Why 97 RON fuel?

[Mikeyboy]

So I've just had to fill up the car with 97 Ron petrol, again. BP not so ultimate in fact.

So why in the UK are we given 97 rather than 98 RON fuel. After all most high spec engines require 98 RON, the fuel companies must know this and yet don't in the majority supply it.

Well in the UK at least, because on the continent the fuel is usually 98 or even more as a matter of course. And this is the same suppliers.

Anyone know why this is and what can be done to change things?

[Mikeyboy]

Ah maybe I wasn't clear. Its not I'm not happy with it (I'm not) but its that 97 RON isn't one thing or the other?
It doesn't fit the engine specs of most manufacturers higher end engines and, oddly is only offered to the brits while on the continent the higher 98 and 99 rons are offered as standard.

Don't see why that should be the case. The fuel companies know the engine specs, they know what the offer elsewhere so who is failing?

[Mikeyboy]

Mattt said:

You can get 102RON in some stations in the UK

I'd love to see if I could notice the difference with this stuff.

So is everyone saying then that because the UK standard is 97 then thats what the fuel suppliers supply?

Still seems odd to me that there is anational standard that is lower than the standard that the engine designers prefer the ECU's to run the engines on.

So is this the fault of engine manufacturers or just stingy oil companies?