Welcome to world of Horsepower India.
Here we do things differently, we do them with just one aim – Simplifying Cars.

Be it the upcoming attractions in the automotive industry or the technicality of the latest technology that comes jam-packed in the cars we buy, we will cover them all. Not just that, we will have crisp, informative and unbiased reviews of the cars which hit the Indian roads and our suggestions based on the first impressions.

We can judge a car based on the in-car toys they have, the way the drive and the comfort they bring into your life but only you can tell us your experiences based on how they actually are to live with on a day-to-day life. We will share the best tips for you and for your car – to ensure that the driver and the car are in fact, in perfect harmony.

Thursday 31 July 2014

Fun Facts


Did You Know?

o 19 inches. The height of the world’s lowest street-legal car. The “Flatmobile” is a Jet powered repro of “The Bat Mobile”.
o The “New Car Smell” is composed of over 50 volatile organic compounds. Fortunately, they are all non-toxic.
o Adolf Hitler, while in prison, wrote to a Mercedes-Benz dealership begging for a car loan.
o Nearly 80% cars registered in Albania are Mercedes-Benzes.
o Holding a remote car key to your head doubles its range because the electromagnetic nature of our brain acts as a range amplifier.

Wednesday 30 July 2014

FIAT


Did you know?

FIAT stand for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torin.

In India, Fiat is a name synonymous with “Oh Dear, what were you thinking of?” The story goes back to the hateful Fiat Padmani and the unrelenting unreliability of the whole package. Many years have passed but people are still very hesitant in emptying their pockets on any of the Fiat branded products. However, the rest of the world doesn’t treat the Italians like this. This is simply because Fiat makes good cars for the masses.

The list below shows the automotive brands where Fiat has a major stake:
1. Ferrari (90% Ownership)
2. Maserati
3. Fiat Group of Automobiles
a. Abarth
b. Alfa Romeo
c. Lancia
4. Chrysler (61.8% Ownership)
a. Chrysler
b. Dodge
c. Jeep
d. Ram Trucks
e. Mopar
f. SRT
Apart from this, another astounding fact for you all is that the diesel engine which is offered in…
1. Suzuki Swift
2. Suzuki Ertiga
3. Suzuki Ritz

4. Suzuki Dzire
5. Tata Indica Vista
6. Tata Manza
7. Fiat Punto
8. Fiat Linea
…are all made by Fiat.

Tuesday 29 July 2014

Car Classifications


Car Classifications

There are so many car classification types that one can go completely bonkers understanding why in the name of all its holy is one car in a separate segment and the other in a different one. And believe me when I say this, I won’t question that person’s IQ on this front. It really is next to impossible to figure out what is what. However, Horsepower India likes these kind of challenges – making the most boring, nerdy stuff sound interesting.

In India, the car classification is done as per the length of the vehicle and the size of its engine. This classification of segments of cars has been defined by the SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers). This is explained in the attached picture of this post. If you have any questions, feel free to keep them to yourself. Oh! Apologies! That was the other me. Let’s try again. If you have any questions, leave a comment and the same will be answered ASAP

Monday 28 July 2014

Mahindra SsangYong Rexton RX7 (AT) Vs Toyota Fortuner 4x4 MT



Mahindra SsangYong Rexton RX7 (AT) Vs Toyota Fortuner 4x4 MT

It is not only difficult but mind-numbingly boring as well to try differentiate family buses like these two based on numbers. But this is exactly the kind of challenge that I like to take up from the scruff of its neck. To get the best out of this comparison test, I have picked up the top-end models for both these mammoths. And the simple equation comes down to South Korea Vs Japan - Automatic Transmission Vs Manual Transmission & Power Vs Reliability. Let’s get cracking and look at these cars objectively because that is the safest possible way to see who the clear winner is.

Road Presence (Looks):
There is no denying the fact that people actually opt for cars like these because they want a big, bulky, no nonsense presence on the road. It is as if they would like to scare the other motorists on the move. You blow your horn in either of these and you can see the road ahead emptying up for you. On the contrary, if you blow your horn twice as hard plus swear on idiots in front while you are in a car like Santro, no-one gives a blind piece of notice and keep on irritating you. So which one of these takes the crown here? It would have to be the Fortuner. I mean the Rexton is longer and wider in dimensions but the looks aren’t intimidating enough. The Fortuner on the other hand is taller and carries the huge bulk of its mass in a much more dominating manner. Where the Rexton is more sophisticated in looks, the Fortuner is shamelessly aggressive in looks. It is this aggression which does the trick much more easily.
Score: Rexton 0 – Fortuner 1.

