23 October 2002: Bosch, the world’s leading supplier of diesel injection systems, has predicted that every third car sold in the UK will be a diesel by 2005 and every second one by 2008.

Dr Manfred Mueller, MD of Bosch’s UK Automotive Original Equipment Division, said the shift is because fuel economy, tax benefits and a burgeoning appreciation for the high torque driving characteristics of the modern direct injection diesel engines.

"In mainland Western Europe, where the latest engine technology reaches the consumer earlier and where diesel fuel is significantly cheaper, there is already parity between petrol and diesel, and in some countries diesel is more popular, " he said.

Europe’s vehicle manufacturers have all committed to reduce emissions levels to a fleet average of 140 grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) per kilometre driven by 2008, and they will only be able to do that with a high percentage of diesels in their portfolios.

A raft of new developments in modern diesel engines are on the way, such as higher injection pressures, dual pre- and post injections and an electronic metering system designed to make de-NOx catalytic exhaust systems more effective.

Bosch is just also starting series production of the diesel lambda sensor, which is to appear first in Volkswagen’s new Touareg SUV.