Putting the Focus back on the beauty of a petrol engine

It was with considerable amusement last week that I noted the British car industry trade association’s plea to motorists not to ditch diesel engines in favour of new, small, efficient, clean petrol engines, writes Declan Colley

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) put together an information briefing for motorists highlighting the benefits of diesel as — guess — small, efficient and clean engines.

It was obviously concerned that propaganda from the likes of me — pedalled, it has to be said, by the motor manufacturers themselves — that the new generation of petrol powerplants were so good that they would kill buyer interest in diesels. The plea smacked more than a little of desperation, and was amusing because it contradicted the successful public relations campaigns of its own members.