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What is it?

The Golf is the fourth car in the VW range to be given the efficiency-orientated BlueMotion treatment. Unlike the Polo it doesn’t feel like a stripped-out econo-box: the revisions have been added to the existing, well-equipped 1.9 TDI S and Match specs.

The Bluemotion costs £520 more than the standard 1.9 TDI, but it saves £85 in road tax and will be exempt from the London Congestion Charge, sneaking under the 120g/km barrier with CO2 emissions of just 119g/km.Read the full article

Why does VW persist with this outdated tractor engine? It may be fuel efficient, but if it sounds like a bag of spanners and even goes like a tractor, why bother. The Ford/PSA 1.6 16v diesel engine is just as efficient and alot nicer to drive and has been around for years.

I think these BlueMotion cars are really interesting for one reason. They show how little manufacturers have to do - new tyres, different gear ratios, bit of body kit - to make cars that are really quite a lot cleaner than their mainstream models. None of this should actually cost any more or require any more complication to manufacture either and there must be almost no development work involved. The question is why more manufacturers don't just do a lot more of this type of thing? Like, right now?

You will be pleased to know that VW have a 1.6TDI common rail in development and are now replacing the 2.0 TDI PD with a common rail unit.

It won't be long, but I agree with you the 1.9 TDI is out of date in NVH requirements, despite having good economy and a suprising turn of pace.