The Ups and Downs in World of Petrol Cars

 Its not that diesel cars are best options, in some cases a petrol car may be of more use to you. 

With the reducing price gap between petrol and diesel prices, the day is not far away when petrol cars will become a preferred choice among common masses. There are several other reasons that can help you understand the importance of petrol cars. Here are a few of them

1. It is not only about mileage when it comes to budget cars, the main thing is also about recovery of the price you paid for a car. The diesel cars charge an extra premium along with high maintenance and service charges. In case, you are not travelling more than 50kms per day you can always go for a petrol car which will not only provide you faster recovery of your paid prices but will also save your time and energy. The life cycle of a petrol car is just 4-5 years, considering this fact a petrol car would save you more and serve you better.
2. The only reason why people shifted from petrol to diesel cars was the unregulated prices of petrol while diesel prices were still being kept in leash. Till 2009-10 petrol prices cars share in market was 75%, but as prices began to rise people started shifting towards diesel cars and by FY 2012 almost 50% market had shifted towards diesel. But now since diesel prices are also being increased at a rapid pace, people are again returning to petrol cars. Major carmakers like Toyota, Chevrolet have registered a considerable shift in their sales from diesel to petrol models. That is one of the main reasons why Maruti Suzuki has been providing big discounts over diesel models of its cars, as the homegrown major very well realizes the upcoming market trend. 
3. Hyundai too, shares its own story, there was a time when petrol cars sales contribution went down to just 64%, and the same has risen to 82% now. The petrol models of its hatchbacks have been selling hot cakes throughout the nation. In fact, among all other major car manufacturers, it is the only one that has managed to remain stable in last few months when Indian market passed through one of the toughest stages. Some of the best-selling petrol models from its clan are i10 and Eon. 
4. One of the main intentions of Indian government is to reduce use of diesel for non-commercial purposes. That is one of the main reasons why Government plans to increase its price by Rs.10 by end of this year. That is one of the main reasons why consumers are fast moving towards petrol cars, because in that case a petrol car will be a much much better and economical model than ant diesel model. Even the cars that are being released with tag of economical prices have their petrol models on their lwest price end. Be it Honda Amaze or Ford EcoSport or any other vehicle the lower than Rs.5-6 lakh models of these vehicle are all petrol models, diesel model prices are still higher than them. 

Choosing Between LPG and CNG Cars

Its necessary to weigh the pros and cons of both LPG and CNG cars before you choose one between them. Like the debate between petrol and diesel cars never gets over, similarly a new debate topic has emerged in last few years that is what car to be chosen between CNG (Compressed Natural gas) and LPG (Liquified Petroleum Gas) cars. The only disadvantage that lies with CNG kit is that it will occupy lot of space in your vehicle and would require a steel exterior to keep it from wear and tear on uneven rough paths. The cost of installing this kit is between Rs.25000 – Rs.35000 and CNG also has a tendency to bringing doen the performance level of your vehicle. 

LPG doesn’t need so many arrangements and is lighter to carry but it isn’t as eco-friendly as CNG is. LPG emissions have a lower level of greenhouse gases as compared to diesel and petrol but CNG emissions are cleaner than this gas. Also, LPG refilling stations may not be available in every part of nation but you will find a CNG refilling station in maximum cities. The cost of running an average vehicle on petrol is Rs.7.65/km while a CNG kit helps in reducing it to Rs.2.65/km. But CNG has an adverse impact over the power system of the vehicle. LPG on the other hand doesn’t hamper the performance of engine as it is a derivative of petrol. 

The weight proportions of both are also quite different from each other. The weight of LPG cylinder is just 1/3rd of a CNG kit and allows you with some extra space for luggage. In case of hatchbacks it is one of the most portable options. In a survey that was recently carried out by Centre For Science and Environment India, by 2014 there will be around 200 CNG filling station in India. Also by end of 2020 India will have more than 58 lakh CNG vehicles running in India. A pretty good picture indeed as you can expect that if 58 lakh CNG vehicles will be ruling Indian roads than least half of it will be the number of LPG vehicles and so will be the number of electric cars. Really presents a picture of clean India. 

