- Ellie Parpis, Adweek

Volkswagen of America this week launched “TDI Truth & Dare,” a Web site promoting its TDI diesel fuel line of cars.

The site, www.tditruthanddare.com, features video clips and interactive tools that challenge “myths” such as “diesels are slow” and “diesel is dirty.” In the “eco-conscious car showdown” the Jetta TDI races against the Honda Prius, and in “diesel decaf” testers place coffee filters on the exhaust pipes of a Touareg TDI and an old diesel Mercedes and then make coffee using both. A third video shows that diesel engines work in the extreme cold by freezing a Golf TDI.
 
“The reality is even though clean diesel is highly successful in other parts of the world, like Europe, today people know very little about diesel in America,” says Tim Ellis, vp of marketing at Volkswagen of America. “‘Truth & Dare’ is all about debunking the myths on clean diesel and fueling the passion that already exists among diesel owners.”

The site, from VW agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky, includes a blog forum and tools allowing drivers to compare the performance of the TDI models to competitive brands. “Tank Wars” challenges drivers to reach or break the Guinness World Record of 58 miles per gallon set by a Jetta TDI team last September. A “Savings Calculator” compares the fuel efficiency and carbon emissions of TDI models to competitors. And “Diesel Finder” helps users locate diesel filling stations using their zip codes.
 
“We have a lot of fun in debunking a lot of the myths,” adds Ellis.  “And it’s just the beginning. We’re going to ramp it up in the coming year.”
 
This diesel push coincides with the launch of the latest installment of Volkswagen’s “Das Auto” campaign starring Beetle spokescar “Max” and introduces his new friend, a red 1963 VW Bus named “Bus.”