Large-scale inspections of automotive manufacturers over environmental concerns have recently stormed through Europe. Many major market players, including Volkswagen, General Motors and Toyota, have been criticized to bits over exceeding both the law-prescribed and the reported harmful emission limits. Renault also had to face some uncomfortable questions and decided to review its entire diesel range just to be on the safe (and responsible) side.
The Dacia Duster was the first vehicle to get an environment-friendly diesel motor. Starting last Thursday, you can get your own Dacia Duster equipped with a Blue dCi engine in France. The Blue dCi series comes equipped with SCR selective neutralization filter which fights nitrogen oxides with the help of the AdBlue liquid (water-urea solution). The urea breaks up into carbon dioxide and ammonia when hit with hot exhaust gases. In turn, these two break up into nitrogen and water molecules.
The refreshed engine range is not just about environment preservation, though. It also manages to perform slightly better than the old one. For instance, while the Dacia Duster series used to ship with units rated at between 90 and 110 hp (67 – 82 kW), now it packs 95 – 115 hp (71 – 86 kW). Its 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration speed has also improved by 1.1 seconds. Its overall fuel consumption remained unaffected at 4.4 liters per 100 km (approx. 64 MPG in the UK, or 53 MPG in the USA).
You can restock on AdBlue at any fuel station in Europe, any of the official dealerships and service stations. A single filling is enough for 10,000 to 20,000 kilometers (6,200 – 12,400 miles), and there is even a new warning light on the dashboard to tell you it’s time for a refill.
The new diesel engines will soon ship with the entire Renault / Dacia vehicle ranges.
Photo: motor1.com