Support for diesel motoring will be crucial to the number of customers choosing a diesel car. According to a report from Biodiesel Magazine, consumers are looking for information on diesel engines and catalytic converters in a bid to make a difference to the environment. The article claimed that diesel was coming to North America and predicted that the uptake of diesel models would surge in the future, if only because it was clean and fuel efficient.

http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=2556&q=&page=2

Volkswagen has announced that it has chosen Tennessee as the venue for a new car plant. Reports from the BBC suggested that as much as £498 million could be pumped into the local economy as a result. It could have gone for sites in Michigan and Alabama but instead opted for Chattanooga. The plant is expected to be operational by 2011 and will be able to produce 150,000 vehicles a year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7508625.stm

In contrast, General Motors has announced a number of cost cutting measures to boost its cashflow. The cutbacks have been forced by a weakening economy that is driving down sales by 16 per cent this year. Sales of big pickups and sport utility vehicles have also dropped but Rick Wagoner, Chairman of the automaker, said it would survive.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/16/business/16auto.html?_r=1&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1218195753-Xr96b0qewbybdgE8TqYLvg

Hyundai has announced its intention to start building diesel engines in India, when volumes permit it. The Indian arm of the automaker introduced a new 1.2 litre petrol engine for the i10 compact and said that demand for diesel cars would increase in the future. HS Lheem, Managing Director, told the India Times that when annual sales of diesel levels reached 50,000 units, the demand would be enough.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_Business/Hyundai_plans_to_make_diesel_engines/articleshow/3238569.cms

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has agreed to award as much as $3.4 million in grants to establish green projects that will work to reduce emissions. The grants will target developments that look to work with the emissions of diesel engines already in use in the US. The campaign is looking to target engines that were released before the EPA's particulate and nitrogen oxide standards were brought into force.

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/63c6cf738e1341b68525748d0052dce5?OpenDocument

Reports from Business Week revealed that the take-up of diesel cars could be hindered by rising fuel prices. But Volkswagen believes consumers will buy the technology and is not holding back in offering its new Jetta TDI sedans to the world. Orders for the model have already been received. Meanwhile, BMW will put three diesel models on the market this fall.

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/jul2008/bw20080722_304665.htm

Caterpillar has selected CleanAIR Systems for its strategic alliance partnership for emission and retrofit products. The products are able to reduce hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and diesel particulates when installed into vehicles. The union sees two leaders of the industry join up and will see Caterpillar take advantage of CleanAIR's technology and engineering capability. It will also see the development of diesel particulate filters, oxidation catalysts, three-way catalysts and selective catalytic reduction catalysts.

http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1776627/