Not sure if this has been mentioned on here and if this is the right section for it too, could possibly go in tuning too.

Has anybody seen or used this yet?

Its popping up in all my local Shell garages the last couple of weeks.

What about the people that have had a car mapped on V-Power? Will this change anything/will it still be safe for the map/engine?

It has been a straight replacement for V-Power in my local garage. I assumed that the RON is the same and just has a different blend of additives, but I will check next time I fill up....

25% more Friction Modifier compared to previous V-Power, giving lower engine friction in critical areas and therefore more power to the wheels (according to Shell)

Well, it's petrol right? So the only bits it can reach that move are the inlet valves and the pistons.

I've already used three tanks of the new Nitro+ stuff

Can't say I've noticed a difference

I've heard a story about V power fuel, not sure if it's true or not, but the tanker drivers that deliver the fuel add the additives to the fuel as they fill the tanks at the garages, and if they run out of the additives it's just plain unleaded that goes in and you still get charged for V power.

Like I said, I'm not sure if this is true, but who told me said they were told by one off the tanker drivers, as he was asking him what the difference was in the fuels.

LOL - completely untrue - you don't see tanker drivers emptying big bottles of additive into the top of the tanker while they're offloading.

Can't believe I fell for that one

I have two friends who work in fuel business, one runs (as a Franchisee) two petrol stations, the other was directly employed by Shell as a tanker driver (they sold the tanker business to Wincanton about 15 years ago, so he now drives for them). I haven't spoke to them about this for a few years butthis was the crux of a discussion I had with them both back then,

1. Shell's Super Unleaded was only produced at the Stanlow refinery in the UK, (thats the spirit, not the fuel (with additive package) which must conform to a British standard). It then gets transported by the UK's fuel pipeline (this connects Stanlow to Shell Haven (Essex). There are two petroleum spirits produced/refined 95 RON and 99RON at Stanlow, 95 RON is shared with other companies but the 99RON stays as Shell V-Power.
2. All the petrol companies share spirit (not the fuel, the spirit with no additives) which is why you will see tankers marked Shell leaving a BP depot.
3. At one time A couple of the Supermarket chains used to buy their fuel (Spirit) on the spot market, then as part of the process in 2 (above) they would fill their tankers from the local storage depots. The drivers DID used to have to add the additives package once they had taken on their load of spirit, this was done via a plastic bag. This practice ended in mid 90s. If you recall the Ford Zetec engines around 92-94 had a major problem with their valve gear which Ford put down to "Supermarket petrol", but was thought by those in the know to be where tanker drivers hadn't added the additives packs.
4. Now all the storage depots have a number of "hoppers/Silos" and when each tanker loads up, the fuel is automatically mixed with the relevant additives package. So fuel for a BP Garage gets the BP additives, fuel for Shell gets their additives etc etc, some add a greater amount of bio fuels.

Petrol does go "off" and you should buy your Super unleaded from a busy garage rather than a quiet one, as the Octane will be higher.

I can't vouch for the accuracy of any of the above, as when we discussed this it was some time ago. So it may be complete and utter b'llocks> Though this post by rigster2 on PH seems to confirm some of the above http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic...310050#25096221

http://www.theplace.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/TescoVSvpower.pd

http://www.thorney.ms/cms/media/magazine/Thorney_Motorsport_Exclusive_Fuel_Test.html I wonder why they changed their endorsement?

Yeah thats basically true about the pipeline and plants. The pipelines all across the country. Linking ports with refineries, depots, airports etc. BPA who run the pipeline is owned but Shell and BP.

The owners and operators of refinaries and depots are offen shared eg buncefield was/is used by multiple suppliers for all sorts of fuels.

I reckon it all b******s.

I've heard there was a long thread started on pistonheads but it was pulled.

I picked up leaflet in Shell garage and it says V-Power Nitro+ is 99 RON so that clears that up.

My dad worked at a big BP depot and I've gone through the whole place from where they test the additives in the labs to where the fuel is stored and I've never heard about drivers adding it themselves.

Some of us are old enough to remember going to a petrol station and asking for "a squirt and a top up with 4 star" (or something like that) meaning a squirt of upper cylinder lubricant before topping up with the blend of the day (2 star, 4 star or 5 star).

Well actually I never asked for a squirt myself, but my Dad used to.

If you ever go to Castle Combe race circuit there is a garage next to the track licensed to sell 102 octane fuel!!! Boy does THAT make a difference, its like giving a 5 year old redbull and blue smarties :-)

Is that the BP Ultimate 102 RON? I thought that was now discontinued? Or was it another brand/Fuel?

I didn't think bp ultimate was 102 i thought it was 99 as they tried to out do optimax as it was back then (98) but I stand to be corrected on that one

I used to work in a garage as a Saturday boy and did the squirting

BP Ultimate is 97 RON, they marketed a 102 RON fuel at BP stations close to race tracks http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet...ess_release.pdf

It has now been discontinued

Nitro+ makes my VX stage 3 go like the clappers. It seemed to make ths Coop smoother but no butt dyno effect. Have the coop booked in with Leighton for a fettle so may then be more apparent.

That'll be a modern brain vs an old one. Or a VX is more quickly retarded!

I am sure that you need to either run about two tankfuls of V-Max or reset the ECU to get the benefit though, any immediate gains are likely in the head.

having said that at the last oil change I changed to 10/50 Millers Nano drive and could definitely feel the difference afterwards.

Was it the same change you feel as summer turns to
Autumn and their temp drops low but the roads are dry? If not it's all in your. Head!

No, it was more like the change that was found in this test LOL
http://www.fastcar.co.uk/2012/08/28/millers-nanodrive-test/

many years ago i worked at a airport close to were i lived and i used to fill up with aviation fuel avgas .... i knew it was high octane i would not say the car (Lancia beta volumex) was faster but it was a hell of a lot smother.... if i remember my mini days .... higher octane means that you can use higher compression 13-1+ or with a turbo charged car more boost before uncontrolled detonation and a melt down happens

I had a Beta Coupe VolumeX in mid 80s now that had torque steer

Whenever I've used any of the higher octane/increased additive fuels I have noticed a difference to how my Coop 'feels', mostly in a smoothness sense. Out of all of the fuels available, V power has always seemed to give the biggest difference in feel. Not noticed any difference between v power and it's new replacement but have only used 1 tank full so far. Also get more mpg from the better fuels for definite so they're worth the extra few quids imo.

Ive used it for the last coupler weeks with a Gtech 1 only. After a run to London last weekend the throttle response at lower revs now seems much improved and the car seems to better.

With the old V-power i never noticed a difference so seems to work for me.