Performance:
Let’s look at the Japanese offering first. It comes with a 4-cylinder 3.0 litre engine with a turbocharger pumping out 170 horses. But the really impressive bit is the torque which is 343Nm. This gives you a very meaty feel when you get inside and accelerate from a standstill. The manual gearbox does justice to the power available from the engine. With 4WD, you have endless grip on the road and for rough terrains as well. On the other hand we have the Rexton with a 5-cylinder 2.7 litre engine. Although the engine capacity is less but it has another cylinder to play with and that is why it is more powerful than the Toyota with 185 South Korean Ponies and more than 400Nm of torque. More power means and slightly smaller wheels means faster acceleration and higher top-speed. Although the gearbox is slightly slow on the way down on hard braking, it is totally depends on how quickly or quietly you exercise your feet when in motion. So, on the performance front, we have the Rexton as the clear winner.
Score: Rexton 1 – Fortuner 1.

Comfort, In-car Toys and Safety:
In both these cars, the seats are comfortable and there is ample space for everyone, be it your kids or an over-sized XXXL friend/aunt/acquaintance of yours. With all seats erect in all three rows, the Fortuner manages to keep a more commodious boot space. The look and feel of the cabin is better on the Rexton as it comes with lots of fancy tricks to pamper you. For instance, as you open the door, the electric driver seat and the steering column move apart to make getting in and getting out much easier. More differences kick in when you are on the move. Fortuner’s cabin is slightly noisier when compared to the much more refined sound insulation of the Rexton. Fortuner is also better at braking in case on emergency manoeuvres and is far more stable at higher speeds. Because of their size, they are both vulnerable to body roll at low speeds but even here the Toyota is better as it handles its body weight much better. On the safety front the Rexton has 4 Airbags, 2 more than the Fortuner. However, the Fortuner comes with a reversing camera which is missing on the top-spec model of the Rexton. Moving on to the in-car toys, both these cars are stuffed with touch screen entertainment centres. Overall, I would say a dead heat between the two foreign giants in this section.
Score: Rexton 2 – Fortuner 2.

Price, Fuel Economy and After-Sales:
This is where the Fortuner not only wins, but knocks the competition out completely. Yes, the Fortuner is more than 3 lacs dearer than the Rexton which is a lot of money. But, consider this – the Fortuner is more fuel efficient, be it in hop around town or in a cross-state journey. Moreover, the kind of network that Toyota has throughout India is unbeatable. The service costs are cheaper for the Toyota as well. For a normal paid service, the difference between the costs would be in excess of 10K. Then we arrive at the question of reliability. I don’t want to take anything away from the SsangYong brand here but competing against a Toyota product on reliability is like running a 100 metre sprint against Usain Bolt just for the heck of it. Toyota shines through on both after-sales service and on the re-sale value that it manages to retain.
Final Score: Rexton 2 – Fortuner 3.

Although the final score is a close one, but when spending nearly 25 lac of your rupees on a car, you need peace of mind. That is exactly what Toyota delivers in spades. The Rexton is a good car and does beat the Japanese rival on a number of fronts. It is cheaper than the Fortuner, has a cabin which is much more welcoming and is more comfortable on long runs. But with unimpeachable reliability, rugged looks and a more spacious cabin (after being shorter in overall length), the Toyota Fortuner is the logical choice.

Sunday 27 July 2014

World's Fastest Production Cars


Fact file for some of the fastest production cars in the world… till date.

1. Bugatti Veyron Super Sports: Italian Supercar.
• Top Speed: 267 mph (429 kmph)
• 0 – 100 kmph: 2.4 secs
• Engine Type: 8 litre W16 with four turbocharges
• Power: 1200 BHP
• Price: $2.4 Million (approx. Rs. 13.2 crore)

2. Koenigsegg Agera R: Swedish Supercar.
• Top Speed: 260 mph (418 kmph)
• 0 – 100 kmph: 2.9 secs
• Engine Type: 5 litre V8 with two turbochargers
• Power: 1100 BHP
• Price: $1.6 Million (approx. Rs. 8.8 crore)

3. SSC Ultimate Aero: American Supercar.
• Top Speed: 257 mph (413 kmph)
• 0 – 100 kmph: 2.7 secs
• Engine Type: 6.35 litre Supercharged V8
• Power: 1183 BHP
• Price: $654,400 (approx. Rs. 3.6 crore)

