While many car makers are throwing in the towel when it comes to diesel, in some quarters, notably the Germans, it’s still the mainstay of their model ranges. And when it comes to Audi and BMW, diesel is powering their sporting flagships. Here we test the sportiest 3 Series diesel of them all, the M340d xDrive Touring. And what a beast it is, with 335bhp on tap, plus an extra 11bhp thanks to its mildly hybridised drivetrain, together with a hefty 516lb ft of torque. It means that this Labrador carrier can hoon its way to 62mph in a supercar rivalling 4.8 seconds, before heading to an artificially limited 155mph. There’s a sizeable price tag to go alongside, though, with £52,060 payable before you’ve glanced down the lengthy options extras list.

To read the full test report please purchase a copy of DieselCar & EcoCar 418 here