I'm in second in that example, gearing into first is a hassle and takes time. I don't need to accelerate quickly, I just need to accelerate right there and then to fill the gap. That Golf wasn't that bad and actually pretty good at low revs down to like 1200 and pulled pretty well from 1500. There are just those times when you floor it in second and have no idea why nothing is happening. For 99% of the time though the engine was great and refused to produce noise or use fuel.
That video was just an example of the sound. I'm so young I've mostly been driving diesels so I know about the torque.
I did build up some hate towards small diesels in a Peugeot Partner 1.6HDi I drive at work which has a lazy electronic throttle, so little power outside the turbo band I have to go down to first up some slopes and I think the heaviest part has to be the flywheel. Needless to say that thing is laggy, but it shakes so much at 1500RPM it also forces me to keep the revs up
Edit: The five speed surprised me as well. Around 3000 revs when indicating 160kmh (actual speed was 150kmh), but the wind noise made the engine inaudible.