Petrol vs Diesel - Do Disesels compare to Petrol on performance?

KudoWarrior

KudoWarrior

Registered User
Joined
Oct 8, 2014
Messages
289
Reaction score
56
Points
28
Location
London
Looking to buy a new car (but doesn't have to be new). Most likely going for an A series Audi, A4-A6, may even be tempted by an RS but would rather a top end A series than a low end RS, surely?

My main question is PETROL or DIESEL?

The argument about saving money is quite negligible as you spend more on Diesel on the initial price and on fuel but then the tank goes further and the value holds slightly better for resale.

My main concern is how it handles/feels. Have the Diesels of nowadays become more refined/fast and less clunky/chuggy to compete with a petrol counterpart?

Cheers.
 
There's no such thing as a 'low end RS'.

Some RS models are better than others (most would agree the B7 RS4 is a better car than the RS5, for example) but they don't have levels.

I have nothing to say about diesels.
 
biyitch said:
There's no such thing as a 'low end RS'.

Some RS models are better than others (most would agree the B7 RS4 is a better car than the RS5, for example) but they don't have levels.

I have nothing to say about diesels.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response. B7 RS4 is actually the one I'd been looking at, pretty decent prices, too.

I meant more so in terms of a stock RS as opposed to a modded A series.
 
A b7 rs4 will feel a really nice place to be in, 440 Bhp is not to be sniffed at however they don't make the claimed power and a 3.0Tdi with 5k worth of mods (turbo, injectors, remap, intercoolers and a clutch) will be in the same league ! However the power delivery will feel numb in a diesel, v6 engines deliver their torque in such a smooth manner that is rather boring at times !
Maybe not the best example but i have a b6 s4 v8 mapped to about 380 Bhp and a 330 Bhp old shape a6 allroad v6 tdi, the old diesel will give a run for the money to the s4 all day long and returns 3 times the mileage !
 
I like my 3.0 diesel. It has 315 bhp and 525 LB/FT of torque which is a lot more torque than a V8, A standard RS4 only makes about 320LB/FT. it has sensible fuel economy around 34mpg tatting around town and easily mid 40's on a run. It doesn't cost £500 a year in road tax like an RS4.
The RS4 is obviously quicker outright, a standard one does the quarter in around 12.8s where as mine is more like 13.4 but in real world driving my car wouldn't be far behind a standard RS4.
The headline figures in a diesel may not match the petrol car when it comes to bhp but the torque and spread of power makes the difference.
By the way the main mods to my car cost less than £1000 for the remap, DPF decat removal and uprated FMIC. The car is running standard injectors, turbo clutch etc.Changing the turbo to a hybrid would cost less than £1000 and bring the car up to around 370 bhp.
I really hope they convert the RS5 diesel concept into a reality. It gives an RS6 a run for it's money despite giving away 170bhp.

http://grrc.goodwood.com/road/drives-and-rides/audi-rs5-tdi-concept-driven-diesel-rs-become-reality

Have a look at my build thread theres a link at the bottom.

Karl.
 
Last edited:
Thats crazey,so over 200lbs more torque than the rs4 and about 100bhp less.
Would of thougt the tdi quicker,well nearly.
 
deano1978 said:
Thats crazey,so over 200lbs more torque than the rs4 and about 100bhp less.
Would of thougt the tdi quicker,well nearly.
Click to expand...
The tdi has a short rev range, if it had the same rev range as a petrol then the diesel would have had a much, much higher power output ! Petrol engines have less torque but they can hold it up the revs where it matters, diesel engines run out of puff after 4000rpm's ! New CR engines have a smoother power curve but the fundamental principle of injecting fuel before compressing it remains hence no point in revving the engine much past 4000 rpm's ! Rotary pumped engines have a broader rev range compared with PD engines but the torque falls sharply after 4000rpm's... Day to day torque over Bhp rulez, on the track it's the other way round...
 
deano1978 said:
Thats crazey,so over 200lbs more torque than the rs4 and about 100bhp less.
Would of thought the tdi quicker,well nearly.
Click to expand...
Yeh but the diesel, could have a car and trailer on, up a hill it would destroy it due to the amount of torque, TDI power all day long, and like has been said ya wont be mad tax per year neither !!
I keep looking at the S4, RS4, but some how always get brought back to a TDI, my next 1 will defo be a 3.0 TDI Quattro, unless i go eally daft an go for 3.6 v6 Turbo conversion hahahahhaa
 
Thanks for the feedback guys. Helped me quite a lot!
The Audi A4 3.0 TDI quattro looks like a beast of a car. I was actually rethinking the RS models and for me it's just not worth it, long term.
The TDi can deal with everyday life, long distance drives and is quite future proof as a family car even if the RS is where the speed freak in me is pointing.

Would you say the choice is definitely the 3.0 over a 2.0? I understand the difference in terms of torque/bhp/acceleration/top speed/mpg/tax etc but does the cost vs performance make it worth getting the 3.0 over the 2.0?

Cheers.
 
If your looking for big power then the 3.0 all day long, never been a lover of the 2.0, have to many problems for my liking!!
3.0 less mpg more BHP and Tourqe
2.0 Better MPG, less power all round!!
 
Given the choice, I'd happily take a 3.0 over the 2.0

There's no substitute for cubes! A 3.0 Quattro must be quite a nice car.
 
Out of them 2 it would be the diesel for me! Quattro too, wahoo!

I've got 2 a4's. A 1.9tdi fwd and a 1.8t quattro. As above, day to day the dirty diesel is nicer probably. It's grunty low down, more efficient and just works. It's a pd engine so reliable and cheap as chips to maintain.

However, there's something about the 1.8t that I just love. Thing is...I think it's the quattro. I've yet to drive a diesel quattro, but I bet those 3.0tdi quattros are a lot of fun.
 
Thanks for the response buddy. Seems to be the general consensus on here. Unless anyone can say otherwise, looks like the 3.0 is the one i'll be going for :)

Need to test drive a few to see how they feel, though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

s-line stu
Diesel vs Petrol?
Replies
17
Views
2K
quattrojames
quattrojames
J
3 0 Petrol vs Diesel
Replies
2
Views
499
adamss24
A
W
Diesel from petrol
Replies
3
Views
1K
Audination
Audination
A
Petrol in my diesel
Replies
11
Views
1K
AudiLeon
A
C
Petrol A4 Avant or Diesel A4 Avant???
Replies
21
Views
5K
jase0851
jase0851
Top
Back