Driving Torque

It's All About The Motors.

Driving Torque

This is the YouTube page for Driving Torque - Articles, reviews and opinions about cars and all things automotive.
Go to www.drivingtorque.com

Driving Torque
Review by Ben Harrington from Driving Torque of the Suzuki Jimny SZ5
Suzuki Jimny Review
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_tBEwl0WmNRw
Watch as a Model X performs its Celebration Mode Easter egg in the snow
Tesla Model X Celebration Mode
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_Z04UK1MRXjE
This is what the exhaust tail pipe of a Ford Focus RS sounds and looks like when you accelerate quickly.
2017 Ford Focus RS Exhaust
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_QkKOE0J4baE
Another gratuitous exhaust video for you. This time it's the behemoth that is the Mercedes GL63 AMG.
Mercedes-Benz GL63 AMG exhaust sounding immense
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_S7TdJrBe8aw
This is a Porsche Cayman in Sport Plus mode with a Sports exhaust, showing the exhaust revving and moving as the car is put through its paces. Great footage of over-run and even the heat haze from the hot engine.
Porsche Cayman PDK Sport Plus
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_8l_WTgJB0sk
Subscribe
  • Home
  • About
  • Ben’s Car CV
  • DTQ Partners
  • Contact

Fighting the Disiesel – Why I’ll remain a Petrolhead

September 10, 2010 by benharrington 43 Comments

Audi A6 C5

Audi A6 C5 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I recently did something I’ve not done in quite a while. Let me set the scene. It was a Friday afternoon, the sun was shining and I had one of my favourite albums on whilst driving home from work, looking forward to a rare night out. A feeling of euphoria swept over me as I whacked up the volume, turned off the air-con and wound down all the windows to let the summer breeze blow in.

It was fantastic. Driving enthusiastically shall we say, down a country lane, I was reminded of care free days when my car was really my only passion in life and as long as I had enough cash for petrol, beer and fags, I’d be alright. Inevitably this all came to a grinding halt as I joined a line of near stationary traffic and life’s tedium started to resurface. Now, my car stereo is unfeasibly loud and at this point, passers by were drawn to whatever was broadcasting INXS to half of Cheshire.

This got slightly embarrassing as I noticed more and more confused faces realise that it really was the family estate, complete with baby seats, doing a good impression of the main stage at Glastonbury, a position usually reserved for Chavvy Saxos driven by gormless mouth breathers. I persevered however, telling myself that I wouldn’t have cared in the past, so I’m not going to now. My carefree attitude was returning and I was even starting to lap up the attention, that is until I heard a noise that burst my proverbial bubble completely. I’ve already stated that the stereo in my Audi is loud, almost deafeningly so, and yet over the tunes I could still hear a vile, yet familiar noise – the clatter of a diesel engine, no, worse, the clatter of my diesel engine.

I actually felt ashamed. I don’t care what anyone says or what new technology comes out, diesels will always sound dreadful. The reason I’d never really noticed my own car’s tone before is because there’s so much insulation surrounding the engine it may actually be unsinkable.   I feel so strongly about this that I’ve come to one conclusion – the Audi’s got to go. Initially this might sound like an over-hasty knee-jerk reaction but I’ve given it a lot of thought and it’s time to move on.

Without wanting to contradict myself, my Audi A6 is fantastic, possibly the most complete all round car I’ve owned. For nearly two years now it has served my purposes ideally. Firstly there’s the size. The interior and boot space are cavernous which when your family grows from a couple to a quartet is invaluable. Secondly there are the running costs. It’s averaged over 40mpg, this combined with cheap tax, two year service intervals and unparalleled build quality has been very handy whilst Mrs H has been on maternity leave. Then there’s the little things. The aforementioned stereo has allowed me to still play music at the correct volume without waking aforementioned family up. Even the multitronic (auto) gearbox has proved a godsend when the morning drive to work after very little sleep seems a nigh-on impossible task without a constant supply of coffee.

Yet, all these positives could not persuade me to keep it. I love cars, that’s obvious, and one of the main attractions to cars for me is how they sound, be it a howling V8 or an air-cooled flat six, that sound says passion and power to me. All a diesel engine says to me is that the driver is more passionate about saving money than enjoying driving. It’s not just the sound though; it’s the whole driving experience. I know things have improved recently but when you want to accelerate quickly from standstill in my car, you press the loud pedal and it’s as though you’ve sent your request by mail with your answer eventually arriving the next day. Instant response is what you need when driving and not getting it quickly becomes very boring.

