Petrol or Diesel for performance?

GTO · 23rd March 2010, 19:53

Are you kidding? I own a high-revving petrol and a torquey diesel. The sheer joy of high-revving a petrol, and working through the gears on a curvy circuit, long straights and fast corners is UNMATCHED! Sure, diesels have better torque and offer superior driveability for daily use. Yet, for driving pleasure alone, nothing comes close to a crisp petrol engine at 7,000 - 8,000 rpms (dream on, diesels) mated to a slick manual gearbox.

And yes, there's the orchestra of a good exhaust with a petrol too. Absolute music to the ears.

P.S. Mod Cleaning coming up. Observe our rules.

aaggoswami · 23rd March 2010, 23:09

Voted for Petrol.

1) Petrols have certain amount of fun associated with them. Revving them for that quick overtaking, revving them to move fast, is something that has to be experienced. Diesels just cannot match this high revving ability. Also sometimes I feel that I am more in control in turns when I have a manual petrol as compared to diesel, as diesel have a lot of torque ( modern diesels ) where as I can control the car better as I can adjust the power as the power band is wider.

2) Diesels are practical. You dont need to downshift and if you are in powerband, which for most of the current cars is above 2000rpm, you just have to flex your right foot to move fast and overtake. But is not fun. Diesels get the job done without any emotion or fun IMHO.
I do recommend diesels to many, but when it comes to my own driving, I prefer petrol ( just like preference for low slung sedan as compared to higher SUV ).

Overall its petrol for me.
Edit : This vote for petrol comes from heart.
Also would like to mention that the petrol turbo are the way to future. They will soon have good torque to rival the torques from diesel and add to that the fantastic top end power. Turbo power can be seen in 1.8 TSi from VW group. They render the diesels useless as far as driving pleasure goes atleast for me.

Though I have to admit that due to higher FE and relatively low running costs, diesels have edge when one thinks from head.

s3va · 24th March 2010, 10:31

I feel there is a slight digression from the original thread topic here.

Aren't we talking about which fuel type that has the CAPABILITY to achieve high performance levels rather than comparing diesel and petrol cars presently available in the market? If Yes, then science says its Diesel and hence I voted. Since the efforts required (mainly VIT M) to make diesel perform to match its inherent capability levels is more as well as costly, Petrol is widely chosen.

But if it’s a comparison between the diesel and petrol cars available in the market today, petrol cars are more fun to revv around and they pump more adrenaline.

Shan2nu · 24th March 2010, 11:01

Quote:

feel there is a slight digression from the original thread topic here.

Aren't we talking about which fuel type that has the CAPABILITY to achieve high performance levels rather than comparing diesel and petrol cars presently available in the market?

Nope, we are only talking about which form of engine do you, as an individual, find enjoyable to drive.

The answer is very simple :

1. Those who love high revving powerhouses will want a petrol.
2. Those who love low revving torque monsters will want a diesel.
3. Those who love high revving torque monsters will want a turocharged petrol (like Jitu's B16). LOL

Shan2nu

Mr_Bean · 24th March 2010, 11:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shan2nu

Nope, we are only talking about which form of engine do you, as an individual, find enjoyable to drive.

The answer is very simple :

1. Those who love high revving powerhouses will want a petrol.
2. Those who love low revving torque monsters will want a diesel.
3. Those who love high revving torque monsters will want a turocharged petrol (like Jitu's B16). LOL

Shan2nu

Your point no 2. - Is it possible for a petrol engine to deliver torque at lower rpms which is around 70-80% of the torque provided diesel equivalent?

What is your take on ford 1.6, baleno 1.6?

Guna · 24th March 2010, 11:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shan2nu

Nope, we are only talking about which form of engine do you, as an individual, find enjoyable to drive.

The answer is very simple :

1. Those who love high revving powerhouses will want a petrol.
2. Those who love low revving torque monsters will want a diesel.
3. Those who love high revving torque monsters will want a turocharged petrol (like Jitu's B16). LOL

Shan2nu

Very well said. Personally I like an engine which delivers power at low revs and it should surge forward with a slightest tap without screaming.

Sheel · 24th March 2010, 11:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guna

Very well said. Personally I like an engine which delivers power at low revs and it should surge forward with a slightest tap without screaming.

do you like revs?
and if you think it is pointless to rev and extract power, i frankly don't know what to say
go with your diesel powered car to a track and try* having some fun

*you would be trying whereas petrol heads would be having fun,
ever heard the word diesel head?

Shan2nu · 24th March 2010, 11:56

Quote:

Your point no 2. - Is it possible for a petrol engine to deliver torque at lower rpms which is around 70-80% of the torque provided diesel equivalent?