To motivate usage of CNG in India, Indian Government recently made CNG conversion mandatory for all the public transport vehicles that have been running in town for more than 10 years. The rule at present has been implemented in Mumbai and New Delhi only. But its implementation on a larger basis is eagerly awaited. This will help in bringing down pollution level in all major cities of India. 

Whatever you may choose, CNG or LPG, it will reduce your travel expenses to a larger extent and would help you with your savings. All that you need to spend on is installation the charges of which will be compensated in savings that you will be making in coming years. 

Hybrid Cars, the new catch of the Indian automobile industry?

 With the hiking fuel prices and degrading environment conditions, automobile manufacturers tend to go with Hybrid cars. So the recent time when you went to the petrol pump to refill your tank, what was the thing that bothered you most? Was it the greenhouse effect caused by your car or your emptying pocket? The later one seems more likely taking in consideration with the hiked fuel prices which don’t seem to stop at all.

Although the Indian automobile industry is on a boom as it stands to be the sixth largest passenger vehicle producer in the world, the hiked fuel prices have degraded the overall sales graph. The consumers are looking for a more economically viable and to an extent an eco-friendly vehicle which happens to be luxurious at the same time. The quest for such a vehicle ends up with Hybrid cars which use two or more distinct power sources to make the vehicle commutable.

In order to meet the profit maximization needs, automobile companies in India have strategized to produce Hybrid Electricity Vehicles(HEVs).We will be analysing a few of these which have promising future in the Indian market.

Toyota Prius Hybrid: The Toyota Prius is a midsized hatchback HEV. Prius offers and EPA-estimated 51mpg city/48 mpg highway/50 mpg combined. With the tailpipe emissions (per grams of Co2) of 82 gm./km. the Prius can be labelled as both energy efficient and eco-friendly car. The Prius is the world’s top selling HEV, by June 2013 its cumulative global sales reached over 3 million units. The Indian version of this vehicle is priced between Rs29.26L-31.43L .The price might be a major setback in the sales but it can be anticipated that the consumers might overlook this factor and can totally go for it.

Honda Civic Hybrid: The Honda Civic hybrid can be considered as the electric version of the Civic sedan as it consists all the luxurious features of a typical Honda Civic. It consists of a 1.5-liter i-VTEC inline-four those teams with an electric motor which produces 110 horsepower and torque of 127 lb-ft .  With the help of continuously variable transmission, the pair can achieve 44mpg on the highway as well as the city- that's the best mileage of any Civic model.

 Mahindra REVA e20: The Mahindra e20, previously REVA NXR, is an electric vehicle hatchback. The e20 which works on the REVA’s technology was launched in India in March 2013 at the price of Rs 5.96 lakh after a 29% subsidy received by the government, in Delhi. However, it will also be launched in other major cities i.e. Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Chandigarh and Ahmedabad with the price being higher.

The electric car has a lithium ion battery pack that takes five hours to get fully charged and has an estimated weight of 830kgs. It delivers a range of 100km and a top speed of 80 km./ph.

The Hybrid version of cars is although not welcomed at an expected ratio but with the likes of Mahindra e20 there is a scope such automobiles in India.

Latest Luxury Cars in India

Luxury cars have become an object of status symbol these days. There are various luxury cars available in the Indian market to choose from. They have been launching their new models often in various price range.

The standard of living of people is improving with improvement in their financial status. The luxury cars are synonymous to high status in society. There are a lot of brands to choose from in the market of luxury cars.  The brands like Porsche, Mercedes Benz, and Bentley etc are one of the few names in the luxury car market. Here are the few luxury cars with their latest models and prices in the Indian automobile market.

Mercedes Benz: Mercedes Benz has been there in Indian market for quite some time now. It is a division of a German based manufacturer Daimler AG, having it’s headquarter in Stuttgart, Germany. It has been a leading luxury car manufacturer. The recent feather in its cap is the much awaited Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG model which was recently launched at the Buddha International Circuit, Noida. The price of E63 AMG in India is Rs. 1.29 crores (ex showroom, Delhi). This is the recent model to join the line up of the high end luxury cars of Mercedes Benz. 

Audi:  Another German based car manufacturer who has captured the Indian market is Audi. It has been making its presence felt in the Indian automobile market with it’s out of class luxury cars time and again. The recently launched luxury car by Audi in India is its sedan S6 which has been priced at Rs. 85.99 lakhs (ex- showroom, Delhi). The car has all the luxury features like electrically adjustable sport seats with memory functions for driver and sun blinds and also a four zone air- conditioner. Audi anticipates by 2014 – 15 India would be one of the top 10 global markets for the car brand. 