If anyone disagrees with me and feels they know of a car where the diesel model not only performs better but also sounds more appealing, I’d be delighted to hear from them and put them right. In the meantime, Mrs H goes back to work next month and I’m looking forward to becoming a true petrol-head again.

By Ben Harrington

Related articles
  • Petrol-only Vauxhall Adam heralds eve of new age of motoring (mirror.co.uk)
  • Is Porsche Going Diesel? (theredlinereport.com)
  • Petrol vs diesel: which is cheaper? (confused.com)

Filed Under: Automotive Opinions Tagged With: Audi, Audi A6, Diesel engine, Internal combustion engine, Mercedes-Benz, Petrol engine, Sport utility vehicle, Turbocharged Direct Injection

Trackbacks

  1. Devolution – Why Mitsubishi’s Evo is doomed « Driving Torque says:
    September 20, 2012 at 9:21 pm

    […] to reiterate my stance on using heavy oil to power a vehicle, I have a few rules which I feel must be adhered to. They are as […]

    Reply
  2. Anyone for Golf? Why Volkswagen’s Hatchback is truly a car for the people « Driving Torque says:
    September 20, 2012 at 9:22 pm

    […] necessary and five doors is still a must. I’ve made no secret of my desires to get away from diesel but a fairly frugal petrol engine is the only acceptable alternative. Having read many, many car […]

    Reply
  3. My own MINI Adventure – how I rediscovered my idenity « Driving Torque says:
    December 12, 2012 at 10:19 am

    […] could easily tumble, along with your bank balance as you constantly top up the tank with the 98 RON petrol it […]

    Reply
  4. New 2013 Ford Kuga – First Drive at the European Launch, Valencia « Driving Torque says:
    January 31, 2013 at 8:47 pm

    […] new Kuga will be offered with a range of engines; 2.0l Diesels in either 140PS or 163PS guise and Ford’s 1.6 EcoBoost petrol with either 150PS or 180PS. […]

    Reply
  5. Mitsubishi Shogun LWB DI-DC SG4, Driven and Reviewed « Driving Torque says:
    February 20, 2013 at 11:01 am

    […] how hard one tries, is the noise. There’s insulation aplenty inside the Shogun to muffle the Diesel clatter but from the outside, it’s just not acceptable in a car that retails at £42,000. 4×4 or […]

    Reply
  6. Honda CR-V 2.2 i-DTEC SR – Driven and Reviewed | Driving Torque says:
    July 7, 2013 at 4:13 pm

    […] its big brother off it’s perch, one thing it’s got to be is quiet. Honda’s Diesel engines of the past had a reputation for a lack of refinement and subtlety – not this one. […]

    Reply
  7. Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC – Driven and Reviewed | Driving Torque says:
    September 10, 2013 at 6:37 pm

    […] that’s the living space covered, what about the oily bits? Honda’s new 1.6 Diesel engine has been received with much fanfare and is destined to find its way into as many Honda […]

    Reply
  8. Volvo S60 Driven and Reviewed | Driving Torque says:
    January 12, 2014 at 8:07 pm

    […] with what will probably prove to be the most popular power plant in the range – the 2.0l Diesel. It’s quiet and refined enough, even from cold, and offers a decent chunk of torque (350NM) […]

    Reply
  9. Jaguar XJ L Portfolio – Driven and Reviewed | Driving Torque says:
    February 10, 2014 at 7:01 pm

    […] Jaguar opted to go down the turbo-charged forced-induction route, as they inevitably did with the Diesel unit, they could potentially have pushed their economy stats into a different bracket, maybe even […]

    Reply
  10. Peugeot 308 Feline THP 156 – Driven and Reviewed | Driving Torque says:
    March 13, 2014 at 10:50 am

    […] 1.6l petrol unit under the hood and, as much as it pains me to say it, I’d opt for the Diesel if it were me. There’s nothing wrong with this petrol engine, per se, although I did find it […]

    Reply
  11. Mercedes GLA Class – First Drive at UK Launch | Driving Torque says:
    March 31, 2014 at 10:20 am

    […] GLA comes with a choice of two Diesel engines – 200 or 220 CDI, and one 250 petrol. You can opt for two driven wheels instead of […]

    Reply
  12. Peugeot 2008 1.6 e-HDi 115 Feline – Driven and Reviewed | Driving Torque says:
    April 4, 2014 at 4:01 pm

