The rise and rise of diesel

As this is an US-focused group diesel gets a relatively rare mention. When it does, not a lot of defenders write in.

Yesterday's review in the UK Sunday Times of a diesel vehicle gives a good perspective on the popularity of diesel engines cars in Europe.

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Overlook the fact that the car reviewed is a Jaguar (and the journalist doesn't like the shape) -- focus on the comments on the engine. This article is written in Britain, where there is no fuel-price advantage vis-a-vis petrol.

Chief rivals are, of course, Merc and BMW. See the comment on the BMW (530d): "formidably better, in almost every way, than petrol version"

North American (sceptical) readers take note...

For those who are interested and have trouble following the link I have pasted the whole article below my signature.

DAS

June 13, 2004

Jaguar S-type by Andrew Frankel of The Sunday Times It's a beauty - if you close your eyes

Do you know someone whose natural talents are being held back by an outside force beyond their control? A bright, vivacious person full of good ideas, destined never to be properly appreciated because of something intangible that restrains them? If that person were a car manufacturer, it would be Jaguar. Having spent their recent past selling under-engineered cars on the strength that they were beautiful, they've now managed to turn the tables. Today's Jaguars are impressively engineered, more reliable than Mercedes cars, and usually pretty good to drive. Yet all, save the aged XK coupé, are to some extent held back by their appearance.

It's not that they're ugly, merely that they're inappropriate to Jaguar's 21st-century aspirations and likely to lose potential sales in exactly the same way that GQ magazine would if sold with Country Life's front cover. The X-type and S-type saloons look odd and old respectively, while the technologically groundbreaking and otherwise convincing XJ looks designed to appeal to those with ambitions no greater than mounting a bloodless coup for the chair of the local golf club.

It may look old, but in fact the car in the picture is the brand new V6 diesel model. By S-type standards it's sure to sell by the barrowload, but you can say as much about any diesel executive relative to its petrol siblings, so significant are the extra travelling range, fuel economy and reduced tax burden these cars afford. But is that enough to place the newest S-type on the shopping list of those who have hitherto thought of BMW, Mercedes and Audi as the only serious players of the executive game?

This is the best engine yet to find its way into an S-type; indeed, if fitness for purpose is your guide, I will argue that it's the best engine to be used by any Jaguar since the V12 of the E-type in 1971 (and possibly the classic twin-cam six first seen under the bonnet of the XK120 in 1948).

This twin-turbo diesel V6 develops 206bhp and a thumping 320 lb ft of torque at under 2000rpm, and offers highly competitive economy and emissions. In these regards it compares well with the best engines offered by its rivals, but where it exceeds even their lofty standards is in its refinement. Even the best diesel engines become distinctly vocal in the upper reaches of their rev ranges . . . but not this one. Although I haven't tried them side by side, I doubt that even Audi 's 4 litre V8 diesel in the A8 could beat the Jag motor's eerily smooth and silent running. This engine will see the S-type past 60mph in 8.2sec and on to the far side of 140mph, its six-speed automatic gearbox proving the perfect partner. And it will do

36mpg in normal running.

It is hard to find any fault with this S-type, as long as you confine your observations to the manner in which it dispatches all roads, from urban to rural. Its ride is pleasant, firm enough to imply sportiness yet sufficiently smooth for Jaguar comfort, while its handling is engaging enough to make up for the ultimate technical superiority of BMW's 5-series.

Living with it is a different matter though. A minor restyle - can you spot it? - has done little to alter the perception that, visually at least, the S-type shape remains the automotive equivalent of the Blues Brothers 2000 movie - an ill-conceived attempt to plunder an original classic that should have been left well alone. That swooping body shape is not exactly space efficient, as anyone who has travelled in the back of one knows.

Given these limitations and the fact that they can only be properly addressed by an all-new car (still a couple of years away), it is to the S-type's considerable credit that it remains so likeable. Indeed it is little short of astonishing when you consider how easy it was to dislike when new in 1998; unlike wines, cars rarely improve with age, though the S-type undoubtedly has.

As a company, Jaguar has an interesting future ahead of it. All its current product was styled under a regime that ended five years ago; now a man called Ian Callum is in charge and his credits include the Aston Martin DB7, Vanquish and (some say) no small part of the DB9. The first all-Callum car will be next year's XK8, followed in 2006 by the new S-type.

If Callum can make Jaguars as good to look at as they now are to drive, the company clearly faces a very distinguished future.

VITAL STATISTICS

Model: Jaguar S-type 2.7D Engine type: V6, 2720cc Power/Torque: 207bhp @ 4000rpm / 320 lb ft @ 1900rpm Transmission: Six-speed automatic Fuel/CO2: 36.0mpg (combined) / 208g/km Performance 0-60mph: 8.2sec / top speed 141mph Price: £31,670 Verdict: The best S-type, even if looks are dated Rating:

THE OPPOSITION

Model: BMW 530d, £31,900 For: Formidably better, in almost every way, than petrol version Against: Looks likely to split opinion, avoid silly variable-speed steering option

Model: Mercedes E270 CDI Elegance, £30,925 For: Refined, frugal, comfortable and spacious Against: Lacks punch of some rivals, hit-and-miss dealer service

Reply to
Dori A Schmetterling
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Sounds like a mighty find combination that we'll never see in the U.S. It makes me wonder what it would be like to drive a diesel that would rev that high. Very interesting. I wonder what the redline is.

