Video: Jetta takes on Prius in mpg challenge

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AUBURN, Wash. - One Auburn car dealer says he has a way to save on gas money, but the gas-saving car he's promoting isn't what you might think. He says his car can beat the nation's top selling hybrid, the Toyota Prius. 

Volkswagen's new Jetta Turbo Diesel hasn't even hit the Seattle area market, but one Auburn Volkswagen dealer is throwing down the gauntlet to the king of hybrid sales. The Prius touts 47 miles per gallon, while the new Jetta Turbo Diesel touts 47. The challenge:  A road trip from Auburn, Wash., to San Francisco on one tank of gas.

The point for the Auburn dealer is to show how turbo diesels are poised to take over the hybrid market the Prius now dominates. 

Prius sales topped all hybrid sales nationwide in 2007 and for the first half of 2008.  In such high demand you couldn't even find one in the Puget Sound area to test drive.  Now the first Jetta Turbo Diesel comes out next month. Dozens have already pre-sold before they even arrive. 

Drivers started their engines at 7 a.m. Tuesday in the miles-per-gallon race. A film crew will document their journey and viewers can watch the progress of the two cars in the video blogs on Auburn Volkswagen's Myspace.