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Specially for Sachin- BPCL blends the fuel for his Ferrari: The Indian Express
New Delhi,Mar 01: The special treatment for Sachin Tendulkar`s Ferrari did not end with the waiver of Customs duty and road-worthiness test. Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL) has gone the extra mile to ensure that the little master`s car gets the special fuel that Ferrari has specified.
New Delhi,Mar 01: The special treatment for Sachin Tendulkar’s Ferrari did not end with the waiver of Customs duty and road-worthiness test. Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL) has gone the extra mile to ensure that the little master’s car gets the special fuel that Ferrari has specified.
The company is adding octane boosters into Speed 93 petrol to blend 97 octane gasoline, the specified fuel. Jerrycans carrying the first 100 litres blended at BPCL’s Mumbai refinery were delivered on February 19.
The fuel is not marketed in India as the Motor Spirit & High Speed Diesel Control (Regulation of Supply and Distribution and Prevention of Malpractices) Order allows gasoline blends with 88 and 93 octane.
Indian Oil (IOC) officials said they produce 97 octane aviation fuel at its Panipat and Mathura refineries for use in defence aircraft.
When asked if it was a goodwill gesture from BPCL, company Chairman and Managing Director Sarthak Behuria said: ‘‘I do not know who asked whom, Sachin or BPCL, but he wanted 97 octane as specified by the car manufacturer and we provided it.’’ ‘‘We are willing to supply the special blend to any person who asks for it provided transport logistics are taken care of by the consumer,’’ he added.
Behuria said supplies did not violate the order but industry sources claim that raising octane number increases the oxygenate emission beyond 15 pc, the maximum level allowed under Euro III norms.
Company officials declined to divulge the production cost of the special fuel but confirmed that Tendulkar was being charged the retail price of Speed 93 petrol. Behuria said there was no thinking as of now to use this opportunity to improve the visibility of BPCL products. ‘‘Neither do we have a product to make use of Sachin as our brand ambassador,’’ he added.
It was Sachin’s brand ambassadorship with Fiat of Italy which landed him the $163,000-Ferrari Modena 360. The car rode into controversy when Sachin sought an import duty waiver worth $245,000 or Rs 1.13 crore on the car. The second exemption came about with a change in Exim policy on January 28 which did away with homologation (road-worthiness) test for imported vehicles costing over $40,000.
Indian Oil (IOC) officials said they produce 97 octane aviation fuel at its Panipat and Mathura refineries for use in defence aircraft.
When asked if it was a goodwill gesture from BPCL, company Chairman and Managing Director Sarthak Behuria said: ‘‘I do not know who asked whom, Sachin or BPCL, but he wanted 97 octane as specified by the car manufacturer and we provided it.’’ ‘‘We are willing to supply the special blend to any person who asks for it provided transport logistics are taken care of by the consumer,’’ he added.
Behuria said supplies did not violate the order but industry sources claim that raising octane number increases the oxygenate emission beyond 15 pc, the maximum level allowed under Euro III norms.
Company officials declined to divulge the production cost of the special fuel but confirmed that Tendulkar was being charged the retail price of Speed 93 petrol. Behuria said there was no thinking as of now to use this opportunity to improve the visibility of BPCL products. ‘‘Neither do we have a product to make use of Sachin as our brand ambassador,’’ he added.
It was Sachin’s brand ambassadorship with Fiat of Italy which landed him the $163,000-Ferrari Modena 360. The car rode into controversy when Sachin sought an import duty waiver worth $245,000 or Rs 1.13 crore on the car. The second exemption came about with a change in Exim policy on January 28 which did away with homologation (road-worthiness) test for imported vehicles costing over $40,000.