The shift in preference for diesel cars over their petrol counterparts is resulting in a longer waiting period for the buyers. There has been a paradigm shift towards diesel cars due to soaring petrol prices. Diesel which is currently 40% cheaper than petrol has resulted in an increase in demand for diesel cars. The current price difference between the petrol and diesel stands at Rs. 26 per litre.
For the car models which were available in both petrol and diesel, sales of the diesel variant has accounted for about 65% of total sales in the January-May period of 2011. Due to a sudden spurt in the demand for diesel cars, their waiting period has also increased. The waiting period is over five months for Maruti’s Swift and about six months for its Dzire. It’s the same for Volkswagen’s Vento, where the wait is over five months for delivery. It’s a similar scene for Hyundai’s Verna, where the wait is three months long and Toyota’s Corolla Altis, which has a month long wait.
As quoted by Sandeep Singh, deputy-managing director (marketing) at Toyota Kirloskar, “Our diesel variant outsells petrol by a huge margin, which has increased in the recent past.” This phenomenal boost in the demand for diesel cars has forced many car makers to re-visit their production plans.
