Sales of diesel cars in Europe fell 12 per cent last year, but that isn’t going to stop VW from launching a new Golf GTD.

Effectively a diesel-fuelled GTI, the GTD will be revealed at next month’s Geneva Motor Show, and feature “one of the cleanest combustion engines in the world”. VW says the engine, probably a 2.0-litre, possibly with mild-hybrid tech, features “twin dosing SCR with double AdBlue injection”. This “greatly reduces” NOx emissions, says the company. Good news.

VW isn’t the only manufacturer persevering with performance-oriented diesels. Audi for example (we know it technically is the same company as VW) relatively recently replaced the six- and eight-cylinder petrol engines in the S4 and S6 with V6 diesels. Meanwhile, Ford offers a diesel-engined Focus ST, and BMW has the M50d versions of the X5 and Z6.

A new Golf GTI and GTE are both imminent too, meaning you still have much choice when it comes to what fuel powers your fast VW.

What would power your fast Golf? Petrol, diesel or plug-in?

STORY Tom Harrison