How would you like the seven-passenger flexibility of a large and luxurious crossover, but with fuel economy approaching 30mpg on the highway? It’s possible, as I’ve just proven while participating in the Audi Mileage Marathon, an epic 4800-mile, two-week N.Y. to L.A. contest designed to show Middle America how frugal Audi’s new TDI clean diesels can be. Comprising over 23 vehicles and 184 drivers from around the globe, it was a convincing demonstration of Audi’s technical acumen, and the viability of diesels for American premium vehicle shoppers.

My part of the journey comprised a three-day stint; the first leg being a dash across the Rockies from Denver to Durango. My teammate and I tried all the tricks we could think of to eke out every last erg from each gallon of diesel; things like shifting into top gear as soon as possible, and keeping our acceleration as methodical as traffic would allow. We couldn’t lollygag, however, as the contest’s rules gave points for average speed, along with best overall fuel economy.

First impressions were how quite the new 3.0-liter V6 TDI was; there was little to give away its compression-ignition nature. No smell; particulate traps and Audi’s AdBlu injection mean that not only is it compliant with the world’s most stringent emission standards out to 2014, but that there’s no black smoke or sooty residue either. It shuffled the 5000lbs-plus Q7 along with alacrity, thanks to its stout 405lb ft of torque. The highest passes were dispatched on part throttle, the tach rarely going over 2000rpm, and overtaking was a snap.

But our efforts weren’t good enough. In fact, we came in fifth out of the seven Q7 teams. Further research was required. A consult before leaving the next morning with Guenter Schiele, Manager of Diesel Engineering, pointed out a potential problem: us. So that second day we stopped stressing and let the Audi do the work; we left it in ‘Drive’ and accelerated in a more normal fashion, allowing the trick engine and gearbox software to show what it was capable of. Utilizing Herr Schiele’s strategies, we won Day Two, with a stellar average of 29.9mpg!

Should I have concluded that: a) Germans are smarter than Americans; b) the car was more intelligent than its drivers; or c) all of the above? Perhaps so—but I hope not. What is clear, though, is that turbodiesels are much more forgiving of ‘normal’ driving habits than hybrids—whose mileage can plummet if they aren’t driven in a ‘grandmotherly’ fashion—and that they are very well suited to the wide open west and the Rocky Mountain Lifestyle.

Day three saw us pushing harder for a film crew rendezvous in Vegas, which impacted our consumption but allowed us to explore the diesel’s performance envelope a bit more. There’s a brief pause right off a dead stop before the TDI fills its lungs, then it’s off to the races (Audi’s won the past three LeMans 24-hour enduro races with diesel powered sports cars), as evidenced by a 0-60 sprint of under eight seconds. Even a leadfoot like myself can find little to complain about on a performance front.

Downsides? Diesel still costs more than super-unleaded, blunting the savings from the 30-40% more frugal engine. And there’ll be a premium to pay for the TDI model too. Thankfully, diesel car resale values have historically been higher than their petrol-powered counterparts, probably alleviating this issue. And, there are no batteries to toss into a landfill at 100,000 miles.

The biggest downer, though? I didn’t triumph. My teammate and I finished second, with a final tally of 29.3mpg over 983 miles, two-tenths behind the winners. So no champagne for yours truly, but as I flew home my thoughts were that my countrymen, heretofore denied the benefits of such clean diesels, were to be the real victors—every time they filled up—thanks to vehicles like the Q7 TDI.

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