    […] test car came equipped with Peugeot’s 1.6l e-HDi Diesel unit in 115bhp guise – coincidentally, the same power as the legendary 1.6 205 Gti. […]

    Reply
  13. Ford Ka Studio Connect – Driven and Reviewed | Driving Torque says:
    April 14, 2014 at 4:09 pm

    […] Unfortunately though, Fiat obviously weren’t prepared to offer their impressive TwinAir or Diesel engines for the Ka either, leaving it lumbered with this 69ps unit. This is an old-fashioned engine, […]

    Reply
  14. Porsche Macan – First Drive | Driving Torque says:
    May 14, 2014 at 4:07 pm

    […] – two petrols in ‘S’(340bhp) and ‘Turbo’(400bhp) guise, and one Diesel, ‘S Diesel’(258bhp), although there’s apparently scope to expand the range in the […]

    Reply
  15. Citroën DS3 Cabrio DSport – Driven and Reviewed | Driving Torque says:
    May 29, 2014 at 8:12 pm

    […] Citroën’s DS3 has been on our roads for an almost unbelievable four years now, and this cabriolet version has been allowing us to maximise our enjoyment of the sporadic British sunshine since 2013. Just prior to this article being published, Citroën announced a slight midlife refresh of the model including new headlights and a few new, ultra-efficient engines, two of them being Diesels. […]

    Reply
  16. Suzuki Swift DDiS SZ4 – Driven and Reviewed | Driving Torque says:
    June 20, 2014 at 2:13 pm

    […] was, but that’s just about where the similarities end. This multi award-winning JTD Diesel unit has been borrowed from Fiat and is you can see why Suzuki were keen to utilise it in their […]

    Reply
  17. Honda CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC 2WD – Driven and Reviewed | Driving Torque says:
    October 7, 2014 at 10:29 pm

    […] industry standard light upgrade. Perhaps more importantly though, it was announced that the 2.2l Diesel engine is to be mothballed and the 4WD model will adopt a more powerful version (160PS, 350Nm) of […]

    Reply
  18. Volvo V40 Cross Country – Driven and Reviewed | Driving Torque says:
    October 24, 2014 at 9:31 pm

    […] not-inconsiderable £34K, so I think it’s a fair guess that the majority of CCs sold will be Diesels, just like this D3 model we have on test […]

    Reply
  19. New Nissan Juke – Driven and Reviewed | Driving Torque says:
    December 2, 2014 at 1:18 pm

    […] test car is fitted with a good old 1.5l Diesel unit though, and there’s a lot to be said for it. Nissan claim just over 70mpg on the combined […]

    Reply
  20. New Nissan Juke – Driven and Reviewed says:
    December 29, 2014 at 11:59 am

    […] test car is fitted with a good old 1.5l Diesel unit though, and there’s a lot to be said for it. Nissan claim just over 70mpg on the combined […]

    Reply
  21. New Ford Focus ST - First Drive - Driving Torque says:
    February 2, 2015 at 2:56 pm

    […] Focus ST picks up where the 2012 model left off, but for the first time ever, there’s also a Diesel Focus ST, and both of them are available in hatch or wagon flavour and the usual range of suitably […]

    Reply
  22. Devolution - Why the Mitsubishi Evo is doomed - Driving Torque says:
    February 2, 2015 at 4:48 pm

    […] to reiterate my stance on using heavy oil to power a vehicle, I have a few rules which I feel must be adhered to. They are as […]

    Reply
  23. Honda Civic i-DTEC - Driven and Reviewed - Driving Torque says:
    February 4, 2015 at 12:20 pm

    […] that’s the living space covered, what about the oily bits? Honda’s new 1.6 Diesel engine has been received with much fanfare and is destined to find its way into as many Honda […]

    Reply
  24. Peugeot 308 THP 156 - Driven and Reviewed - Driving Torque says:
    February 4, 2015 at 2:36 pm

    […] 1.6l petrol unit under the hood and, as much as it pains me to say it, I’d opt for the Diesel if it were me. There’s nothing wrong with this petrol engine, per se, although I did find it […]

    Reply
  25. Mercedes GLA-Class - First Drive Review - Driving Torque says:
    February 4, 2015 at 3:05 pm

    […] GLA comes with a choice of two Diesel engines – 200 or 220 CDI, and one 250 petrol. You can opt for two driven wheels instead of […]

    Reply
  26. Peugeot 2008 1.6 e-HDi 115 Feline - Driven and Reviewed - Driving Torque says:
    February 4, 2015 at 3:19 pm

