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.

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,12929-1142126,00.html

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

 

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.

 

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

DAS
--
For direct contact replace nospam with 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

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.

 

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

 

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

-Stern

 

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.

 

What engines are you comparing as being clean and dirty?

Matt

 

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

Matt

 

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

 

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

 

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

DAS

 

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

 

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

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

Scott

 

**** you, get your own nose.

-Stern

 

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

DAS

 

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

 

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

 

Do you smell bad?

Matt

 

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


Matt