The Diesel v Petrol debate is not really about performance or statistics as I said above, but this is where most people focus, wrongly in my opinion, when they get into a debate on the merits of both. The fact is a diesel can be every bit as quick as a petrol and Le Mans has demonstrated this for years now so that debate can be put to bed. Diesels are also better in terms of fuel consumption, again something that needs no further discussion. I would also say that today, on today’s roads, with today’s road conditions and traffic a diesel is a nicer car to live with as it is typically a more relaxing drive due to effortless torque delivery and the characteristics of how a diesel engine delivers its power. All in all a powerful modern diesel is a very good car for most people in most conditions, to argue otherwise is ignorant really and to suggest that something like a 335d or 535d cannot be fun to hustle down a lane at pace on a nice sunny day is also wrong because they are. You can carry speed in a more discreet manner, which is no bad thing and you can 'hustle' them quickly. Chip them and they will also put epic twisting power down and are often a little more tractable than petrol so again they are very very good.
However, as I suspect Nick WILL find, put a 335d against an E46 M3 and that extra 20% of driving pleasure becomes clear quite quickly. The 335d is probably fairly close in performance terms, when chipped a little quicker even but the S54 engine in the M3 is a petrol engine doing what it does brilliantly and even a stunning diesel engine like that in the 335d is left standing when it comes to throttle response, sound and simple visceral pleasure that a high revving NA engine can deliver. To hold it in the 6000-8000rpm range is a real pleasure and something no diesel can give, its responsiveness is from a different league and to suggest otherwise is once more ignorant. It's not about power or statistics; I keep saying this but so many people miss this. IT IS NOT ABOUT STATISTICS, it’s about subjective stuff that many won’t get and that's fine, but to focus on the OP's specific point THIS is why petrol heads like me and others prefer petrol.
Each to their own as they say.
However, as I suspect Nick WILL find, put a 335d against an E46 M3 and that extra 20% of driving pleasure becomes clear quite quickly. The 335d is probably fairly close in performance terms, when chipped a little quicker even but the S54 engine in the M3 is a petrol engine doing what it does brilliantly and even a stunning diesel engine like that in the 335d is left standing when it comes to throttle response, sound and simple visceral pleasure that a high revving NA engine can deliver. To hold it in the 6000-8000rpm range is a real pleasure and something no diesel can give, its responsiveness is from a different league and to suggest otherwise is once more ignorant. It's not about power or statistics; I keep saying this but so many people miss this. IT IS NOT ABOUT STATISTICS, it’s about subjective stuff that many won’t get and that's fine, but to focus on the OP's specific point THIS is why petrol heads like me and others prefer petrol.
Each to their own as they say.
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
. Will be a car I intend to keep forever though, so it has to be perfect!
. Best £275 I spent on that car.