I was less impressed with the writer's judgment about the styling. This past month Road and Track (I think) reviewed 6 or 7 comparable sedans (including the Chrysler 300 Touring) and they stated that ALL the reviewers thought the Jag the best looking, even though everything else had more current styling.

Reply to
Joe

Well, when low-sulfur fuel is introduced throughout the US (end 2005?) and people forget the old GM diesels...?...

DAS

Reply to
Dori A Schmetterling

People have already forgotten them, but what we're constantly reminded of (by being stuck behind them in traffic) are Benz and Isuzu stinkpots. Cummins Rams and Navistar Fords emit less black spooge than an early 90s Benz :-p

But even with low sulfur fuel, low-particulate emissions (already there in the Cummins Ram), absence of diesel rattle noises (also already eliminated in the Cummins), and good overall emissions, a diesel will still SMELL like diesel and a lot of people won't like to be in traffic with them.

Reply to
Steve

Why do you say that? Modern cars smell nothing like the cars of the

60s. Every now and then I get behind one of the old cars on the road and it is amazing how bad they smell. Also, I spent some time in St. Petersburg Russia a couple of years ago and you can't believe how bad it is to sit in traffic with none catalyzed vehicles.

When low suplhur fuel (source of much of the bad smell) is available and diesels have catalyzed soot traps on them, I'll bet the old familiar diesel smell will be all but gone just as the old gasoline exhaust smell is all but gone ... except for those stinkin Hondas and a couple of other car brands that smell terrible even with the converters.

Matt

Reply to
Matt Whiting

"Clean" diesel exhaust smells the same as "dirty" diesel exhaust.

-Stern

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

"Daniel J. Stern" wrote

I can only go by personal experience. Back in the gas crunch of the late 70s a friend of mine at work bought a diesel Rabbit (aka Golf). We drove in it a lot because it was the cheapest ride when a bunch of us wanted to go out for lunch. It stunk, as well as being noisy and gutless, but nobody cared because it used so little fuel and it was roomy and comfortable.

In 2000 when I was looking for a hatchback to replace my ageing Dodge Shadow I gave up waiting for Chrysler to introduce a hatchback on the Neon and had boiled my choice down to a Focus or a diesel Golf. I took two lengthily test drives in each. I chose the Focus for various reasons (something I've never regretted) but the point relevant here is that I was impressed at how completely different the Golf was to my friend's Rabbit. It was vastly quieter and peppier, and there was no discernable diesel odour at all. Undoubtedly a lot of that had to do with things like control of fuel tank vapours, but the point is that the whole driving experience had completely transformed in 20 years.

In Europe, Ford offers a diesel version of the Focus and if they sold that here I'd be looking at it.

Reply to
Dave Gower

What engines are you comparing as being clean and dirty?

Matt

Reply to
Matt Whiting

Do you also think clean gasoline engine exhaust smells the same as dirty gasoline engine exhaust?

Matt

Reply to
Matt Whiting

I was referring to the fuel, not the engines.

The TDI VWs smell just like the '83 Oldsmobile diesels smell just like the Ford PowerJoke trucks smell just like the International DT-466s smell just like the Mercedes 240Ds. Much less black soot comes from the TDI, but the exhaust smells the same.

-Stern

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

Nope. Gasoline engine exhaust has many different smells, depending on a huge number of factors including combustion chamber geometry, induction system, which variants of what types of emission control devices are present, etc.

Diesel exhaust all smells the same, however.

-Stern

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

You must give me a go on your olfactorial thingummajig meter next time I am in the USA...

DAS

Reply to
Dori A Schmetterling

The exhaust of a late model VW TDI does not smell at all except for the first few seconds after cold startup.

Reply to
kokomoNOSPAMkid

I dunno, I kind of *like* that diesel exhaust smell.

Or you could do the "GreaseCar" conversion, then your car will smell like french fries!

Scott

Reply to
Scott Smith

Fuck you, get your own nose.

-Stern

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

Too many fumes up your nose, old boy. Control your temper.

DAS

Reply to
Dori A Schmetterling

Not to me. Back when I was working logging and driving truck, I could tell a Detroit from a Cat from a Cummins by the smell alone. And if I could hear them, the Detriot was really easy to tell!

Many of the same pollutants in gas exhaust are in diesel exhaust and will be controlled by catalyzed traps in the not too distant future. I'll bet the diesels will smell dramatically different post-control as they do now, and likely will smell less/better.

Matt

Reply to
Matt Whiting

Of course the fuel smells the same. It was the exhaust we were tealking about.

I haven't been around enough diesel cars to get a good feel for them, but I could easily tell apart the HD diesels when I drove and worked on them regularly. The two-stroke Detriots had an especially pungent smell that would make your eyes water. The Cats and Cummins weren't nearly as bad.

Matt

Reply to
Matt Whiting

Do you smell bad? :-)

Matt

Reply to
Matt Whiting

Not to Dan, all diesels smell the same to him.

Matt

Reply to
Matt Whiting

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