I think this may be a first for Ciao, but please correct me if I’m wrong! Anyway, I first heard of this product through the member’s club for the car I drive. (MCC Smart) A lot of members were debating the use of Shell Optimax, and by and large the comments were pertaining to the positive end of the scale i.e. use it if you can get it!!
Shell Optimax is a premium unleaded produced exclusively for Shell garages and is currently available at around 60% of their networked garages. (Source www.shell.com).
Now higher octane petrols are available at most petrol stations aren’t they? Often referred to as super or super plus unleaded they simply have a higher octane rating than the 95 figure allocated to your standard green pumped stuff.
Shell Optimax has replaced their own super plus petrol. The blurb in the garage leaflets or on the shell website has you hooked in quite quickly in that it’s developed by the same people who developed petrol systems for F1 teams and Ferrari. Indeed in Germany I understand M.Schmacher himself is the man on the advertising for Optimax.
Along with the higher octane rating of 98, (I can’t explain Octane ratings, but then again this is a consumer review not a technical paper!!) Optimax contains other unique cleaning systems and properties, again allegedly specific to Shell.
My Smart club reported increased power at mid-range speeds, smoother gearchanges and a general edge of power not witnessed using standard petrol. Of course as the MCC Smart I drive is just a 55 BHP engine (but in a super light car remember) then I was eager to see if I myself could add any more power to this already little pocket rocket I drive. Remember I live in SpeedCameraShire (Aka Northants) so my wants were not speed limit breaking boosts of power, more a desired edge to driving and smoother gear changes.
Well within a few miles of filling up with Optimax I was suitably pleased with the additional 3p per litre that I was charged. This is a normal premium for the fuel, but on the Smart with a 22-litre tank, the on-cost isn’t that great.
Basically I was experiencing a smoother gear change in the Smart’s automatic mode (it can be jerky at times!) and I was certainly noticing an increase in power available to me between 45mph and 65mph. This is very useful in overtaking manoeuvres, especially in such a tiny motor.
The fuel claims to clean your engine more thoroughly than any other fuel can. This of course is something I cannot comment on, unless I get my Smart engine checked out in a year or two, versus a Smart engine that hasn’t used such petrol!!
Alas as this is Shell specific it depends where you live, and your usual routes as to whether you can try this on a regular basis. I try to fill up on my way home, which is the only route I drive on regularly that has a Shell garage with this.
I find when running on Optimax I get a better economy with my petrol, usually anothe 20 or 30 miles per £14.00 fill-up. The increased cost of filling up offsets though I guess.
If you can fill up regularly with Optimax, and you do not mind the premium then I suggest you give this a try, to see if you experience anything good or bad!
4 stars, would be 5 if it matched usual petrol on a price point!
Alflavor for Ciao UK - July 2002
PS - if anyone has a more suitable suggestion for the 'accessory' subsection then please let me know as this was Ciao's suggestion. They did ask me if I had any better ideas to let them know! Thanks.
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Good review .... and of course your car is Turbo-Charged so I can understand how this fuel would benefit your car!! Best Regards and Wishes for a Happy 2005!! Tim
atlantis140 26.07.2003 18:13
A good opinion. Just started driving a few weeks ago. I already think petrol is expensive enough without paying even more! Dave
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