This is certainly an entertaining discussion. fun to speculate, to be sure. Everyone including me has their inside "reliable" sources, and what's really entertaining is that not all of those inside reliable sources agree!
I see someone is speculating that the new Turbocharger has an electronically controlled wastegate. Thats an interesting twist. what would be the purpose of changing the wastegate threshold? this is not the same as variable geometry or variable vane technology, so to see such technology on the new 600 would still be consistent with the VGT=EGR story. I wonder what the benefit is. For the bombers, I can think of a real disadvantage: more difficult to upgrade the turbo, and "ewe!" look at what the fueling boxes have to deal with now!
new injectors: This is consistent with the comments that I got from Cummins (the number Dodge gives out), who speculated that a larger, later fuel charge brought down the NOx. To me, this meant a larger injector. Maybe the new 600s will respond to fueling boxes pretty well!
upgraded software. yea. its all about controlling the combustion event -- timing, duration, and frequency of fuel charges. But if they are controling the turbocharger as well, watch out: bombs will be difficult, expensive and maybe illegal -- the turbo is part of the emissions controls, as is the rest of the exhaust system and of course the ECM itself!
no egr: thats certainly what I'm hearing as well. while Ford and Chevy muck with EGR, Cummins rides along without it. good going cummins. those that want to stay stock will have an awesome truck!
Some are reporting that there will be a post-cumbustion "CAT" like device, even though the DC call center told me just a muffler is in there.
And finally, no, I don't have any regrets about buying my 2004 early. At least our turbos are not tied into the ECM, injectors upgrades are reasonable, fueling boxes are available now, and the 2nd gen boxes are just around the corner. And the best part is that my truck is not subject to the new emissions regulations.