Diesel catalytic converters

[NiSk]

It's actually over 20 years since catalytic converters where first used on cars, and here's a reason why it maybe wasn't such a good idea . .
http://www.junkscience.com/news2/catalyt.htm
//NiSk

[philhoward]

Cat's became compulsary fitment in the UK about 10 years ago, hence the statement. They've been around much longer than that (especially in the US)

[davek-uk]

Although I have a small 'box' in my Xantia exhaust where a cat would be I don't think it is a cat. Am I right in assuming that a cat has a joint either side of it and is not an internal part of a long pipe and box section of exhaust? I'm rather surprised that my '97 TD is cat-less after reading the posts in the current threads.

[Kowalski]

That box is the cat, the non-cat cars simply had or have a straight through pipe.