Diamond's D-Jet has been in development for a couple years. They already have 3 flying and expect certification next year. It's quite a bit ahead of the Cirrus jet and Piper jet.
315 knots max cruise? 240 knots normal cruise? Engine change in the middle of certification? Good luck, and remember to opt for the "rear-view mirror" option to see all the Mu-2s and kingairs overtaking you.
The thing is that lately customers are more concerned with efficiency and cost of operation than they used to be. The whole concept of VLJs has been based on a Jet that is cheaper to own and operate. SO "lets pick a small jet engine and build an airplane around it" has been the opening idea. The engineers make some wild ass claims as to what performance the airplane will end up with.Why is it that every airplane ever made seems to need an engine upgrade? Why don't aeronautical engineers ever seem to make a realistic decision the first time around about the powerplant an airplane will require? Is it just wishful thinking, or am I wrong in identifying this trend?