Hi there, I have driven an early 200tdi auto and it was very good. My wife has a 1997 300tdi and that is a rocket. It tows heavy trailers very well. I do think that LR some how tweaked the 300tdi to make it more sprightly and it is a lot quicker than the 200tdi. Having said that the 200 that I drove I think was a good one and they aren't all the same. In my opinion the auto box is the best that LR never built.