I'm looking to change my RRS, its been great so pretty sure I will get another. My dilemna is should I stick with diesel or go with the new 3 litre petrol? I'm a great fan of petrol engines although avoided the V8 because of its very high fuel consumption and more importantly cost. I've priced an HSE petrol and diesel and for similar specifications the price is pretty well the same. Whats the opinion on here?

Tim Tim
RRS sold and replaced with a Skoda Kodiaq after appalling RR Dealer experience and LR inability to supply new cars in any sort of reasonable time frame..

Why are you unsure? If it’s the rising stigma about diesel, why not just PCP or lease it so that it’s the lease company’s problem if the bottom falls out the diesel market. If it’s driveability, I must say I think diesel’s better than petrol in most situations - the low and mid end grunt is something petrol engines simply can’t compete plus the fuel consumption benefit of diesel is an extra bonus. I leased a 3.0d HSE 5 months for these very reasons.

Simples - if you are doing mostly commuting, stop start town driving then petrol, lots of fast motorway/ A roads when you can let the car motor along for decent distances then it has to be the diesel. If most of your trips are about 20 miles in town / built-up areas or your town is implementing or considering an ULEZ then there is also the PHEV to consider as well as the 3.0 litre petrol. Do some research about any changes or ULEZ’s because many bigger towns and cities are considering implementing them in the next 3-4 years for air quality reasons. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

Agree with Tim in Scotland, often the voice of reason. It should be a relatively easy decision from a logical perspective.

But emotionally? I think the new 3.0 petrol will be a delightful engine. And despite the respect I have for my current 3.0 diesel I personally will definitely go for petrol next time irrespective of fuel consumption. L405 P400e Autobiography (MY2020)... Silicon Silver / Espresso
RRS TDV6 HSE Lux (MY2011)... Nara Bronze / Arabica - now gone!

Thanks for the replies, some very good points made.
I bought the present RRS on a PCP precisely because I was worried about future diesel values, they haven't crashed as the prophets of doom predicted as my car is still worth more than the GFV.
Logic says buy a diesel as haggisman so correctly summarises. However I don't think there is anything so good as a creamy smooth straight 6 petrol motor, I also drive a 1965 E type jaguar with the grear XK motor, so that pushes me towards to 3 litre petrol. Will the RR straight 6 be as good?
My motoring doesn't fit a conventional pattern; I travel an 8 mile return trip 5 days a week, an 80 mile round trip once per week and 3 or 4 trips to Geneva per year 2k miles, together with various trips around the country. The mileage covered in the RRS is approximately 15k per annum. I don't think the phev fits my needs as 8k miles with a 2 litre motor hauling a heavy car together with battery doesn't sound much fun or very economical.
I'm leaning, against logic, toward the petrol because, its new and I like petrol motors, I don't want to sound complacent but the difference in fuel consumption doesn't bother me as its only around £600.00 per year.
Back to the dealer on Monday for a road test and further discussion.

Tim Tim
RRS sold and replaced with a Skoda Kodiaq after appalling RR Dealer experience and LR inability to supply new cars in any sort of reasonable time frame..

I agree that the PHEV would not be a proposition for the longer trips especially as in petrol only mode the few owners I have met who have an RRS PHEV struggle to better 25mpg (my Countryman struggles to get more than 30mpg in petrol only mode too but I can use it in pure electric mode fo 80% or more of my trips and I now travel by plane or train for my 4 trips to London a year). This might sound a bit mad but you could have a small electric commuter car AND a diesel RRS....... outside of big cities small battery electric cars simply don’t sell used (it different anywhere near the M25 where used prices of hybrids and BEVs has leapt). It isn’t hard to find a used Renault Zoe for £6000 outside of London/Birmingham/Manchester. 1st generation Nissan Leafs are similar now the hugely improved Mk2 is on the roads. They both have an electric range of around 50 miles and you would need a home charger. There is no VED to pay and you get a grant to fit a home charger. That would give you an RRS SDv6 without a guilty conscious! I think also you would find a 3.0ltr petrol Sport will not get more than 30mpg on long trips and below 20 in stop start motoring. Also bear in mind that petrol engines now have their own particulate filter in addition to the cats.......... DPFs haven’t exactly been a huge success for commuter driving and I suspect PPF’s will be similar.
Even more of a curveball.......... an electrically assisted push bike for the commuting - up to 15mph and 80-100 miles electric range......... 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

Battery technology has to improve and the costs need to fall.
I think Diesels will be around for a few years yet, the Euro 6 stuff is ultra clean. In Spain - 2018 F Pace - Frightened away from the Sports due to crank failures
Gone - A couple of RRS, A couple of Disco's. However thinking of another Sport.