The revolution is over. With help from the Chancellor’s deputies – fuel and company car taxation – diesel’s aggressive coup has been a success. Even the most committed petrol drinkers – luxury saloons, chic coupés and hot hatches – have reformed their ways and are now available with diesels under the bonnet.

But until now there has been a small pocket of resistance. While the family saloon is a staunch supporter of the new regime, its more sporting brethren have preferred turbocharged 2.0-litre and V6 petrol engines to the torquey diesel option. The BMW 330d Sport provides a compact sports saloon that delivers real verve from its derv, but at over £30,000 it’s an expensive experience. Only Vauxhall’s 150bhp Vectra 1.9 CDTi SRi has attempted to bring a sporty diesel family car to a wider audience.

So the new 153bhp Mondeo ST TDCi could be viewed as a knee-jerk reaction to the Vectra, its old adversary. But it’s really much more. For a start, there’s significantly more punch from the revised Duratorq common-rail turbodiesel, enlarged from 2.0 to 2.2 litres to provide 295lb ft of torque to the Vauxhall’s 232lb ft. It’s wearing the right clothes, too. The deep front and rear bumpers, flared wheelarches, side skirts, spoiler and 16-spoke 18-inch Ronal alloy wheels are lifted straight from the ST220’s wardrobe. The suspension, too, comes from the ST, which means it’s lowered and stiffened in an attempt to give Ford’s family favourite the muscle and credibility to punch its way into the premium diesel market, dominated by BMW’s 320d.