TECHNOLOGY
Performance diesels
- Published: 9/01/2009 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: Motoring
Two of Europe's luxury brands are making their oil-burners more efficient and powerful than ever
Jaguar and Volvo have become the latest premium brands to employ twin-turbo and third-generation common-rail fuel injection technologies into their latest diesel engines.
Volvo’s five-pot unit is all-aluminium.
Such a move allows the two makers to launch fuel-efficient engines that can appeal to drivers wanting the best of performance and economy at the same time.
The basis for Jaguar's new 3.0-litre V6 diesel is the existing 2.7-litre variant. Apart from the increased engine displacement and an extra turbo, the 3.0 has finer-spraying fuel injection.
The new AJV6 comes in two outputs: 275hp and 240hp, both with the same 15kpl consumption and 179g/km of CO2 emissions.
Not only is this engine cleaner and more economical than the 2.7 but also better in performance terms. The 275hp version takes 5.9sec from 0-100kph (1.8sec faster), while the 240hp variant requires 6.7sec (better by one second).
The first Jaguar to get this motor is the XF which will be called Diesel S and would eventually follow in the XK sports car and the all-new XJ in 2010.
The Thai Jaguar unit is reportedly said to be interested in selling it only when more stringent quality is imposed on diesel fuel at local pumps.
Jaguar’s diesel has either 275hp or 240hp.
Land Rover will be getting this 3.0 diesel in the future, although the Discovery 3 and Range Rover Sport may still be sold with the current 2.7 in Thailand due to tax reasons.
The 2.7 attracts 40% excise duty, while the 3.0 - with its outputs exceeding 220hp - will be subject to 50%. According to critics, the merits of more powerful and bigger engines don't go in line with the outdated Thai tax system.
Volvo is in a more fortunate position as its new diesel still remains within the 220hp tax barrier.
The latest D5 has also evolved from the current 2.4-litre inline-five diesel but boasts two turbos, all-aluminium block and piezo-electric fuel injection for a power increase of 20hp to 205hp.
Along with the performance gains, the new D5 is cleaner at 164g/km and more frugal at some 16kpl. The first model to get this unit is the S80 executive saloon - a rival for Jaguar's own XF.
The current 185hp D5 sold in the S60, S80 and XC90 are subject to 35%. The new 205hp D5 would still remain in that tax bracket.
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- PPVs come under scrutiny
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- TIME TO DOWNSIZE
- ROGUE APPEAL
- Hybrid 'eclipses' diesel
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