BMW: The third name in the “German 3” is BMW, a luxury automaker, along with Mercedes Benz and Audi. Bavarian Motor Works commonly known as BMW has recently revealed its X5 the third generation car which would be on sale in Indian automobile market from November, 2013 onwards. The price of the same is yet to be disclosed. This sports activity vehicle is now more luxurious with better design, efficiency and driving experience than before. X5 model is going to break the barrier of 50mpg (20.24 km/liter). 

Jaguar: Jaguar is another name in the market of luxury cars. It is a British multinational car manufacturer, with its headquarters in Whitley, Coventry, England. The company has manufactured car for British Prime minister. And also hold royal warrants from Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles.  The recently launched car by jaguar is Porsche Boxter and 911 – rivaling F type sports car.  Available in two variants namely V6 S supercharged variant (375 bhp) and V8 S supercharged variant (488 bhp). The price of V6 S in Indian market is 1.37 crore and V8 S is Rs. 1.61 crores (ex – showroom, Mumbai). The recently launched F type car is wider than any of the cars in 911 series.

Volvo: Volvo is one of the Swedish automobile manufacturers.  Volvo already has five of its models available in India. The company envisages being the leader in the luxury car segment in India by 2020.  The company provides the best of safety features in its cars. The price of Volvo luxury cars varies between Rs.25 lakhs and Rs.44.5 lakhs, depending upon the model. The company is expected to launch its’ new model XC30 in Indian automobile markets in October, 2013. The estimated price of the model would be around 25 lakhs. 

Audi Q3 in India at Rs 26.21 Lsakh

 Audi India has launched Q3 in India at a price tag of 26.21 lakhs. Latest Audi Q3 has all set to compete with the X1 from BMW.

The German auto king Audi India for whom people have a blind faith is now changing the face of the fight, by launching the latest Audi Q3. The news in the air for the famous Audi India team is that they have decided to compete with BMW X1 and in order to win the chase the latest Audi Q3 is in the auto mart. Audi India has recently announced a price hike in their models but then we are sure big shots and luxury car collectors from the higher leagues does not get affected by the upgraded Audi Q3 price in India. Audi India products will go on a hike at around 2.5% on it famous brand the Q range. Another hike has given at around of 15 % for its sports performing range R8 and RS5. The selected models which come through (CBU) completely built units are a must on hike idea from Audi India. The good news about the Audi lovers is the launch and we are sure that ‘passion has no price tag’, so as far as the Audi Q3 price in India is concerned we think people still can afford it as the Audi Q3’s specifications are brilliant. Audi Q3 specifications include for the petrol version a powerful 2.0 liter TFSIq engine churning out the maximum power of 211Ps and the maximum torque of 300 Nm. Audi Q3’s specifications for the diesel variants include a powerful version of 2.0 liter TFSIq four cylinder engine making out a maximum power of 177 Ps and 380 nm of torque at 4200 and 2500 Rpm respectively. Other Audi Q3’s specifications include a robust S tronic 7 speed automatic transmissions which make the Audi Q3 fly high on the road. The large and wider grille holding the Audi emblem makes a different vision for the public. Audi Q3 is available in different body paints. 

Audi Q3 internal specifications are quite eye catchy. The inside one will find the posh leatherette B-grain upholstered seats accompanied by interiors lighting package. The floor mats are present at both rear and front to keep the car clean. Furthermore, the Audi Q3 luxury and safety features include manual air conditioning system with heater, reversible load floor, electromechanical parking brake, hill start assist, cruise control, full size airbags, with side airbags at the front and rear and head airbag and electronic immobilization device add on n the Audi Q3. Audi Q3 has two models one is Audi Q3 2.0TDI Quattro base grade and second is the pubic love Audi Q3 2.0TDI Quattro high grade. The Audi Q3 high grade is an attraction for consumers as it has more enhanced features especially 17 inches of bold alloy wheels. The Audi Q3 mileage is also good and soothing. The Audi Q3 mileage is 17.54 on the Indian roads which is quite impressive.