Shell to re-launch V-Power imminently

[Rainmaker]

I had an email from Shell the other day, brief and to the point. Keep your eyes peeled, something new is coming soon... I did some digging tonight because I was bored, and I found this article on Forecourt Trader. Basically they're re-launching V-Power (again) 'in the spring', and rebranding the additives to 'Dynaflex'. They say it's all new, and formulated for today's downsized stressed engines. It does sound very much a case of 'Meet the new boss, same as the old boss'. TLDR: removes carbon, contains a (new) Friction Modifying Technology molecule, and protects against corrosion and wear.

It's already been released in Hong Kong (if you're going to tease us, Shell, at least make sure it's not already all over the internet from another country lol). The Shell.hk site says that the new V-Power formulation contains three times the amount of detergent and three times the level of FMT found in regular FuelSave unleaded. The small print at the bottom has the usual disclaimers about no guarantees being provided, all vehicles and driving styles will vary etc; but interestingly that having 3x the additive doesn't equal 3x the effects. Why include it then, unless for pure marketing hyperbole to justify the cost?

They are also relaunching their customer loyalty club over summer, with a completely new 'personalised' system. No news on what that will involve, however. Just that it will be customer-centric and will drive loyalty. Either way, I haven't seen any of this mentioned on here, and since many of us use V-Power (half the UK's premium fuel sales, apparently) I thought some might find it interesting.

 

[Rainmaker]

Thanks for the heads up. Just saw the email as well. I'm still annoyed they upped the price of V-Power relative to regular last time I went for a fill up. Maybe it's to get ready for whatever is coming out...

It's the other way around, here. The differential is the same 8ppl it usually is, but they're proportionately more expensive than usual across the board.

112.9 - Supermarket unleaded
117.9 - Tesco Momentum 99

116.9 - Shell FuelSave unleaded
124.9 - Shell V-Power

The Shell prices above are the cheapest in our area. Some of the others are between 128.9 and 130.9 for V-Power at present. The company-owned stations are always cheapest, and luckily my three closest Shells are all company owned.

If the loyalty bonuses mean cheaper fuel for those of us who always fill up with V-Power and/or use the Shell app to pay with our phones, then I'm all for it. No idea what the "new" fuel means for older engines, more detergent I guess is always a good thing. Will have to keep an eye on Fuelio's reports in coming months to compare averages vs the previous months.

I am expecting there to be minimal difference given that my car is N/A.

Quite. The driver's club + app + triple points for V-Power + monthly 100 point bonuses via email soon add up. Hopefully they keep it at least comparably favourable.

 

[Rainmaker]

For the Polo I have 104 octane flown in, stored in barrels made of baby pandas

Pfft, peasant. I use 109 RON.

 

[Rainmaker]

My car is mapped for 99-RON, so I can only use Momentum or V-Power. The guy who mapped it, Paul Blamire, thought that Momentum was actually better than V-Power. My only thought is: does all that extra detergent in the new V-Power affect the octane rating the real world? I don't care how clean the engine is, jut how much power I get.

The only problem I've found with M99 is freshness. One tank is like rocket fuel and another like treacle. Since V-Power accounts for about 65% of premium fuel sales nationally, with the remainder scattered across the other brands, that's hardly surprising. It will sit around for ages going off before they finally take a fresh delivery.

Testing at Milbrook (paid for by Tesco no less) showed M99 added to carbon fouling on the fuel system, whereas V-Power removed it. V-Power also tended to give better economy. The report PDF is on Tesco's PFS site if you're interested, though why they included it with results favouring their competitor I don't quite know lol. They are trying to get people to pay for M99 instead of Tesco 95, and the M99 does at least give better MPG than Tesco 95.

I presume the new formula will remain at 99RON?

Yes it's still 99 RON and you'll find it's actually currently in the forecourt tanks so they're fully swapped over come launch day.

 

[Rainmaker]

They've updated the login system to be "simpler" now, and you're prompted to create a new account, then link your old account.

Only issue is that you can't, not until Monday I've been told. Who in their right mind makes a new system go live when it doesn't even work yet? So no fill-up and go usage until Monday

Good work, Shell.

Well that was... intelligent. :/

Have stopped using V-Power now that the nearby costco has got a petrol station, 99RON for the same price as regular unleaded from shell, if you have a one nearby I'd recommend getting membership.

All three (and others, including Gulf Endurance 99 and Essar 99) are actually made by Essar at Stanlow, so the base fuel is the same. Only the additive package differs, though Shell would have you believe - and tbh they're probably correct - that theirs is far superior. Is it really worth 10ppl or more extra though? I tend to alternate between them depending on convenience, and tbh in my particular car and in my particular location I tend to find Tesco M99 gives the most top end. V-Power does tend to feel more free and grunty low down (that'll be the 'friction modifier' then), but there's really not much in it for the money. M99 and a shot of redex goes like rocket fuel, I found out by accident recently. I'd always put Redex in the snake oil box, but having looked it up (MSDS etc) it actually contains a fair amount of aromatics - something M99 lacks. It's still four quid a tank cheaper than V-Power and goes like stink.

 

[Rainmaker]

V-power (the additives at least) do work and prevent buildup, but you need to use them long term. You cant just stick a few tanks full in it and expect it to be squeaky clean

But on a car less than a year old, there is no build-up to clear, so the point is moot... This is especially the case when it's just a 3 year lease.

