The problem with politicians that the electorate select to run the country is that we, the electorate don't interview them for the job and the vast majority of them are totally inept and unqualified to run a bath, let alone a country.

I think that much of the pollution in towns and cities comes from buses and trucks, but even so it'll be a good thing if more manufacturers can produce petrol engines with all four necessary attributes - economy, reliability, long life and low-down torque.

Equally, I think most vehicles can produce limited pollution if their engines are looked after occasionally. One still sees quite a few diesels followed by a grey smoke screen whenever the driver puts a foot down. I don't know whether these belong to owner-drivers or companies, but as long as money can be saved by skimping on maintenance, pollution will be higher than it need be.

QUOTE:...""Hopefully they will all have learned their lesson and not be duped again by the motor manufacturers who now tell us small engined turbocharged petrol engines are the best thing since sliced bread!""

I'll believe that when they start fitting small (relatively) turbocharged PETROL engines to lorries, buses, trains and ships:)) Or on a more serious note, if these small petrol engines really are that economical, one would expect them to start appearing in vans before long..

Edited by Sofa Spud on 02/05/2014 at 15:21

Interesting. I seem to remember some years ago some research (can't really remember who!) suggested that developing diesel cars and strangling petrol cars with catalytics convertors was an extremely short termist way of doing things. It suggested the gasoline direct injection petrol engines were the most efficient and should be developed further.

Its always the same thought, whatever becomes popular will be taxed the most. When we're all driving electric cars (or to be more accurate, sitting on the hard shoulder waiting for the RAC to bring a battery charger) then we'll be screwed over by road pricing.