[Mr K]

I class my self as a petrol head, with several old cars, and a car I have prepped and use for hill climbing and sprinting tucked up in my garage.

The diesel Vs petrol war will always be a matter for debate.

I have owned several, and will say it depends entirely what you get.

My first car was a 306 TDi and that got replaced by an A4 1.9TDI with the full sports options - I was 18-20 and needed somthing efficient for the miles I was doing (circa 30k a year). They where both good fun once you wound them up but that was more down to the chassis's, but the engine did the job and for a daily driver it was cheap to run and good fun.

The A4 TDi got replaced by a 2.8 Quattro A4, which after a year had to give way to somthing diesel when my comute grew again. An alfa 156 2.4JTD. That thing was great fun, and the engine really added to it! The only 156 better is the V6, but even then I would have thought twice!
It was alfas own 2.4 20valve 5 cylinder diesel, a GM 6 speed box and had 180hp and... 300lbft! The torque steer was mad, the noise it made was amazing (think 5 cylinder audi!) when you steped on it, and the power was exactly where you want it - 30-100. The downside, it sounded a bit tractor like from the outside when it was cold at idle (but it had nothing on the 306!!) and the power is obviously lower down the rev range - but it still rev'd to around 5k. For an A-road blast im not sure which I would prefer, the 156 or my S8, but to live with it has to be the S8 - shame it doesnt do the 45-50mpg that the alfa did! Im not sure I miss the alfa build quality though.....

I think its all about getting the right diesel, alfas 2.4 JTD was more envolving has more charisma than Audis 4.2 V8 imho (flame suit on!). The bmw diesels are meant to be great fun too, but I think VAG have a little way to come with fun diesels.

The diesel haters are typically the ones that have only experiances a 1.9TDI golf or that kind of thing - my advice to them is to go and road test a 2.4JTD 159, I wouldnt buy another alfa due to the build quality (although thats said to have improved) but I would have the engine in a heart beat!