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Volkswagen Golf GT TDI
Our correspondent falls for the economy and performance of an oil-burning car when he tests the Golf GT TDI
NEVER liked diesel. Never liked the smell, never liked the rattling sound when
you start up, waking the neighbours and scaring the cat. Never liked filling
up at the pumps where you always feel as though you need a dousing in
Swarfega to get the slimy feel of oil from your skin. And I never liked the
turbos supposed to fire up diesels to make them windswept and interesting. A
diesel sportscar? Get a grip.
At least, I could afford to be a bit snobby about the humble oil-burner in
times of plenty when we could all happily go to the pumps and fill up to our
heart’s content with plentiful supplies of the stuff provided by the
sheikhs. But two long journeys and the threat that petrol is about to become
as expensive as champagne suddenly appealed to my more parsimonious
instincts.
First, a 250-mile excursion via Goodwood in Volkswagen’s new Golf GT TDI — or,
as I described it to interested onlookers, “mutton dressed as lamb”. This is
a Golf masquerading as a GTi that should rock, rattle and roll like your
grandmother’s runabout.
A hundred miles in, though, and all felt well. Plenty of zip, nice handling,
bags of acceleration when it counts in third and fourth gears — to get past
those damned caravans creeping their way to the South Coast — and the
turbo-charger was not the least bit offensive, entering the fray reasonably
smoothly and not kicking me in the back as a response to a heavy right foot.
Plenty of boot space for all my paraphernalia and comfy but firm seats that
held me in place during those joyous drives around the twisty country lanes
of West Sussex. In fact, this was a very nice car. It shames me to say it,
but a retraction was in order. This was lamb dressed at its finest — and
with plenty of mint sauce.
There was more, though. After a few days, I realised that I had not even
thought about filling up and a glance at the fuel gauge delivered a
surprise. I was 200 miles into the weekend but there was still about half a
tank left. Amazing. So onwards and upwards and even more miles to ply in the
pursuit of truth and justice. And still the Golf went on . . . and on and on
until, finally — with more than 400 miles on the clock — I was forced to go
for a top up.
The official fuel-economy figures for the Golf GT TDI claim an average of
nearly 50 miles to the gallon of diesel and I am not one to dispute that
after my happy experience of denying the cash-rich fuel companies their
annual profits at my expense. Like every other simple motoring soul, I
measure economy by how much I pay at the pump and a £45 fill is painful, but
if you know that it will last, it is not such a bad investment.
Next to the North East in Audi’s latest A6. Not just any A6, but the glorious
4.2-litre quattro, a car with more bells and whistles than Billy Smart’s
Circus — satellite navigation, electric everythings, four-wheel drive,
leather seats and blistering performance (zero to 62mph in 6.1 seconds and a
top speed limited to 155mph). I can testify to the effects of the car’s
rumbling V8 engine as I swished north.
This was the epitome of executive German motoring: no effort, absolute safety,
wonderful comfort, enough room to carry five people and a small wardrobe —
just a perfect saloon. I adored the car, from its understated but
distinctive Audi styling all the way to the sexy growl every time I overtook
a humble hatchback. Lovely.
Except that the fuel gauge appeared to have broken — nothing for it but to
pull into the services and fill up. A quick check of the in-car computer,
though, and it told no lies: average fuel consumption only 21 miles to the
gallon. Sixty quid later and my love affair with the A6 was heading for the
rocks. There were two more fill-ups before the A6 went back to Audi and I
decided to take a part-time job as a cabbie to pay the credit card bill.
No doubt executives who can afford the A6 do not worry about the petrol bills,
but with oil prices soaring and turning fuel into an expensive commodity,
diesel, for its economy, has put itself on the must-have list. The good news
is that it does not rattle any more and, if it is Volkswagen’s Golf, you can
have performance and parsimony.