Shell Canada raises the bar for Canadian fuels

Are all brands of gas created equal?

Some consumers might think so, but Shell Canada Products is working hard to change their minds with new products, standards and a campaign designed to let consumers know that some fuels really are designed to perform better than others.

This summer Shell unveiled a new and improved version of Shell V-Power gasoline its premium gas and earlier this year Shell announced its gasolines are the first national brand to meet tough standards set by four leading auto manufacturers.

Are you a driver who buys gas based only on convenience or price? If so, you might be interested to know the quality and formulation of the fuel you buy can affect engine performance, as well as helping prevent costly engine maintenance down the road.

"Today's driving conditions are getting tougher. Merging on the

freeway, manoeuvring in traffic, paying attention and responding to other drivers ... you need to be able to act quickly in all traffic situations," said Shell fuel specialist Alex Drohomyrecky. "That's why Shell custom-designed a premium gasoline that helps improve performance while protecting your engine."

How does it work?

As the fuel flows through the engine's intake system, it encounters high temperatures that can start to break it down, along with any lubricant that enters from the crankcase ventilation system or that leaks down the intake valve stem. The products of that decomposition form deposits in critical areas, sticking to various parts of the intake system that are responsible for metering the fuel and controlling air flow into the cylinder. Deposits in these vital areas can negatively affect performance.

But Shell V-Power gasoline is precisely formulated for Canadian driving conditions and acts on the entire intake system to help clean up those areas and keep them clean with repeated fill-ups.

Its unique formulation is designed to help remove power-robbing deposits from the engine allowing it to run smoother and to help improve performance. Clean engines also help provide optimal emissions and fuel economy.

While Shell V-Power gas was designed in Canada for our severe climate and road conditions, Canadian specialists also drew on international Shell expertise gained from years of experience developing fuel for motorists and for specialized users including the Ferrari Formula 1 racing team.

A team of more than 40 Shell International people worldwide is involved in the Formula One program to support Ferrari. They supply 250,000 litres of fuel and 40 tonnes of lubricants per year to race and test tracks around the world. This technical knowledge has been applied to Shell VPower gas so ordinary drivers here in Canada can enjoy many of the same benefits.

Earlier in May 2006, Shell made another important announcement: its gasolines were the first to be recognized nationally as top tier in Canada. And, they don't just meet the tough top tier detergent gasoline standards, they exceed them.

Top tier designation is a standard for gasoline performance. Four of the world's top automakers BMW, General Motors, Honda, and Toyota recognized that the current minimum detergent requirements do not go far enough to ensure optimal engine performance.

Top tier detergent gasoline gives drivers an alternative to lower-quality gasoline. Fuels that don't measure up can leave deposits on critical engine parts, which reduce engine performance. That's something both drivers and automakers want to avoid.

Achieving top tier status means detergency levels in

each grade of Shell Canada's gasoline (Bronze, Silver and premium VPower) are higher than what is set by the Canadian General Standards Board. Top tier detergent gasoline helps keep engines cleaner than using gasolines with lower levels of deposit control additives. Clean engines help provide optimal fuel economy and performance.