See, diesels aren't low revving by choice. Unlike petrol, diesel engines cannot run a low compression ratio. To create this high ratio, the engine needs to run a much longer stroke, which means the piston has to travel a much greater distance to complete 1 revolution. So diesel engines achieve similar piston speeds at lower revvs compared to relatively shorter stroked petrols.

Just to give you an example, an F1 engine with 39.7mm stroke runs a mean piston speed of 25.14m/s @19000rpm where as an 84mm stroked F20 S2000 engine will achieve 25.2m/s@9000rpm.

Add to this the stronger but heavier internal parts and it bcoms even more difficult to produce a high revving diesel engine.

Lastly, as i've already said before, almost all the desired diesels in the world (be it production or race cars) use "Forced Induction". So more than anything, its the turbo that is actually making these engine produce the kind of torque that they do, which is why you see so many turbo diesels in the market.

So dont expect diesel performance from a petrol or vice-versa. Decide what kind of engine you prefer and enjoy it.

Shan2nu

s3va · 24th March 2010, 12:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shan2nu

So dont expect diesel performance from a petrol or vice-versa. Decide what kind of engine you prefer and enjoy it.

This is exactly what I meant to say in my previous post but couldnt match your expert language ! Well said !

Dippy · 24th March 2010, 13:57

Note from Support:

Please avoid off topic discussions and arguments on price comparisons etc . Stick to the topic of this thread as mentioned by the starter in the first post. Any future off topic posts will be deleted.

Thanks

mechanik · 24th March 2010, 14:30

Petrol for me, by a mile! I own and drive a Swift with a G13B. The power delivery is linear and the engine can be taken all the way up to 6000 rpm.

I also drive my friend's Swift Diesel that has a Pete's tuning box installed. My swift petrol is not in the same league as this one in terms of acceleration or torque, it simply tears the road up. Diesel's have really come of age! Anyone who has taken a drive in a BMW 530d can vouch for a fact that smaller diesel engines can smoke larger petrols.

With all this said and done, I'm a petrolhead and I will vote for a petrol engine anyday with my eyes closed, even if petrol sells for 100 Rupees a litre, which would effectively mean that I can drive my car only once a month, but it is a chance I am willing to take.

Akshay1234 · 24th March 2010, 14:39

im gonna have to say both.

i love petrols. their high revving nature. especially the v6 i have. it revs so smoothly to the redline.

i love diesels too. the torque and turbo surge are plain fun.

both are pretty much equal when it comes to performance. but for practicality id have to say diesel. rip a petrol and the FE drops like a stone.

nim_peter · 24th March 2010, 21:56

Petrol for me, revving a Palio GTX with an FFE to 7100 RPM is music to ears.

To be honest any car(petrol or diesel) which can give a linear power delivery till 7000 RPM is good for me. Haven't seen any diesel cars with a nice exhaust till now, so not sure how it sounds. Any youtube links, please paste it.

amulu10 · 24th March 2010, 22:14

My vote would be petrols for the fun factor and the sound of the engine screaming at redline! Think about it which kid tries to mimic a diesel sound.?

. Ask any KID around how a car sounds,his answer will be vroom vroom! But having said that for practical performance its diesel all the way,case in point? the chances of revving the car to redline in indian roads are very less !

samy3660 · 25th March 2010, 17:40

It has to be diesel. I think when we are talking about why top 5 cars, with regards to performance, in the world are petrols than we have to think that diesel has come into picture recently and petrol was the only fuel used in passenger and luxury cars for ages. Now since 5-10 years Diesel has emerged as a performance fuel and i am sure that in near future will have top 5 or say 10 car in the world which will be running on diesel.

View Poll Results: petrol or diesel for performance ?(read post before vote)
Petrol	129	69.35%
Diesel	57	30.65%
Voters: 186. You may not vote on this poll

23rd March 2010, 19:53	#61
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,501 Thanked: 300,625 Times View My Garage	Are you kidding? I own a high-revving petrol and a torquey diesel. The sheer joy of high-revving a petrol, and working through the gears on a curvy circuit, long straights and fast corners is UNMATCHED! Sure, diesels have better torque and offer superior driveability for daily use. Yet, for driving pleasure alone, nothing comes close to a crisp petrol engine at 7,000 - 8,000 rpms (dream on, diesels) mated to a slick manual gearbox. And yes, there's the orchestra of a good exhaust with a petrol too. Absolute music to the ears. P.S. Mod Cleaning coming up. Observe our rules.
	() Thanks

