DIESEL IS THE FUTURE? From the look of how things are progressing, diesel powered cars will enjoy good buyer response

By Colin Yong

LOCAL CAR BUYERS will get to experience diesel’s sporty side when Audi starts sales of its TDI cars in Singapore by the end of this year.
The German brand plans to market some of its most powerful turbodiesel models in a bid to change consumer perceptions of the fuel. It will start by introducing a test fleet of TDI cars and hopes that diesels will make up five percent of its total sales volume in 2009.

Currently, half of all Audis sold around the world have a TDI engine under the bonnet.

The supplementary tax for diesel passenger cars in Singapore – charged over and above normal road tax – will be substantially lowered from next month. Currently four times of road tax, it will be changed to $1.25 per cc of engine displacement.

Audi is likely to kick off its initiative with top-of-the-line diesel versions of the A4 saloon and A5 coupe. The most powerful diesel engine in the A5, the 3.0 V6 TDI, produces 240bhp and 500Nm of torque, compared to the 3.2-litre petrol version’s 265bhp and 330Nm of torque. It accelerates the A5 from 0-100km/h in just 5.9 seconds.

The petrol model needs 6.1 seconds to do the same. At the same time the diesel has a combined fuel consumption figure of 13.9km/litre, 35 percent better than the petrol.

A brief drive in an A4 fitted with this engine confirmed that it felt slightly quicker in a straight line than the 3.2-litre petrol model, but the biggest surprise was that it was also smoother and quieter overall.

Early next year, an ultra-low emission system will be offered as an option on the 3.0 TDI engine. This uses a special urea liquid solution that’s sprayed into the catalytic converter to reduce nitrous oxide emissions by up to 90 percent.

Reinhold Carl, Audi Singapore’s managing director, said the company also hopes to offer this powerful yet clean unit locally.

“This particular engine fits very well with Audi’s sporty brand positioning,” he said, adding that it will appeal to buyers who value Audi’s “commitment to engineering cars that harness supreme performance, fuel efficiency and environmental protection in one complete package”.

Although Mr Carl would not confirm it, CarBuyer also understands that Audi is exploring the possibility of selling the new TT TDI in Singapore, which will tie in well with the sporty diesel theme. The 170bhp 2.0-litre TT TDI goes from 0-100km/h in 7.5 seconds and is 45 per cent more economical than the 2.0-litre petrol model. It has a range of nearly 1,000km before needing to be refuelled.

With diesel pump prices heading north faster than those for petrol in recent months though, will there still be a market for diesel cars here?
Mr Carl believes there is. “The purchase or ownership of a diesel car should not be determined by a singular factor such as the cost of diesel,” he said.

“The increased performance levels, lower fuel consumption, lower emissions levels and the ready availability of fuel stations that offer diesel as opposed to CNG may just swing considerable votes towards diesel-engined cars.”