Sylvan Lake, AB -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/13/2014 -- If there is a poster child for a successful image makeover in the auto industry, then diesel fuel is it. In short order it has gone from dirty, smelly truck fuel to powering the winners of the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours race for the past five years.

On the road, diesel sales are rising and show no signs of slowing down. In Europe they have overtaken petrol models for some manufacturers and they could do the same here.

Since 2005, overall sales of diesel-powered vehicles and diesel performance parts have almost doubled in Australia. The growth is even more dramatic if you look at passenger car sales. Last year, brands sold five times as many diesel-powered passenger cars as they did in 2005, although they account for fewer than 7 per cent of the total. Buyers have been lured by cleaner, more fuel-efficient diesel engines. Many are now as smooth and quiet as a petrol engine.

They are now found in every sort of vehicle, too, from compact city cars all the way up to luxury limos such as the Jaguar XJ. They've also become sporty. Audi and Peugeot, which have used diesel-powered prototypes to win Le Mans, even offer their TT and RCZ sports cars with diesel engines.

The reason for the surge in diesel popularity is simple: better fuel economy at minimal expense. Typically, a diesel is 20 to 30 per cent more efficient than an equivalent petrol engine.

Diesel engines, almost all of which are turbocharged in modern cars, also offer more torque (pulling power).

But there are some trade-offs. Diesel engines emit more noxious gases and CO2 per litre of fuel used than petrol-powered cars. However, because diesels use less fuel, they can emit less CO2 over time.

Cost is another big factor in the diesel versus petrol debate. Diesel models usually command about a $2000 premium over their petrol equivalent.

And since the diesel versus petrol choice is often driven by the hip pocket, fuel prices are a factor. Diesel has traditionally tended to be the more expensive but the balance is tipping, especially so with many European petrol models demanding more expensive premium unleaded.

To choose the best option, diesel or petrol, we put three of the best-selling cars in the country — the Volkswagen Golf, Mazda6 and Subaru Forester — to the test; pitting diesel against petrol.

Truck customers, from half-ton to commercial, have a demanding range of needs and require their vehicles to provide high levels of capability. Ram trucks are designed to deliver a total package.

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