Our local dealer service manager (not old by any means!) rates the 2.2 diesel far higher than the BOF 1.8 or even the Type R. Revs in a car are tedious for the long term, but the max of the 1.8 is still shopping trolley territory

If you want fast - get a two wheeler. No body work to resonate and annoy, no excess mass to corrupt the power to weight ratio, and you can hear the engine at work.