Diesel vs Petrol

VW TSi The debate of whether to go diesel or to go with gasoline i.e petrol in some place isn’t going to be decided anytime soon. Just when you thought that gasoline cars are beaten, they make a come back of sorts. With major car companies like BMW, Mercedes and even Honda selling diesel versions of their top end cars, a lot of people are thinking of going diesel. With good low end torque, lower maintenance, higher fuel economy and in certain markets, diesel is cheaper per liter, diesel is gaining popularity outside of Europe.

But what is happening in Europe is after many years of diesel use, many European cities have serious particulate and diesel odor problems. Particulates are small ash like particles that result from burning fuel with high carbon content. And anyone who has driven a diesel car long enough will tell you that diesel odour will eventually make its way into the car interior. And while diesel technology seem to reach its peak, gasoline engines are fighting back. With hybrid fuel, smart valve control, (BMW managed to even get rid of the buterfly throttle valve) and direct injection, gasoline engines are getting a makeover.

Diesels have always been more expensive to buy but cheaper to run. So for many years, diesel were Europeans favorite. They would put up with lower excitement for lower cost of running their cars. However, recent gains in gas engine technology have reduce the efficiency gap. Before the rest of the world thinks that diesel is the way to go, take note that Europeans are embracing new gasoline engine technology. VW’s 1.4-liter 170hp TSi gas engine is a perfect example of the trend happening in Europe. This engine pushes 168hp and 240Nm of torque at 1750-4000rpm. It takes you from 0-62 mph in 7.9 secs, does over 38.7mpg, and emits just 169g of CO2 per kilometer. How? It is a trick engine with twin chargers. A supercharger to give low end torgue at low revs and a turbo charger takes over from 2,500 rpm all the way to max revs. Besides that, gasoline is directly injected for a stratified charge for optimized fuel ecomony, power and emission.

Twin charging isn’t new. In the days of the Lancia Delta S4 Integral rally car, that’s back in the late 80′s, Lancia wanted to produce a twin a limited edition of their fire breathin F1 in disguise car to the public. But what is new is the combination of twin charging, direct fuel injection and making them all work. So now what we have is a small gasoline engine, that’s fuel efficient, clean, fun to drive and make people want to forget they’d ever think of a diesel. That’s the state of gas technology improvement.

So, the battle isn’t over year. Who knows what diesel might spring out in a few years time. There is already talk of a diesel electric hybrid. So it might not be a clear winner yet.

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