One engine’s misery is another’s fortune

The introduction of a diesel engine on several models like the Swift and Dzire have resulted in incredibly long waiting lists for these models. The wait is so long that it stretches well over six months in the case of the both the versions of the Swift. Automakers are ramping up production of diesel engines to meet this demand although the supply vs demand lag still exists. As a result of this, many are opting for petrol versions of the models instead.

Although popular models like the Swift, Fabia, Logan, Fiesta do sell more in diesel form than their petrol counterparts, the split is even in models launched recently like the Figo, Polo, Hyundai i20 and Ritz. Another factor contributing to this is the narrowing of gap between the prices of petrol and diesel in recent times.

“Sale of petrol variant is surging, though diesel still sell more in sheer numbers,” said Shashank Srivastava, Maruti’s chief general manager (marketing). Petrol forms around 37% of total Swift sales now, which is up by 5% compared to last year, he added. The increased demand for the petrol model can be attributed to the introduction of the new K-series engine in the Swift which returns considerably better fuel efficiency.

“Petrol has long been associated as a expensive fuel due to its higher price over diesel but the addition of new technologies like turbo charger (which generates more power by improving air-fuel mix) has taken the fuel efficiency to a new level,” said a Mumbai-based auto analyst working with an MNC consultancy preferring not to be quoted.

One thing is for sure, given a proper engine and a proper car, the demand for diesel cars will continue to grow, especially in the hatchback segment. Maruti better ramp up production quickly as the competition from Figo is hotting up while the diesel versions of Micra and Etios are not too far away.