4. Porsche 9FF GT9-R: German Supercar.
• Top Speed: 257 mph (413 kmph)
• 0 – 100 kmph: 2.9 secs
• Engine Type: 4 litre flat-6 with two turbochargers
• Power: 1120 BHP
• Price: $695,000 (approx. Rs. 3.8 crore)

5. Saleen S7 Twin Turbo: American Supercar.
• Top Speed: 248 mph (399 kmph)
• 0 – 100 kmph: 2.8 secs
• Engine Type: 7 litre V8 with two turbochargers
• Power: 750 BHP
• Price: $555,000 (approx. Rs. 3 crore)

6. Koenigsegg CCX: Swedish Supercar.
• Top Speed: 245 mph (394 kmph)
• 0 – 100 kmph: 3.2 secs
• Engine Type: 4.8 litre V8 with two superchargers
• Power: 806 BHP
• Price: $545,568 (approx. Rs. 3 crore)

7. McLaren F1: British Supercar.
• Top Speed: 240 mph (386 kmph)
• 0 – 100 kmph: 3.2 secs
• Engine Type: 6.1 litre V12
• Power: 627 BHP
• Price: $970,000 (approx. Rs. 5.3 crore)

8. Zenvo ST1: Danish Supercar.
• Top Speed: 233 mph (374 kmph)
• 0 – 100 kmph: 2.9 secs
• Engine Type: 7 litre V8 with a turbocharger and a supercharger
• Power: 1104 BHP
• Price: $1.23 Million (approx. Rs. 6.7 crore)

9. Pagani Huayra: Italian Supercar.
• Top Speed: 230 mph (368 kmph)
• 0 – 100 kmph: 3.3 secs
• Engine Type: 6 litre V12 with two turbochargers
• Power: 730 BHP
• Price: $1.3 Million (approx. Rs. 7.1 crore)

10. Gumpert Apollo: German Supercar.
• Top Speed: 225 mph (362 kmph)
• 0 – 100 kmph: 3 secs
• Engine Type: 4.2 litre V8 with two turbochargers
• Power: 650 BHP
• Price: $450,000 (approx. Rs. 2.5 crore)

11. Noble M600: British Supercar.
• Top Speed: 225 mph (362 kmph)
• 0 – 100 kmph: 3.7 secs
• Engine Type: 4.4 litre V8 with two turbochargers
• Power: 650 BHP
• Price: $330,000 (approx. Rs. 1.8 crore)

12. Aston Martin One-77: British Supercar.
• Top Speed: 220 mph (354 kmph)
• 0 – 100 kmph: 3.4 secs
• Engine Type: 7.3 litre V12
• Power: 750 BHP
• Price: $1.8 Million (approx. Rs. 10 crore)

13. Ascari A10: British Supercar.
• Top Speed: 220 mph (354 kmph)
• 0 – 100 kmph: 2.8 secs
• Engine Type: 5 litre V8
• Power: 625 BHP
• Price: $650,000 (approx. Rs. 3.6 crore)

14. Lamborghini Aventador: Italian Supercar.
• Top Speed: 220 mph (354 kmph)
• 0 – 100 kmph: 2.9 secs
• Engine Type: 6.5 litre V12
• Power: 700 BHP
• Price: $379,700 (approx. Rs. 2.1 crore)

15. Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster: Italian Supercar.
• Top Speed: 217 mph (349 kmph)
• 0 – 100 kmph: 3.4 secs
• Engine Type: 6 litre V12
• Power: 678 BHP
• Price: $1.8 Million (approx. Rs. 10 crore)

16. Ferrari Enzo: Italian Supercar.
• Top Speed: 217 mph (349 kmph)
• 0 – 100 kmph: 3.4 secs
• Engine Type: 6 litre V12
• Power: 660 BHP
• Price: $670,000 (approx. Rs. 3.7 crore)

17. Jaguar XJ220: British Supercar.
• Top Speed: 217 mph (349 kmph)
• 0 – 100 kmph: 3.8 secs
• Engine Type: 3.5 litre V6 with two turbochargers
• Power: 542 BHP
• Price: $650,000 (approx. Rs. 3.6 crore)

Saturday 26 July 2014

Volkswagen


VW Profile

Do you know what all automotive brands does Volkswagen own or has a major stake in?
Here is the list; mind you it’s awesome:
 

1. Audi (100% ownership)
2. Lamborghini (100% ownership)
3. Bentley (100% ownership)
4. Bugatti (100% ownership)
5. Porsche (100% ownership)
6. Ducati (100% ownership)
7. MAN SE – makes commercial vehicles (more than 75% voting rights)
8. Scania – makes commercial vehicles (more than 89% voting rights)
9. SEAT - (100% ownership)
10. Skoda - (100% ownership)
11. Suzuki Motor Corp (owns 19.9% shares – the biggest shareholder in the company)

To ensure worldwide availability of its products, VW group has 94 production facilities across 24 countries. Now that is some going!