23rd March 2010, 23:09	#62
aaggoswami Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Vadodara Posts: 4,982 Thanked: 2,931 Times	Voted for Petrol. 1) Petrols have certain amount of fun associated with them. Revving them for that quick overtaking, revving them to move fast, is something that has to be experienced. Diesels just cannot match this high revving ability. Also sometimes I feel that I am more in control in turns when I have a manual petrol as compared to diesel, as diesel have a lot of torque ( modern diesels ) where as I can control the car better as I can adjust the power as the power band is wider. 2) Diesels are practical. You dont need to downshift and if you are in powerband, which for most of the current cars is above 2000rpm, you just have to flex your right foot to move fast and overtake. But is not fun. Diesels get the job done without any emotion or fun IMHO. I do recommend diesels to many, but when it comes to my own driving, I prefer petrol ( just like preference for low slung sedan as compared to higher SUV ). Overall its petrol for me. Edit : This vote for petrol comes from heart. Also would like to mention that the petrol turbo are the way to future. They will soon have good torque to rival the torques from diesel and add to that the fantastic top end power. Turbo power can be seen in 1.8 TSi from VW group. They render the diesels useless as far as driving pleasure goes atleast for me. Though I have to admit that due to higher FE and relatively low running costs, diesels have edge when one thinks from head. Last edited by aaggoswami : 23rd March 2010 at 23:12.
	() Thanks

24th March 2010, 10:31	#63
s3va BHPian Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dubai Posts: 646 Thanked: 5 Times View My Garage	I feel there is a slight digression from the original thread topic here. Aren't we talking about which fuel type that has the CAPABILITY to achieve high performance levels rather than comparing diesel and petrol cars presently available in the market? If Yes, then science says its Diesel and hence I voted. Since the efforts required (mainly VIT M) to make diesel perform to match its inherent capability levels is more as well as costly, Petrol is widely chosen. But if it’s a comparison between the diesel and petrol cars available in the market today, petrol cars are more fun to revv around and they pump more adrenaline.
	() Thanks

24th March 2010, 13:57	#70
Dippy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 7,558 Thanked: 2,462 Times	Note from Support: Please avoid off topic discussions and arguments on price comparisons etc . Stick to the topic of this thread as mentioned by the starter in the first post. Any future off topic posts will be deleted. Thanks
	() Thanks

24th March 2010, 14:30	#71
mechanik BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Coimbatore Posts: 27 Thanked: 0 Times	Petrol for me, by a mile! I own and drive a Swift with a G13B. The power delivery is linear and the engine can be taken all the way up to 6000 rpm. I also drive my friend's Swift Diesel that has a Pete's tuning box installed. My swift petrol is not in the same league as this one in terms of acceleration or torque, it simply tears the road up. Diesel's have really come of age! Anyone who has taken a drive in a BMW 530d can vouch for a fact that smaller diesel engines can smoke larger petrols. With all this said and done, I'm a petrolhead and I will vote for a petrol engine anyday with my eyes closed, even if petrol sells for 100 Rupees a litre, which would effectively mean that I can drive my car only once a month, but it is a chance I am willing to take.
	() Thanks

24th March 2010, 14:39	#72
Akshay1234 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 10,265 Thanked: 12,317 Times	im gonna have to say both. i love petrols. their high revving nature. especially the v6 i have. it revs so smoothly to the redline. i love diesels too. the torque and turbo surge are plain fun. both are pretty much equal when it comes to performance. but for practicality id have to say diesel. rip a petrol and the FE drops like a stone.
	() Thanks

24th March 2010, 21:56	#73
nim_peter BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 187 Thanked: 99 Times	Petrol for me, revving a Palio GTX with an FFE to 7100 RPM is music to ears. To be honest any car(petrol or diesel) which can give a linear power delivery till 7000 RPM is good for me. Haven't seen any diesel cars with a nice exhaust till now, so not sure how it sounds. Any youtube links, please paste it.
	() Thanks

24th March 2010, 22:14	#74
amulu10 BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: detroit Posts: 243 Thanked: 19 Times	My vote would be petrols for the fun factor and the sound of the engine screaming at redline! Think about it which kid tries to mimic a diesel sound.? . Ask any KID around how a car sounds,his answer will be vroom vroom! But having said that for practical performance its diesel all the way,case in point? the chances of revving the car to redline in indian roads are very less ! Last edited by amulu10 : 24th March 2010 at 22:18.
	() Thanks

25th March 2010, 17:40	#75
samy3660 BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 49 Thanked: 7 Times	It has to be diesel. I think when we are talking about why top 5 cars, with regards to performance, in the world are petrols than we have to think that diesel has come into picture recently and petrol was the only fuel used in passenger and luxury cars for ages. Now since 5-10 years Diesel has emerged as a performance fuel and i am sure that in near future will have top 5 or say 10 car in the world which will be running on diesel.
	() Thanks