Whirling Derv-ish

AdamW · 8 Jul 2004

Never thought I would say this, but I think I am going to have to get a diesel. You know those adverts for sporty Vauxhall diesels on TV at the mo? Well, Vauxhall have built a prototype Vectra diesel. 1.9 litres, twin turbos, 212bhp, 400Nm! 0-62 in 6.5s. Possibly it will be released as a production model.

So, I was wondering, what other insane diesel cars are there out there? The only other mental oil burners I know of are the VW Phaeton and Toureg with the 5 litre V10 TDI, 313bhp and 750Nm torque.

The Phaeton takes 6.9s to 62mph, so can anyone point me at a nippier diesel? Or any other diesel with a specific output of more than 100bhp per litre?

The future is here, and it sounds like a tractor

securespark · 9 Jul 2004

Yeah, but tell me Adam, what benefits does a super-powered diesel bring apart from longevity (which is a bit dubious if they are going to get caned.....)?

Doesn't torque count as well?

Superb 2.5 V6 diesel has 350 @ 1250.

securespark · 9 Jul 2004

See here: www.channel4.com/4car/news/news-story.jsp?news_id=6402 - 29k -

or here:

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/ topic.asp?f=72&h=0&t=8633 - 27k -

AdamW · 9 Jul 2004

securespark said:
Yeah, but tell me Adam, what benefits does a super-powered diesel bring apart from longevity (which is a bit dubious if they are going to get caned.....)?

Doesn't torque count as well?

Superb 2.5 V6 diesel has 350 @ 1250.

400Nm beats 350Nm

Apparently it will still get 40 something mpg, so that is certainly an advantage. Due to the way that bhp is calculated from torque and rpm, I would suspect this is a higher-revving diesel engine, so should retain some of that "keeping your foot to the floor until it screams" performance car fun. And it is quite a nice thing to say, "more than 100bhp per litre". Remember, the Sierra Cosworth was a 2 litre turbo petrol engine, and produced about the same bhp as this 1.9 litre turbo diesel engine!

securespark · 10 Jul 2004

Ok. I'll set you a challenge. I'll buy the car if you can consistently keep the MPG-ometer above the 40 mark and still drive hard enough to wet the vicars pants (him, not you!!)

AdamW · 10 Jul 2004

I dunno, last time I saw the vicar from the family church driving, he was overtaking the funeral procession I was sat in at about 80 on a country lane!

I think if I got that Vectra, I would have to tick the option to get it without the 19" alloys, big bodykit and special badging. Then stick some corroded steelies on it and some boring diesel badges. What a sleeper that would create!!! Chugger chugger chugger at the lights, then off at silly speeds in no time at all. Apparently the trick of the engine is sequential turbocharging: small turbo operates up to 1800rpm, small and big turbo operate at 1800-3000rpm, then the big turbo on its own above 3000rpm. So I suppose twin turbo isn't the right name for it

Well, getting the MOT tomorrow so will ask the Vauxhall dealer if they have heard anything about it.

securespark · 10 Jul 2004

I'm all for downrating badges, if only to keep scrotes fingers off your motor........

Who wants to break into (for example) an "LD" when they can nick a 3 litre CD with all the bells?

Motoring hacks complain often that jazzed up motors look too ordinary. This is just why I find them appealing, because they don't stand out, and hopefully will just fade into the background.

AdamW · 10 Jul 2004

securespark said:
Motoring hacks complain often

Yes they do! It's a nice job if you can get it, being paid to burn around in a car, then whisked off to a 5-star hotel for champers and vol-au-vons.

But I often disagree with the things they write. I think that one guy writes a review, then all the others just regurgitate it. I have been in cars that the hacks all said was marvellous, I thought it was rubbish. And also a car that they said was rubbish, I found to be great!

It is no secret that Jezza Clarkson has only started singing the praises of Fords since he got on the Ford GT waiting list, and Ford announced they wouldn't sell one to anyone who slated their products! He is a brilliant columnist (at least he was in the Sunday Times), but I disagree with a lot of things he says about cars and am as tired of his throwing in endless comments about "Ooooh, look how tall I am!" as I am of Tiff Needell and his powersliding! I think they should get someone who is properly tall on Top Gear next week, 6'7 or more, and get HIM to try that reasonably-priced Suzuki

securespark said:
Motoring hacks complain often

Time for me to make a career change, methinks