The diesel golf is still a lot slower to 40 than the GTI. The TDI diesel has a lot of turbo lag, a narrow powerband, and poor gearing. What people who've never owned diesel cars fail to realize is, that peak torque number is hugely misleading. It sounds impressive, but it starts from like 2200RPMs and falls off a cliff past 3500. While a (modern) turbocharged petrol engine has full torque by ~1800rpms and that lasts until like 5000rpms.
I've owned a (Jetta) TDI before, I even tried to make it fast. Even with a tune and full exhaust it was slower than a stock turbo petrol.
It's always Americans that talk about how awesome diesels are. I never see posts from Europeans (who are the ones that actually have to drive them) talking up diesels. They are always complaining about how terrible they are.
I've owned a (Jetta) TDI before, I even tried to make it fast. Even with a tune and full exhaust it was slower than a stock turbo petrol.
It's always Americans that talk about how awesome diesels are. I never see posts from Europeans (who are the ones that actually have to drive them) talking up diesels. They are always complaining about how terrible they are.
Diesels are great for trucks, but not cars.