Shell's own scientists say one tank of V-Power will clear 60% of existing build-up on an old car; so I reckon one tank a month is enough to keep a new lease car clean enough for purposes. Besides, M99 and Costco fuel have these additives too. It's not a binary choice of running dirty liquid tar that'll destroy your engine in a week, or Shell's OMGWTFAWESOME super clean fuel. Not that their marketing department would like you to think anything different. I buy based on performance and then price. After that I don't really need to care. I'm pretty sure there are many multi-100,000 mile engines still happily plonking along after decades of supermarket's finest, so restricting to just one tank a month of Shell's fuel will not be the imminent death of the engine.

 

[Rainmaker]

I get V-Power because it's the most convenient, and my car runs on 98 minimum for optimum performance/economy. None of the other stations offer the convenience part. Nothing feels greater than opening an app, choosing the pump number, filling up, then driving off. No chip and pin, no faff with declining 2 chocolates for £1 at the counter, no fumbling.

Until the system goes down...

Haha yeah, I feel your pain. My car wants 98+ too. I'm lucky to be central between several company-owned Shell stations (cheaper V-Power), a couple of Tescos with M99, and two Costcos selling 99. Win. My iPhone has been buzzing all morning about needing to make a new account for the Shell app. Then another lot to say no really, please make a new login soon and link it. Then finally a third - saying 'Oops, please don't do that actually. We've gone and broken it' (paraphrased).

 

[Rainmaker]

How do you measure the performance ?

My car is designed to run better on 98+ RON, so I buy 99 RON and above. One local station sells next to no fuel, and the two times I've been forced to fuel up there the car has run like I'd removed half the horses - so I avoid that one. Now it's down to price.

 

[Rainmaker]

I doubt it runs like it's got half the power, but instead just feels like it's not as free revving as it usually is, especially from mid rpms.

At least that was my experience in Scotland. Back to normal a few tanks of Vpower later.

I think we're splitting hairs. It was flat, sluggish and dead from 3,500rpm upwards (where most of the power is made). So yeah... it felt like it was running at half power. But you know what I meant.

 

[Rainmaker]

I bet for your particular car it's all placebo and it'd run exactly the same on regular unleaded. Do they really even bother to tune it for high octane fuel? It's just a run of the mill engine, not exactly highly strung.

It's a 2.0 TSI with a fuel table that recognises 98 RON and above fuel. Getting to and driving above three figure speeds there is definitely much more grunt and willingness, where it feels much more reigned in and flat on 95 RON. It also returns between 5% and 10% better fuel economy on 99, as it was designed to do and as the manual states it will.

 

[Rainmaker]

The 2.0 TSI and 2.0TFSI Engines all recommend 98 as far as I know, whether it's in a Skoda or an Audi doesn't make much difference.

Mine certainly says 98 on the filler cap.

Exactly. They don't say 'Yep, a 280/220/whatever horsepower engine - but it's for Skoda so don't bother tuning it properly'. It runs at specified power on a specified fuel. They're quite explicit that you'll not get full power on 95 RON fuel, which makes sense. Either they don't give you the claimed horses because they didn't 'bother to tune it', or they have managed to get the specified power on lower RON fuel (which itself would be an achievement). It's the same engine and everything else as the Audi counterpart - I don't get why people think the Skoda badge means they somehow bodge it. Most of the items under my bonnet have the Audi rings and logo lol.

 

[Rainmaker]

Lots of people proven it's the same.

Along with people who deliver it

I'm not tom_e but do you fancy showing some of the proof? I know, as I said earlier, they're both refined at Essar Stanlow, but the two spec sheets are orders of magnitude different. V-Power has almost 10x the olefin content and M99 has more oxygenate content, for starters.

 

[Rainmaker]

They always make statements like that but never hang a number on it. Does it have double the cleaning agent? Ten times? ...or 10% more?

It tells you on their V-Power page on the website.

Introducing our latest-generation Shell V-Power Unleaded, contains 3x more cleaning molecules than our regular Unleaded(1) fuel. The moment you start your car, this fuel helps to protect your engine as new Shell V-Power Unleaded is boosted with 30% more cleaning molecules than our previous formulation(2).

1. Compared to Shell's regular fuel. Helps to clean key fuel system components such as intake valves from the build up of performance robbing deposits. 3x more cleaning molecules does not result in 3x the cleaning power. Actual effects and benefits may vary according to vehicle type, vehicle condition and driving style. No guarantees provided. See Fuels Help for more information.
2. Compared to Shell's previous formulation of Shell V-Power Unleaded. Helps to clean key fuel system components such as intake valves and/or fuel injectors from the build up of performance robbing deposits. 30% more cleaning molecules does not result in 30% more cleaning power. Actual effects and benefits may vary according to vehicle type, vehicle condition and driving style. No guarantees provided.

Shell say that on average V-Power will remove 60% of existing deposits over the first tankful.

 

[Rainmaker]

Due to EU regulations there is a minimum amount fuel must contain.

Not quite. Fuel suppliers must have a target percentage of their overall energy supply for biofuels/renewables, so some offset this in other ways. Last I checked BP Ultimate is ethanol free, except in the South West. Unlike other fuels, which use alcohols to raise octane, BP Ultimate is refined solely from oil to petrol at 98 RON (sold as 97 RON by the time it hits the pumps). That's supposedly one of the reasons it's more expensive than other brands.

Other than that fuels do all contain 5% ethanol/biodiesel.