The history of the diesel engine

More and more manufacturers are paying attention to the increasing demand for diesel cars. But how did it all start?

In 1893 a German inventor by the name of Rudolph Diesel published a paper entitled "The Theory and Construction of a Rational Heat Engine," the paper described an engine where air is compressed by a piston to a very high pressure, causing a high temperature. Fuel is injected and ignited by the compression temperature.

An engine was built based on that theory the same year and, though it worked only sporadically, Diesel patented it. Within a couple of years the design became the standard for that type of engine and Diesel's name was attached to it.

Diesel thought the United States was the greatest potential market for his engine and he was almost right. The first diesel built in the United States was made in 1898 by Busch-Zulzer Brothers Diesel Engine Co.

Rudolph Diesel died under mysterious circumstances in 1913, vanishing during an overnight crossing of the English Channel on the mail steamer Dresden from Antwerp to Harwich. Rumours flew about suicide, accidents or foul play but they were all pure speculation.

Believers of the assassination theory point out that shortly after Diesel's death, a diesel-powered German submarine fleet became the scourge of the seas. Diesel had been friendly to France, Britain and the United States.

In 1997, only two manufacturers, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen, offered passenger cars with diesel engines in the United States. The diesel car suffered, almost crucified by serious engineering mistakes and by cheap fuel.

However only twenty years earlier, the passenger car diesel engine was the darling of the industry, popular both in luxury cars and in small econoboxes. The clatter of the diesel was heard beneath the hood of Mercedes-Benz and Cadillac, Volvo and Peugeot, Volkswagen Rabbit and Chevrolet Chevette.

The first oil crisis in 1973 shook America's car market. The second in 1978 scared again, car buyers were willing to ignore the diesel's noise, fumes, smell and iffy cold-weather starting to get the benefit of its good fuel economy.

Sales of passenger cars powered by diesels grew rapidly, peaking in 1981. Some 60% of those diesel cars were built by General Motors. That was 10% of GM sales that year. For other makers, diesels were a bigger factor. They accounted for almost 85% of Peugeot sales in the United States, 78% of Mercedes-Benz sales, 58% of Isuzu sales and almost half of Volkswagen sales. Diesel passenger cars were also sold by Audi, Volvo and Datsun in 1981.

Unfortunately there were problems with GM's diesels ahead. Blocks cracked and crankshafts wore prematurely. Critics complained that it was just a converted petrol engine and disgruntled owners sprang up with plenty of lawsuits being filed. Tougher emission standards later caused problems for all diesel makers.

Worst of all, the price of petrol began to decline and with it diesel sales. GM, which had been so fierce in it's diesel sales, ended production in 1985. Petrol prices fe