I've just picked up my new Alfa 156 2.4 diesel (175bhp) and it's awesome! As far as Stiloboy's comments go, yes it's very quiet inside but even outside it's nowhere near as noisy as diesels used to be. In my Stilo Abarth I've got to change down a couple of gears to overtake but in the Alfa I just have to put my foot down and off it goes. This diesel engine is very smooth and refined and even sounds sporty. Notice also that the fiat engine is a 2.4 20v 5 cylinder petrol and pumps out 170 bhp and the diesel is also a 2.4 20v 5 cylinder (although it has a turbo) and pumps out 175bhp but the difference in torque is huge (about 163 lb/ft to 284 lb/ft I think). There is no way the Abarth can match the in gear acceleration times and neither can it get anywhere near the 46 mpg I've been getting from the Alfa. Diesel engines now run petrol equivalents very close.
