Cropley on cars - Diesel debate rages on, TVR is back on track

MONDAY - Back to work after a 350-mile weekend in our Porsche Panamera plug-in hybrid, a fascinating experience because although one associates Porsches with efficiency, decent fuel economy is at best a by-product of what they offer.

Just as well, it turns out: my gently driven 35mpg wasn’t so different from what I get from our V6 diesel Range Rover Sport, a heavier car with a bigger frontal area. 

Still, in nearly every dynamic way the Panamera is a fine car. I loved the consistent feeling of deliberateness and precision about every pedal, lever and switch, faithfully imported from the sports cars, and the long wheelbase and low seating made it high-miles comfortable despite suspension rates that also made it steer and handle.

The plug-in Panamera’s conclusive advantage is that, if bought by a business, it qualifies for a 100% first-year write-down because its 15 to 17-mile electric range drops its CO2 below the critical 75g/km threshold. Good wheeze if this applies to you, although I’m not sure our government should be buying Porsches for the business community.

TUESDAY - There’s rising concern about the suitability of diesel cars for our future motoring needs. As you’ll be aware, a recent campaign by various academics and a Sunday newspaper has made an impressive case for believing that legislators erred in the past by emphasising reduced CO2 levels instead of better air quality (lower NOx and particulates), a strategy that  encouraged more diesel sales.

How does this affect me? We continue to prevaricate at home over replacing the Steering Committee’s 58-plate Fiat 500 diesel, a car that complies with the outgoing Euro 5 emissions regulations, not the much tougher Euro 6 standards that are due to be introduced this September.

After September, particulates limits will drop to a tenth of what they were in 2000, while NOx will have fallen 84% in the same period. Truth is that Euro 6 diesels are very clean, yet with our comparatively high degree of knowledge on the subject, we’re still having the petrol versus diesel debate at home.

I’m pretty sure we’ll finish up with diesel again (missus enjoys the low-end torque), but I’m also pretty sure new oil-burners are going to get harder to sell in future. And what of all the old-tech but perfectly healthy diesel cars? Reckon they could become a real problem.

WEDNESDAY - With Le Mans, Goodwood and the British GP out of the way, I always feel a degree of concern, because the season is more than half over and my head is still in April. 

Once again I’ve already missed some favourite events – Cholmondeley, the Brooklands Double Twelve – and I’m going to miss the Silverstone Classic and umpteen fixtures at Prescott and Shelsley Walsh. It’s only July and I’m writing 2016’s first resolution, which is the same every year: organise your weekends better…