    […] test car came equipped with Peugeot’s 1.6l e-HDi Diesel unit in 115bhp guise – coincidentally, the same power as the legendary 1.6 205 GTi. […]

    Reply
  27. Citroen DS3 Cabrio DSport - Driven and Reviewed - Driving Torque says:
    February 4, 2015 at 5:06 pm

    […] The Citroen DS3 has been on our roads for an almost unbelievable four years now, and this cabriolet version has been allowing us to maximise our enjoyment of the sporadic British sunshine since 2013. Just prior to this article being published, Citroen announced a slight midlife refresh of the model including new headlights and a few new, ultra-efficient engines, two of them being Diesels. […]

    Reply
  28. New Vauxhall Corsa - First Drive - Driving Torque says:
    February 5, 2015 at 1:04 pm

    […] Corsa, a few of them having been carried over from the previous generation. There is a 1.3 Diesel available, but the emphasis is undoubtedly on petrol power, and in particular that slightly […]

    Reply
  29. Volvo V40 CC - Driven and Reviewed - Driving Torque says:
    February 5, 2015 at 1:15 pm

    […] not-inconsiderable £34K, so I think it’s a fair guess that the majority of CCs sold will be Diesels, just like this D3 model we have on test […]

    Reply
  30. New Nissan Juke - Driven and Reviewed - Driving Torque says:
    February 5, 2015 at 1:54 pm

    […] test car is fitted with a good old 1.5l Diesel unit though, and there’s a lot to be said for it. Nissan claim just over 70mpg on the […]

    Reply
  31. Suzuki Swift DDiS SZ4 - Driven and Reviewed - Driving Torque says:
    February 5, 2015 at 2:31 pm

    […] was, but that’s just about where the similarities end. This multi award-winning JTD Diesel unit has been borrowed from Fiat and is you can see why Suzuki were keen to utilise it in their […]

    Reply
  32. Porsche Macan - First Drive - Driving Torque says:
    February 5, 2015 at 2:35 pm

    […] at launch – two petrols in ‘S'(340bhp) and ‘Turbo'(400bhp) guise, and one Diesel, ‘S Diesel'(258bhp), although there’s apparently scope to expand the range in the […]

    Reply
  33. New Ford Kuga - First Drive - Driving Torque says:
    February 5, 2015 at 7:53 pm

    […] new Kuga will be offered with a range of engines; 2.0l Diesels in either 140PS or 163PS guise and Ford’s 1.6 EcoBoost petrol with either 150PS or 180PS. Our […]

    Reply
  34. Honda CR-V i-DTEC SR - Driven and Reviewed - Driving Torque says:
    February 5, 2015 at 8:02 pm

    […] its big brother off it’s perch, one thing it’s got to be is quiet. Honda’s Diesel engines of the past had a reputation for a lack of refinement and subtlety – not this one. […]

    Reply
  35. Honda CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC 2WD - Driven and Reviewed - Driving Torque says:
    February 5, 2015 at 8:42 pm

    […] industry standard light upgrade. Perhaps more importantly though, it was announced that the 2.2l Diesel engine is to be mothballed and the 4WD model will adopt a more powerful version (160PS, 350Nm) of […]

    Reply
  36. Honda Civic Tourer 1.8 i-VTEC - Driven and Reviewed - Driving Torque says:
    February 5, 2015 at 8:45 pm

    […] petrol and, as much as it pains me to say it, you’d have to be pretty adamantly against Diesel to opt for this […]

    Reply
  37. Ford Ka Studio Connect - Driven and Reviewed - Driving Torque says:
    February 5, 2015 at 8:51 pm

    […] Unfortunately though, Fiat obviously weren’t prepared to offer their impressive TwinAir or Diesel engines for the Ka either, leaving it lumbered with this 69ps unit. This is an old-fashioned […]

    Reply
  38. Jaguar XJ LWB Portfolio - Driven and Reviewed - Driving Torque says:
    February 5, 2015 at 8:54 pm

    […] Jaguar opted to go down the turbo-charged forced-induction route, as they inevitably did with the Diesel unit, they could potentially have pushed their economy stats into a different bracket, maybe even […]

    Reply
  39. My own MINI Adventure - how I rediscovered my identity - Driving Torque says:
    February 5, 2015 at 9:04 pm

    […] could easily tumble, along with your bank balance as you constantly top up the tank with the 98 RON petrol it […]

    Reply
  40. Ford Ka Studio Connect Review - Driving Torque says:
    February 8, 2015 at 5:14 pm

