Tesco launches high octane fuel
99 octane to pep most motors: we test it
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Tesco is in the process of rolling out a new 99 octane petrol -- PH has tried it and it seems to work.
Made by petroleum wholesaler and blender Greenergy Fuels, which specialises in 'green' fuels, the new petrol is already being sold in a handful of Tesco forecourts up and down the country but the number is expanding all the time, according to Greenergy boss Andrew Owens.
It's designed to compete directly with Shell Optimax and BP's Ultimate. A Tesco spokeswoman said that it fitted in with Tesco's strategy of selling goods at the value end and at the high end. However, Owens also said that Tesco plans to sell 99 for a premium of 4p/litre over its standard fuel -- about half the premium charged by Shell and BP for their equivalents.
It's also set up to be in line with Government policy of increasing the amount of bio-ethanol in petrol with the aim of reducing harmful emissions -- Tesco 99 is five per cent bio-ethanol.
We tested it
PH went to Prodrive's Warwickshire test facility near Kenilworth to check out the company's claims -- which are undetailed -- that the petrol offers more grunt than standard petrol. Just how much more, Owens wouldn't say. "Testing costs a lot and there's no baseline petrol to compare it to as they're all different," he said. "It's just better."
This sounded amazingly vague, so with BS detectors on full alert, we thraped a pair of Subaru Imprezas and a pair of Ford Fiesta STs round the test track. One of the Scoobies was filled with 97RON fuel -- the minimum recommended by Subaru -- and the other with Tesco 99, while one of the STs was brimmed with 95RON, the other with Tesco 99.
It was a blind test -- we didn't know which car had which fuel, yet your reporter was able to distinguish between them by their performance alone.
The main effect was increased low-down torque. While we had no measuring equipment, the 99-filled Fiesta would spin its front wheels exiting corners under power at the same point on the lap where the other didn't; it also felt more torquey. With the Scoobies, the difference was less marked -- as you'd expect given the lesser difference between the two fuels in the two cars. However, it did feel more perky in the lower end of the rev range, before the turbo kicked in, and we were consistently travelling slightly more quickly at the end of the main straight.
The conclusion you’d have to draw is that a high performance car will experience less improvement using Tesco 99 as it's more likely to be running on a higher octane fuel anyway. But all modern cars with an anti-knock sensor and electronic ignition management should be able to benefit from it, according to Owens, not least because it also contains engine cleaning agents similar to those in Optimax.
So if your car needs high octane fuel, your wallet could benefit from using 99 too.
Photos by Angus Taylor
strange thing is it hated optimax, kept stalling (whilst changing gear - stalling 4th to 5th on a motorway,
pretty frightening 
), until completely filled up on normal 97 unleaded. Got 5p a litre of voucher from spending over £50 on a weekly shop as well.
B
>> Edited by bjwoods on Monday 14th November 11:47
Remeber back in the 90's when Shell brought out an 'Ultra' type fuel (the name escapes me)? It was claimed to give more power and with it's special blend of detergents, was also supposed to return your engine valves to an 'as new condition'. Then, after a few months and several burned valves later, the petrol was withdrawn and it was some years before Shell introduced Optimax as an performance enhancing brand. While Optimax seems to have a pretty good reputation, why do we always assume other brands such as this one from Tesco, is going to be better just because it has a higher octane rating? What else is going on with the fuel that they can make it superior to others and sell it at a cheaper price?
IF it works, I'll be using it though!
Cheers,
Dave.
Tesco also adds 5% Bio-diesel to its Tesco diesel. Tesco is doing this for commercial reasons, not for environmental reasons as Tesco receives a grant from the Government to add 5% Bio-fuel to all of its Diesel and to petrol sold in the South East. No wonder the big boys - BP, ESSO, Shell and Texaco are up in arms over Tesco's "subsidy" from the Government!
>> Edited by alaws on Monday 14th November 12:17
davejw said:Ah yes Dave, the great "Formula Shell" debacle!!
All sounds great, even if you don't associate Supermarket Petrol with High Performance motoring and probably worth a try although the lack of scientific test results or long-term engine use and tear-down inspections do make me think twice.
Remeber back in the 90's when Shell brought out an 'Ultra' type fuel (the name escapes me)? It was claimed to give more power and with it's special blend of detergents, was also supposed to return your engine valves to an 'as new condition'. Then, after a few months and several burned valves later, the petrol was withdrawn and it was some years before Shell introduced Optimax as an performance enhancing brand. While Optimax seems to have a pretty good reputation, why do we always assume other brands such as this one from Tesco, is going to be better just because it has a higher octane rating? What else is going on with the fuel that they can make it superior to others and sell it at a cheaper price?
IF it works, I'll be using it though!
Cheers,
Dave.
I have to say though, over in Germany earlier this year on the Minihoon Daz filled his 996TT with their V-Power, which is 100 octane fuel. And my goodness could you tell the difference! It was amazingly good.
Based on around 7/8 tanks, with the 1/8 being mostly Optimax I wasn't impressed, didn't seem to have the punch of Optimax as it felt slightly lacking at times.
However I'd guess the ECU is tuned for 97 octane, so perhaps tuning the high-octane setting for 99 would give out the performance potential expected from the higher octane.
But an extra octane point over Optimax for four pence less over 95 octane seems to make it a little cheap given how much the supermarkets moan about their profits on fuel.
Laurie
atrticle said:
"Testing costs a lot and there's no baseline petrol to compare it to as they're all different," he said. "It's just better."
Nonsense. There are plenty of university research groups that would have run a dyno test for a few grand depending on exactly what you want. 'No baseline petrol' is a cop-out as well, why not compare it to optimax and bp super?
In principle it may be better than optimax and annecdotal evidence is easy to come by, but why wont anyone produce a dyno-plot?
Opposite Lock said:
Evo magazine has said that they will soon be publishing a comparison between the performance branded fuels. Their last test a few years ago seemed to be as objective as they could be, so hopefully this one will be too.
Was it Fifth Gear last week that said they were doing a comparison test on fuels this week? .... or did I dream that?
Also, I have filled my Scooby with the Tesco stuff at the Lakeside store and I personally did not like it. It makes my car jump and lurch about (as does the BP stuff). Optimax is much smoother for me..... though that is just me and my driving style.
Tripps said:
But an extra octane point over Optimax for four pence less over 95 octane seems to make it a little cheap given how much the supermarkets moan about their profits on fuel.
Yes, but not only does it bring in customers, it brings in customers with sports cars, which means customers that buy "Finest" and organic and all that other high-margin stuff...!
Petrol companies are moaning because they didn't think of it first, simple as that. Nothing stopping them taking advantage of the same tax breaks. Don't like it up em do they?
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