Friday 25 July 2014

Peel P50



Did you know that the Peel P50, built in 1963, is the world's smallest car even 50 years on? It seats one, has a top speed of 60 kmph and weights only 60Kg.

With the traffic growing out of control, do you think it should be introduced in India?

Thursday 24 July 2014

VW Beetle - An Icon


The VW Beetle Story... So far

Let’s start with a short history lesson. The term Volkswagen means “people’s car” in German and the whole idea of designing a car for the people came from a source which very few people will believe – it was Adolf Hitler. Back in the 1930s, when Adolf Hitler was much more than just a name, ordered Ferdinand Porsche to build a car which could seat 2 adults and 3 children, capable of travelling 100km/h and make all this possible within 10 months. The Nazi leader also insisted that the car should look like a Beetle, hence the name “Beetle” came up. Although Ferdinand had called the prototype as Type 1, he had to nod in favour of the Beetle name. To make all this possible, Ferdinand took the design that he was already working on for his personal travel and started looking for a space where he could put up a factory. Soon a location was chosen and by 1938 the Volkswagen Beetle was born which, weirdly, could only be purchased on installments where you will receive the car by the end of the last installment. The Beetle hard top was just 7200 rupees back then and the one with a soft top was 440 rupees more. By 1939, the factory in which the Beetle was being build was the largest in Europe, capable of producing 150000 cars annually.

Theoretically, the VW Beetle has been with us since 1930s and it is still being built today. Ferdinand Porsche took the rear-engine design of the Beetle and created another car which we today know as the Porsche 911 or the Carrera. Another fact to the Beetle’s name is that over 21 million have been manufactured with an air-cooled, rear-engine and rear-wheel drive setup which claims that it is the longest running and most manufactured car of a single design platform, worldwide. In a 1999 international poll for the world’s most influential car of the 20th century, the Type 1 (Beetle) came fourth, after the Ford Model T, the Mini and the Citroen DS.

The Beetle is manufactured in various parts of the world for different markets. This means that not all the markets get the same kind of engines or specifications. In India, we get the 2-litre engine, mated with an automatic gearbox producing around 115 BHP. The on-road (Delhi) price for the Beetle is around 24lacs and can I just say it is really a car for people who have too much money and don’t know where to spend it. I personally have never been a fan of the Beetle but the facts and figures don’t lie.

Wednesday 23 July 2014

Honda Mobilio Launched




Honda Mobilio Launched @ Rs. 6.49lacs (Ex-Showroom Delhi)

Honda Mobilio is finally amongst the common man, now that they have done all the testing and retesting and re-retesting part. Based on the Brio, this family bus has a vision to conquer the mini MPV segment and to do that it must take on the Suzuki Ertiga and the Nissan Evalia. Yes we can include the Innova in this competition as well but that will be like the Indian Football team A and Indian Football team B competing with that of Brazilian Football team. It won't make any sense whatsoever. Actually, let's take the German Football team instead of the Brazilian. They won the world cup!

Back to the Mobilio then. The entry level petrol (same engine as the excellent Honda City) E variant is Rs. 6.49lacs ex-showroom Delhi and a price tag of Rs. 8.76lacs for the top end V variant. On the diesel front, the same engine powering the Amaze and Brio is carried over to this big people mover. So, you get 116BHP from the petrol power-plant and a 100BHP from the diesel engine.

Over to the specifications.

Variant E Specifications:
·          Front Chrome Grille
·          Air Conditioning
·          Power Steering
·          Tilt Adjustable Steering
·          Reclining Second and Third Row Seats

Variant S Specifications - All the stuff from the E variant plus:
·          2-Din Audio System (Borrowed over from the Amaze)
·          Steering Mounted Audio Controls
·          Body Coloured Wing Mirrors and Door Handles
·          Keyless Entry
·          Rear Defogger
·          Height Adjustable Driver’s Seat
·          Rear A/C vents

Variant V Specifications: All the stuff from the S variant plus:
·           2 Airbags (Driver and Co-driver)
·          Alloy Wheels
·          Rear Windscreen Wiper with Washer
·           Front Fog Lamps
·          Dual-tone Interior Trim
·           Sliding Second Row Seats

The RS variant will only come with a diesel engine. Oh boy! That’s like raising a lion as a personal pet and training him to be a hardcore vegetarian. Good thinking Honda!

Variant RS Specifications: All the stuff from the V variant plus:
·           Projector Headlamps with LED lights
·           Chrome Garnishing on the Exterior
·           Electronically Adjustable and Foldable ORVMs with Turn Indicators
·           Tailgate Spoiler
·          Funkier Alloy Wheels
  
Price:
Variant
Petrol
Diesel
E
Rs. 6.49 lacs
Rs. 7.89 lacs
S
Rs. 7.50 lacs
Rs. 8.60 lacs
V
Rs. 8.76 lacs
Rs. 9.76 Lacs
RS
-
Rs. 10.86 lacs

Interesting Law


Did you know?

The biggest speeding fine ever issued is $1,000,000 (approx. Rs. 5.5 Cr) to a guy who was travelling @ 180mph (approx. 290kmph) in Switzerland. He was driving the Mercedes SLS AMG.

The fines are issued based on the speed and the salary of the driver in Switzerland.
Do you think such a formula for penalties should be introduced here in India?

Tuesday 22 July 2014

AC ON means loss of power


Have you ever wondered why there is a loss of power from the engine when you turn on the AC? I am sure you have noticed this but couldn’t be bothered to find out. Well, you won’t have to now!

You must be thinking that what on earth is he talking about and how does it really matter. Well, you do have a point and I feel that it is mind-numbingly boring to explain what happens in the given situation. But, I will give it a go to explain it to you lot in the easiest possible manner without being too nerdy about the mechanism involved.

Everyone knows that the heart of the AC is its compressor. Bigger the compressor, quicker is its cooling ability but it draws more power from the engine. How it draws more power from the engine is the reason why you feel a loss of power when you turn the AC on. The compressor’s belt is directly connected to the engine of the car and it is this belt that is the primary source of power to the refrigeration of the AC system. Whenever the compressor is turned on, depending on the settings you have chosen inside the cabin, you’re losing power from the engine because while the engine is running your car it is also providing the power to run the compressor at the same time. How much power you lose is depended upon how high you have set up the air-conditioning in the car and the difference in temperature inside the cabin & outside.

This phenomena is more evident in cars which are less powerful. By less powerful I mean cars which have a very low power to weight ratio. See, how simple it is to understand! Let’s comprehend it this way – when you turn on the air conditioning, you lose about 2-3 of the 5 horsepower available from the engine, which feels like you have picked up a fat hitchhiker to accompany 4 other people in the car. You will surely feel the difference in the power delivery.

Monday 21 July 2014

TATA Zest - Bookings Now Open


Get your credit/debit cards out (if you want to) to book the upcoming Tata Zest sub-4 metre sedan online. Yes, you read it right. You can book this car now online from the Tata Motors website by paying 21 thousand rupees straight away. I bet you didn't see this coming!

All you get to choose online is the option of a diesel engine or a petrol one. All the other details of different variants can be checked from your nearest Tata Motors dealership.

Expected starting price is close to 4.7lacs (ex-showroom Delhi) for the entry level version and 7.5lacs (ex-showroom Delhi) for the "all-the-goodies-we-could-fit" variant. It will also be offered with an AMT gearbox with the same diesel 1.3 litre motor under the hood as the Vista. No other car in its segment has an option of a Automatic or even a AMT gearbox with a diesel engine.

The Zest will be launched sometime next month.

Rolls Royce - A Story Tale






Rolls Royce – “The Name” in Exquisite Luxury

As I have grown up, I have seen cars grow in character. Every single car has a different style and a different motive behind it. Some are designed to take the entire family for a comfortable ride and some are just made to make a fool out of every family member – the VW Beetle is a classic example. Apart from the league of mass-production cars, there is a league where only a small bunch of people reach – the likes of Raging Lambos, the fire-spitting Ferraris and the big-bulky no-nonsense Rolls Royces.

The double Rs on top of the patented, hand-crafted, radiator grill of the most reputed name in the automotive industry, moves me more than any other car in this world. Let us learn a little bit more about the King of the luxury car maker.

Rolls Royce Motors was created in 1973 during the de-merger of the Rolls Royce car business from the nationalised Rolls Royce Ltd. The de-merger mainly took place because the British government wanted to concentrate on jet engine manufacturing. In 1980, Vickers Plc (a company which was into Defence Engineering) acquired RR Motors. Imagine the kind of cars RR would have made if this collaboration wouldn't have gone down, would have definitely given the Hummer a competition. Just a thought! In 1998, Vickers Plc decided to sell RR Motors and the leading contender seemed to be BMW who already were doing great business with RR Motors, supplying ICEs (Internal Combustion Engines) for RR and Bentley cars. However, their final offer of 340 Million GBP was outgunned by the VW group with a 430 Million GBP offer.

In this deal, the VW group acquired the rights for the radiator grille shape and the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot. The RR brand name and logo however was being managed by the aero-engine maker Rolls Royce Plc and not Rolls Royce Motors. Later on, the aero-engine maker decided to sell the rights of the RR name and logo to BMW and not to VW simply because BMW shared joint business ventures with RR. How much did BMW pay for the rights? It was a mere 40 Million GBP – a bargain if one considers the brand value that RR had and still does now. Volkswagen Group had the rights to the mascot and grille but lacked rights to the Rolls-Royce name in order to build the cars, likewise BMW had the name but lacked rights to the grille and mascot.

In the end, BMW won the arm wrestling match by simply stating the fact that they could withdraw the engine supply with a notice of 12 months, which was an insufficient time for VW to make their own engine for the RR cars. VW, to keep their dignity alive, claimed it only wanted the Bentley marque anyway from the deal as Bentley sold nearly twice as much cars, when compared to RR.

Starting January 1st 2003, only BMW would be able to name cars as Rolls Royce and the VW group former Rolls Royce/Bentley division had the rights to built Bentley cars.

Ok I admit the history lesson was a tad too long. But to explain why the cars made by RR move me from within more than any other is based on the way they make their cars. Some features that you can find on today's Phantom...

The customer gets to choose from 44000 body colours for the car and choose any leather colour for the interior trim.
Thanks to advanced sound insulation and the refinement of the engine, you cannot make out how fast the car is going, apart from looking at the speedo or at the scenery outside moving quickly.
The 'RR' logos on each of the wheel hubs are independent bezels in order to always remain upright while the wheel is rotating.
The Spirit of Ecstasy marque is made of solid silver and at a touch of a button can be retracted by the driver. The same also gets retracted automatically to prevent theft and protect pedestrians in the event of an accident.
The cup-holders are capable of keeping your drink cold or warm, as and when you want.
You get a 26-speaker sound system to listen to your music or can opt for wireless headphones to do the same.
5 zone climate control – this simply means that every passenger (including the driver) can have a different climate control as per their liking.

How I wish I could land one of these in my garage. How do you like the RR brand name?

Sunday 20 July 2014

Which Engine Oil should you opt for?


Synthetic Engine Oil OR Conventional Engine Oil

Have you ever wondered why you have to face a dilemma every single time you go in for an engine oil change with the service advisor, wearing a fake grin on his face, waits for an answer to the question – which oil would you like to get injected in the engine – synthetic or conventional?

Well, the very first question that pops in your head is the obvious one... the price difference. With the synthetic costing more than twice as much at the conventional one, you are bound to ask yourself why is it more expensive? Well the simple answer is that the conventional engine oil is derived from petroleum and could never stand up to the extreme temperatures that the chemically derived synthetic oil can withstand inside the engine, without breaking down. With this fact out in the open, you would opt for the synthetic engine oil. However, the choice doesn't seem that simple since the environmental impact is equally damaging with both these oils.

Synthetics, being more expensive do have advantages against the conventional oil and that is the longevity of its purpose. Synthetics can last nearly 3 times longer in comparison, which means that you would be using 18-22 litres less oil in a year. The composition is comparatively cleaner as well, simply because they are made in a laboratory and that they have lower volatility, to ensure that they do not vaporise as quickly.

Also, tests have shown that synthetic oils have less resistance with the mechanics inside the engine and hence offer more horsepower and efficiency. The added horsepower in turn means that the engine can perform with the same grunt as before but using marginally less fuel.

To be on the safe side, you can refer to what the car manufacturer recommends for your car's engine. It is the vehicles with big engines and an even bigger thirst and grunt which require synthetic oil because of the high heat that these engines work in, whereas the conventional engines do not require anything special.