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Volkswagen has releases details for the 2013 Beetle TDI, which will debut at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show next week and should reach dealerships this summer. The 2013 Beetle TDI will be available in three models including the TDI, TDI with Sunroof and the TDI with Sunroof, Sound and Navigation.

The 2013 Beetle TDI is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged, direct-injection clean diesel engine that makes 140 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. The diesel engine can be mated to either a six-speed manual transmission or a dual-clutch DSG six-speed automatic.

The Volkswagen TDI gets an EPA estimated fuel economy rating of 29 mpg city and 39 mpg highway. The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Diesel gets 30 mpg city, 42 highway and a 34 mpg combined rating.

The car is distinguished from its gasoline-powered counterparts with a chrome trim line, TDI badging and unique 17-inch alloy wheels, plus an extra set of gauges, including oil temp and turbo boost.

Interior changes are limited, but there's a supplementary instrument pod which has a stopwatch and oil temperature / turbo boost gauges. Options include a panoramic tilt/slide sunroof, a Fender audio system and GPS navigation.




Press Release

VOLKSWAGEN TO DEBUT THE FUEL-EFFICENT BEETLE TDI® AT THE CHICAGO AUTO SHOW
The Beetle coupe range is rounded out by the thrifty TDI Clean Diesel model The most fuel-efficient 21st Century Beetle, with predicted fuel economy of 29 mpg city, 39 mpg highway Beetle TDI goes on sale this summer as a 2013 model The first Beetle TDI Clean Diesel model since 2006 Available in three well-appointed trim levels Choice of six-speed manual or dual-clutch DSG® transmissionsHerndon, VA - The Volkswagen Beetle 2.5L and Turbo were launched to great acclaim from
both consumers and the media in 2011. At the Chicago Auto Show, VW will unveil the third
model in the Beetle lineup: the fuel-efficient TDI Clean Diesel model, which has manufacturer
fuel economy estimates of 39 mpg on the highway and 29 mpg in the city. The Beetle TDI, the
only Clean Diesel offering in the compact coupe category, will go on sale this summer as a
2013 model. Pricing will be announced closer to launch.

Engine and Transmission

The biggest difference between the TDI and other Beetle models lies, obviously, under the
hood. The Beetle TDI uses the company's 2.0-liter turbocharged, direct-injection Clean Diesel
engine that makes 140 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. Volkswagen pioneered the
use of turbocharging and direct injection in diesel engines and continues to lead the industry
in this technology.

This isn't the first Beetle to be sold in the U.S. market with a diesel engine. From 1998 until 2006, the New Beetle was fitted with a 1.9-liter turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine. Since then, this engine has been heavily revised to accommodate increasing demand for improvements in exhaust emissions and acoustics. One of the most fundamental improvements was converting the fuel-injection system to a common-rail design, as well as increasing the capacity by 72 cc thanks to a 1.5-mm wider bore.

The current engine features a cast-iron cylinder block and an aluminum-alloy cylinder head. It also utilizes some subtle design elements that contribute to longevity and the reduction of noise, vibration, and harshness. The forged steel crankshaft, for instance, uses just four counterweights, instead of eight, to reduce bearing load and noise emissions. The pistons incorporate annular channels into which oil is sprayed for cooling the piston-ring zone. A pair of counter-rotating balancer shafts is situated below the crankshaft in the oil pan.

Dual overhead camshafts are driven via a toothed belt that also powers the coolant pump and the high-pressure fuel-injection pump. The cams themselves are linked by means of spur gears that have an integrated backlash adjuster that helps to ensure quiet operation. Each cylinder has two intake and two exhaust valves.

The TDI engi

Tags: Chicago Auto Show, German, Volkswagen

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Chicago Debut: 2013 VW Beetle TDI was originally published by Auto Channel. Read the full story by clicking here.