Car News Articles

There’s no doubt the world of cars is changing rapidly given the skyrocketing price of fuel and increased focus on environmental friendliness.

Sales of diesel-powered passenger cars (not including 4WDs) increased by 71 per cent from 2006 to 2007. For the first four months of 2008, diesel passenger cars are up another 55 per cent.

Okay, so the overall numbers are quite low - just 27,000 diesel-powered passenger cars – but it’s indicative of a trend towards more efficient vehicles and cars that will cost a little less at the bowser, even if the cost of diesel itself has increased markedly.

Now car makers are relying on diesel as more than just a way to reduce running costs, even if they’re not necessarily the solution when it comes to helping the environment. As we’ve reported before, diesels are great for reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, but poor when it comes to many noxious emissions.

Still, Audi already has its potent Q7 4.2 diesel – with a hefty 760Nm of torque – and the brand is working on a V12 diesel for the Q7 and, it’s expected, its R8 sports car.

Renault is also set to become the Australian importer to sell a proper hot-hatch with a diesel engine (there are other sporty diesel hatches, but the Renault Megane RS dCi is the most serious effort yet).

Even Saab has jumped on the diesel bandwagon with a 9-3 Aero utilising a diesel engine. Aero is synonymous with performance so it’ll be interesting to see if Australians warm to the idea of a hot-shot diesel.

It all raises the question of just how sporty – and how fun – a diesel engine can be.

I’m a big fan of some of the modern diesel engines and the prodigious torque they can deliver. Volkswagen’s V10 springs to mind, as does the aforementioned Audi 4.2 V8. Even some of the new Fiat diesels can be pretty fun devices.

But diesels lack that high-revving personality of many petrol engines. The nature of a diesel means they rarely need to rev beyond 4500rpm, which is about the point most petrol engines are starting to get really exciting.

So just when you’re getting used to the acceleration of a diesel it changes to the next gear, all the while relying on the torque that characterises a diesel.

That diesel power delivery is fun – and the torque of some can be addictive – but it’s still not as entertaining as a great petrol engine.

Diesels also don’t have anything like the high-pitched wail of a Ferrari, the characteristic snort of a Porsche six-cylinder, or the classic burble of a V8. Perhaps that’s why Porsche and Ferrari are adamant they will never do a diesel.

Diesels do well at thrusting you back in your seat, but they seem to miss some of the other senses that petrol engines attack at all the right times.

But they do have a character of their own, and it usually involves plenty of whistling and wheezing as the turbos start spinning.

But it raises the question of whether diesels will live up to the expectations of buyers of sporty cars. After all, a sports car is about a lot more than straight-line acceleration.

What do you think?

Toby Hagon