DIESEL power is becoming a favoured choice in the world of sports coupes.
New-technology diesels have such grunt that they can give petrol engines a run for their money any day, a fact proven by the decision of Audi to slot a TDI into their TT quattro coupe range.
The TT is one of the most fashionable cars on the road and the fact that there is a diesel option underlines the new image of oil power.
Sporting marques such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz have already marketed diesel performance models but the Audi TT TDi ups the ante considerably.
Here is a combination of 50mpg economy and 140mph performance. Two factors that would have been poles apart decades ago.
And acceleration to 62mph in around seven and a half seconds and low CO2 emissions of 139g/km hammer home the fact that diesel is powering up in the fast lane.
Prices are £26,040 for the coupe and £28,350 for the roadster.
Powered by the latest two-litre four-cylinder TDI engine, the newcomer emits about one fifth less carbon dioxide than the petrol equivalent.
It is similar to the engine used in the latest A4 but power is boosted from 150bhp to a high of 170bhp.
Standard UK specification is the same as that of the two-litre petrol models with six-speed manual transmission, 17-inch alloy wheels, leather and Alcantara-upholstered sports seats, electronic climate control and an MP3-compatible 140-watt Audi Concert audio system.
The TT is not a new face - it has been around for about a decade - yet it still looks so modern in its latest incarnation. You can never accuse Audi of fielding outdated styling forms.
The engine features a new turbocharger as well as a sophisticated common rail injection system.
The stride forward in efficiency over the outgoing 2.0-litre TDI engine also shows in a CO2 figure of 139g/km for the Coupé - over 20 per cent less than the 2.0T FSI petrol model - and in a drastic reduction in untreated emissions of nitrogen oxides.
Improvements in combustion chamber thermodynamics mean the new engine complies with proposed Euro5 emission limits.
The capabilities of the car are enhanced by its lightweight ASF aluminium and steel hybrid body shell, which contributes to impressively low kerb weights.
The comfortable, agile handling is in the best traditions of all higher torque Audis, backed up by quattro permanent four-wheel drive.
All in all this car does not excel in just one area of performance. It is a classy all-rounder with punch-in-the-back acceleration available at any point in the power spectrum.
The space-age Audi magnetic ride adaptive damping system, employing specially developed dampers filled with a magnetic fluid that reacts to electrical charge, will also be available as an option for driving enthusiasts who want the very best from the aluminium-rich suspension.
FAST FACTS
Audi TT Coupe 2.0 TDI quattro
Price: £26,040
Mechanical: 170ps, 1,968cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving four wheels via 6spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 140mph
0-62mph: 7.5 secs
Combined mpg: 53.3
Insurance group: 16
C02 emissions: 139g/km
BiK rating: 18%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles