Saving the planet: the GTD

DIESEL V ELECTRIC: TOXIC COMPONENTS IN THE TOYOTA PRIUS MAKE A MOCKERY OF DRIVING GREEN

Diesel engine in the new Golf makes it a better proposition.

As they crept closer, the Toyota Priuses made no sound. They turned out their lights to reduce power consumption even more. They moved in on me, only their tyres crunching on the gravel. They sensed blood – and it was mine. Even an eco-vehicle, like an eco-warrior, can have a dreadul temper… especially when it comes to dealing with those who rape the planet. Like me… In their bio-degradable shades of green, the Toyotas were mean. Suddenly, all their lights came on at once – and they charged. As I fell, I remember noticing: not enough power to spin the tyres…

Was it a nightmare? Or was it just a revery about how environmental political correctness threatens to overwhelm all of us?

The reason I would be targeted by a greenie lynch mob: I couldn’t care less about the diesel “emission scandal”. Volkswagen and Audi – and a couple of other makers who owned up later – had set their engine software to “fool” the pollution testing systems in the US, by sending out false readings for certain pollutants.

Firstly, I am long-standing VW fan and it will take a hell of a lot more than that to turn me off the brand. Secondly, the company in the US, and later in Europe, did the right thing by owning up and paying compensation (are you listening, Jacob Zuma?). In this country, where vehicles were not even affected, VW SA’s MD wrote to customers to apologise and to reassure them.

However, in the process, diesel engines got some really bad press, much of it undeserved.

Here’s the rub, for me: because it takes such a lot to manufacture a Prius, and because some of its toxic components cannot be recycled, it – and many other “environmentally friendly” cars like it – do more damage to the planet over their lifespans than conventional cars. True story.

I have always had a soft spot for diesels. That is because my default mode is, ironically, helping the planet. Even when I am driving the most high-powered sports car, I don’t blast around all the time and often use a very soft throttle to see what sort of fuel consumption I can get.

With a diesel VW Jetta a few years ago, I averaged 4.8 litres per 100km on a three-week trip of 4 200km down to the Cape. That consumption could not have been bettered by a Prius – and the difference in fuel cost between the two would have bought you a few dozen trees for replanting.

But I also love the fast cars in the VW/Audi arsenal, which have not only been getting much quicker over the years, but much more economical, too. So, I arrived at my “dieselhead” heaven when VW launched the new Golf GTD. It’s basically a GTI with a diesel motor.

However, you don’t quite get the best of both worlds, because the diesel-engined version is never going to be as quick, with 130kW vs the 169kW of the petrol GTI. Citizen Motoring’s Mark Jones managed around 8.3 seconds for the 0-100km/h sprint, compared to well under 7 seconds for the petrol car. Now that seems like a huge gulf to petrolheads – but it doesn’t faze me too much.

The GTD is not really a robot-to-robot racer, but more of an open road marathoner. The 350Nm of torque it has (same as the GTI) makes for rapid, and effortless, overtaking.

But the really neat trick of the GTD is its ability to cruise all day at 170km/h or more (roads and lack of traffic cops permitting) and still return around 7 litres per 100km in fuel consumption.

Put another way: Take out all the restrictions and race a GTD against a GTI to Cape Town. They would maintain pretty much the same sort of average speeds, because the roads would not permit either of them to hit their top speeds. But the GTD would require far fewer fuel stops. So it would get there first. Love to try that experiment…

Surprisingly, the diesel in the GTD sounds quite sporty – not the rattly clanky thing you’d expect. And I know this because I have had a few diesels before and after the Golf…and they all sounded like – diesels. And in a bad way.

The GTD handles almost as well as its petrol cousin, although not quite as sharp on turn-in because of the heavier lump in the nose – but it will still out-handle most cars in its class on the road, including a few so-called “hot hatches”.

The sweet spot for the GTD, though, is on the highway. Cruising at an indicated 130km/h, using around 5 litres per 100km, air con blasting a cooling breeze, decent music on the excellent sound system, knowing all the while you are able to dispatch the dawdlers with a prod of the right foot.

Best of all – the fact that you’re doing your bit to save our planet’s dwindling resources.