In the earlier years, diesel were only used on tractors out in the fields. Then it was used in lorries for the torque it produced. Taxis and buses then used them to gain a few more miles than the usual petrol that they were using, and finally diesel was introduced to the consumer level production cars but at that time, a diesel powered car was not as good as a petrol powered one.
Diesel is denser than petroleum and produces more energy than gasoline. Without the need of an ignition plug (spark plug) to burn the diesel, all it needs is a high compression chamber to pressurize it and it will combust. The higher energy produced by diesel fuel leads to better fuel efficiency. When comparing petrol with diesel, the latter will have a 20 to 40% gains in fuel efficiency. This is why when Audi chose to use diesel to power their R10 race car in the Le Mans, they won by cutting down the number of pit stops needed. This proves that diesel engines can achieve good racing performance with different but effective strategy used such as energy conservation and pit stop strategy.
These advantages of diesel engines also showed its performance, practicality and reliability to the public. Mercedes is one of the pioneers in diesel powered automobiles and they have started as early as the 1930s era. Their series of production cars with a CDI, TDi, or D emblem sticking out behind the car such as the C30 CDI AMG by Mercedes Benz is a proven performance oriented car. In many cases we will see smaller capacity diesel powered car being more powerful than big capacity sedans. Thanks to the high-tech turbo diesel power plant and the innovative common rail direct fuel injection, we will now have a totally different view towards diesel cars. Many car manufacturers have used the new common rail injection engines that places diesel powered vehicles on par with petrol based cars. The only drawback of a diesel engine being heavy can be solved by placing the engine to a stronger chassis, and the sluggishness of the engine can be solved with a close ratio gearbox. Driving a diesel car is a pleasurable experience, especially when you know that BMW will be introducing the new 635d with the most powerful six cylinder twin turbo diesel engine under that hood.
Apart from being a good performer on the roads, it is also considered as a green fuel. Diesel itself produces lower greenhouse gas than petrol cars. Forget the smoke from old buses and taxis because newer engines can burn diesel more completely, and catalytic diesel particulate filters can control the emission to allow greener emissions. Speaking of replaceable energy source, diesel can also be home grown or produced such as synthetic diesel, bio diesel and the lot. Being a non fossil fuel, bio-diesel burns cleaner than petro diesel too.
If you are deciding over a petrol or diesel model of a certain vehicle, take note that you may pay lower taxes in some countries on top of the higher mileage on a diesel car. So what are you still
considering about?
A Diesel car in economy class is fast emerging as a hot segment that most automobile manufacturers are eyeing. Earlier petrol cars were preferred over diesel cars for the myth regarding high maintenance cost of a diesel engine. This was partially true in the traditional diesel cars but with advancement in technology, diesel cars now live up to their reputation of economic transportation. Here is a quick reference list of the top selling diesel cars in the economic segment available in India today to help you choose a car that matches your style, class and needs.
Indica V2 The Indica V2 is one of the most successful models of diesel cars in the economic segment. Even though being a small car, the Indica does not compromise on the comfort of the passengers; the car boasts of a comfortable seating with decent leg room, is adequately powered, and offers a safe and convenient drive. The best thing about an Indica V2 is that it not only provides model variants that have some additional features distinguishing the models, but it also provides you the luxury of choosing from engine variants. There are base engine models (DLE, DLS), turbo engine models (DLG, DLX and DLS) and the Dicor models (DLG, DLS). The mileage of the Indica V2 is 12 km per liter in the city and 16 km per liter on the highway. This can slightly change with different engine variants.
Swift Diesel The Swift Diesel is Maruti's trump card in the diesel market. Maruti joined hands with the leaders in diesel engine technology, Fiat, to create the 1.3 liter multi-jet turbo charged engine. The engine is excellent in fuel efficiency with an astounding 21 km per liter for the Diesel Swift. In spite of the extra weight, the car handles sharp steering and maneuvering pretty well. However, to maintain the price segment, the car misses out on some features like temperature control, ABS and some safety features like airbags. But still the car is selling like hot cakes and is worth every bit of your penny.
Hyundai Getz Prime The Indian global car conforms to international standards in performance and looks. Hyundai Getz also has the pride of winning some of the most prestigious awards in the international car market. The 1.5 liter diesel engine gives and impressive fuel efficiency of 13 km per liter in the city and 20 km per liter on the highway.
Both Brenda Williams & Monty Alexander are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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