Have a look at what 91k Euro can get you in Belgium. A V6 Diesel long wheelbase XJ.

Not sure that this car would sell in the US, even if they were able to import it past our stupidly strict regs on diesel engines. Note the factory tint on the rear windows too - can only get that here on an SUV, minivan, etc. but not on cars.

 

Yes indeed, a 3 litre V6 diesel that does around 40mpg (UK not US gallon). As we are now paying around £1.18 a litre for petrol, (= £5.36 a UK gallon) even with diesel at £1.20 its still much more economical, and, more to the point, is in a much lower level for company car tax. The first owners in the UK tend to have their car supplied by their employer, and the benefit-in-kind for income tax purposes is based on CO2 rating. The UK Vehicle Excise Duty (per annum), is also about half what is is for cars with the 5 litre V8 petrol engine as it is based on the same CO2 rating.

European rules for diesels are also very severe. All such engines have to have a diesel particulate filter (DPF) to remove the smoke. This really only works partially, and the DPFs have been troublesome too. I keep seeing very new cars smoking like an Atlantic liner doing 30 knots !
Diesels are now almost 90% of sales in the big executive saloon market in Europe now.

Maybe when petrol gets expensive in the USA, Jaguar will sell them there.

 

Bite your tounge! Sure, I might have noticed that car, but it doesn't mean I want a clatterbox diesel instead of a real, red meat-eating gasser V8, thank you!

Seriously, diesel fuel used to be cheaper than gas in the USA until about the late 1980s when congress decided to sock it to the trucking industry by taxing diesel. By that time most people here were fed up with lackluster diesel cars that were available anyway, so diesel fuel was a ripe target.

Now that there are better and quieter diesel engines on the market, euro car manufacturers still don't bother bringing them over here, probably since nobody wants to pay upwards of a dollar more per gallon for the stuff. Too bad, really, there are some good econoboxes from Fiat and Renault that I'd much rather drive than some snooty Prius, if faced with the choice of driving something other than the Jag as a commuter.

 

Actually I am driving a Jaguar petrol myself here in little 'ole England, V6 3 litre XJ6 of 2003. I have never driven a diesel car, but in future, I will really have to consider one due to the very expensive fuel we are now suffering from; (I will have to exist on a pension in 12 months time, and it is not a great deal of money to keep me and wife in our customary style)

Diesel costs slightly more than petrol in the UK due to the fact that everybody is buying diesel cars, so the oil companies can see an opportunity to make serious money ! The taxation of petrol and diesel is the same, being based on volume, (so much a litre), then VAT is worked out on the price after the duty has been added, and then added on again.

Only a few years ago, diesels were absolute clonkers, but the introduction of electronic fuel injection, and commonrail fuel supply lead to a massive change for the better. They still smoke, mind you. Also the DPFs can get blocked up if the car is only used to pootle around town, as it needs to be taken on a good run at speed to burn off the collected crud.

 

Gorgeous lookin vehicle!!

As for the diesel / petrol debate...always makes me laugh.
If I was seriously wealthy I guess I'd have some serious top end petrol sports cars, unfortunately, I'm not....
Having said that I've driven diesels for 20 years now and they bear absolutely no resemblance at all whatsoever to those of years gone by.
I was looking at an Audi A8 4.2 Tdi Quattro Sport the other day...top end luxury in a diesel. That bad boy will do 0-62 in 5.9secs and limited to 155mph......good enough for a car that weighs around 2 tons and will beat most small sports petrol cars whatever the marque.
326bhp and 479lbs foot of torque....easily remap it to 400bhp for mind blowing performance and still get 40mpg on a long run!!!!....all that and quattro 4 wheel drive too...can't be bad!

Sorry for getting off topic kinda, but I honestly think quite a few people are missing out with outdated ideas on diesel cars.

 

Regarding the noise in a diesel car the XJs like mine have electronically controlled active engine dampers which cut out over 90% of noise at idle.Sometimes wonder if mine has cut out its that quiet!