The Audi S4 is now a diesel car, too

Remember when diesel was the bad guy? Of course you do. It was about five minutes ago. But the VW Group, the company that sent diesel cars into a spiral of uncoolness in the first place, appears to be bringing it back again.

Thus the new Audi S4 saloon and estate will get a mild-hybrid TDI set-up just like the S5, S6 and S7. In Europe, it’s going to be at the expense of a petrol version.

The engine in question is a 3.0-litre V6 producing 342bhp (decent) and 516lb ft (holy moly). Expect the S4 to be astonishingly adept in the traditional hunting ground of the mid-size Audi saloon: the aggressive middle-lane undertake.

Both versions weigh around 1.8 tons, hit 62mph in less than five seconds and top out at 155mph. Similar performance to the petrol-powered Mercedes-AMG C43, but offering around 45mpg, the S4 is a whole 15mpg more useful. And if it sounds anything like the old diesel SQ5, it might even make a decent noise, too.

Enough to make diesel cool again? Or is it all still too soon?