is captured for higher engine output. Organizers said such a breakthrough could boost the fuel efficiency of gasoline and diesel engines 30 percent by 2020.

Diesel engine development will focus on eliminating particulate matter and nitrogen oxide emissions, partly through better particulate filters and exhaust gas recirculation systems. Gasoline engine research will focus on achieving more complete combustion cycles and better ignition while reducing knock.

Keiji Ohtsu, managing officer of Honda R&D Co., Honda’s product development arm, will be AICE president.

2012 in the United States

At that time, about 55 percent of buyers were choosing the TDI engine -- far more than the company had projected.

2025 and the mandated 54.5 mpg standards are looming

Sales of driver assistance systems could exceed 1 billion euros as early as 2016, as cars become more sophisticated and offer new business opportunities, Bosch said.

This year the company will add 9,000 university graduates from around the world to its workforce of 281,000 staff.

By 2020 Bosch plans to double its sales in Asia, North and South America

Bosch said last year its automotive business continued to grow, particularly gasoline and diesel direct-injection systems, as well as display instruments and infotainment systems.

American upstart may have some difficulty attracting notice among the clamour of a noisy, contentious market.

Lincoln itself is in crisis at the moment

It will demur from an arms race with would-be German rivals who benchmark their cars against one another with lap times. The modern Lincoln aims to deliver simple dynamic precision with a relaxed ambiance.

Lincoln’s current MKZ sedan was a half-step in this direction, but the MKC fulfills the mission more completely

And the company plans to replace its larger MKX crossover and MKS full-size sedan with new models that raise the luxury bar even further.