    […] Unfortunately though, Fiat obviously weren’t prepared to offer their impressive TwinAir or Diesel engines for the Ka either, leaving it lumbered with this 69ps unit. This is an old-fashioned […]

    Reply
  41. Volvo S60 Review - Driving Torque says:
    February 8, 2015 at 5:45 pm

    […] with what will probably prove to be the most popular power plant in the range – the 2.0l Diesel. It’s quiet and refined enough, even from cold, and offers a decent chunk of torque (350NM) […]

    Reply
  42. Citroen C4 Cactus Review - Driving Torque says:
    October 8, 2015 at 12:32 pm

    […] C4 Cactus test car in ‘Flair’ guise came with their BlueHDI diesel engine which is the most expensive power plant to go for, and with 92g/km CO2 and a claimed 80.7mpg, […]

    Reply
  43. Test Driving the Maserati Quattroporte Diesel - Driving Torque says:
    November 2, 2015 at 12:16 pm

    […] Diesel: Not two words that have had a long-standing relationship. They first appeared together in the New […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Driving Torque

I'm Ben Harrington and I'm a car lover, freelance motoring journalist and family-man (I'll let you decide the order!) I started Driving Torque in 2010 to share my love of all things motoring with the wider world. Since then, … continue reading

Driving Torque’s Instagram Posts

driving_torque

Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the las Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the last Honda HR-V. This goes back today, though, and I think I’ll miss it. #honda #hondahrv #carsofinstagram
Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the las Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the last Honda HR-V. This goes back today, though, and I think I’ll miss it. #honda #hondahrv #carsofinstagram
Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the las Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the last Honda HR-V. This goes back today, though, and I think I’ll miss it. #honda #hondahrv #carsofinstagram
Another highlight from this week’s SMMT Test Day Another highlight from this week’s SMMT Test Day was this; the unashamedly macho Ford Mustang Mach 1. A full review will follow later this year, hopefully. #ford #fordmustang #forduk #carsofinstagram
What do you do when you own two VW vans? Why, you What do you do when you own two VW vans? Why, you go and drive the latest VW Multivan, of course! The Multivan is not, I repeat, is not based on a van, though. Got it? Good. #vw #volkswagen #notavan #carsofinstagram
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Driving Torque’s Twitter Feed

Ben Harrington Follow

Freelance motoring writer and Editor of Driving Torque. @NGMWcars member. Classic VW owner. Husband and father to a wonderful wife and two amazing young ladies.

DrivingTorque
drivingtorque Ben Harrington @drivingtorque ·
23 Jun

https://buff.ly/3ObO4Z5 #honda #hrv #review #hybrid

Reply on Twitter 1540033698485133313 Retweet on Twitter 1540033698485133313 1 Like on Twitter 1540033698485133313 Twitter 1540033698485133313
drivingtorque Ben Harrington @drivingtorque ·
22 Jun

https://buff.ly/3ObO4Z5 #honda #hrv #review #roadtest

Reply on Twitter 1539671061008191492 Retweet on Twitter 1539671061008191492 1 Like on Twitter 1539671061008191492 1 Twitter 1539671061008191492
drivingtorque Ben Harrington @drivingtorque ·
22 Jun

https://buff.ly/3ObO4Z5 #honda #hrv #review

Reply on Twitter 1539565356506816514 Retweet on Twitter 1539565356506816514 Like on Twitter 1539565356506816514 Twitter 1539565356506816514
drivingtorque Ben Harrington @drivingtorque ·
16 Jun

Anyone struggling on @TicketmasterUK for Taylor Hawkins tribute concert - try following the link from the email they sent you. That just worked for me after over an hour of being thrown out of the site 😃

Reply on Twitter 1537366165013643264 Retweet on Twitter 1537366165013643264 Like on Twitter 1537366165013643264 Twitter 1537366165013643264
Retweet on Twitter Ben Harrington Retweeted
yorkshiremsf Yorkshire Motorsport Festival @yorkshiremsf ·
15 Jun

We’re excited - a little over a week to go until the Yorkshire Motorsport Festival

Tickets still available if you follow the link below👇🏽

https://www.ymsf.net/buy-tickets

#Motorsport #Festival

Reply on Twitter 1536972026304507906 Retweet on Twitter 1536972026304507906 12 Like on Twitter 1536972026304507906 18 Twitter 1536972026304507906
Load More

© 2022 · DrivingTorque.com · Site designed and built by Kobestarr.com