102 octane
BP Ultimate 102 has an amazing 102 octane rating – the maximum allowed in Formula 1 and the World Rally Championship
But what is octane and why is it important?
The octane number of petrol is a measure of its combustion quality and in particular, its ability to withstand severe operating conditions. It is a critical feature limiting the tuning of performance engines. In order to avoid knock - the uncontrolled explosion of part of the fuel/air mixture - and even severe engine damage, petrol must be of an adequate octane quality for the engine. High octane fuels resist knock so the higher the octane, the more an engine can be tuned for performance.
There are two main measures of the knock resistance of petrol. These are the Research Octane Number and the Motor Octane Number. Each is determined using a standard laboratory rating procedure carried out under separate test parameters to assess the combustion characteristics of the fuel under different engine operating conditions.
The octane number of petrol is a measure of its combustion quality and in particular, its ability to withstand severe operating conditions. It is a critical feature limiting the tuning of performance engines. In order to avoid knock - the uncontrolled explosion of part of the fuel/air mixture - and even severe engine damage, petrol must be of an adequate octane quality for the engine. High octane fuels resist knock so the higher the octane, the more an engine can be tuned for performance.
There are two main measures of the knock resistance of petrol. These are the Research Octane Number and the Motor Octane Number. Each is determined using a standard laboratory rating procedure carried out under separate test parameters to assess the combustion characteristics of the fuel under different engine operating conditions.
RON of 102
Firstly, the more familiar Research Octane Number, or RON, was developed to measure knock resistance under accelerating conditions. Ordinary petrol sold in the UK has an octane, or more accurately, a RON of 95. Compare this to BP Ultimate 102 unleaded which has – as its name suggests – a RON of 102, the maximum allowed in F1 and the WRC.
90 MON
The second octane rating is MON – Motor Octane Number – which is a measure of the fuel’s knock resistance at higher speed and under more severe engine conditions. It is particularly relevant to high speed, full load operation and turbo-charged engines. Ordinary UK quality petrol is required to meet a MON rating of 85, with premium fuels typically having a MON of 86. But not only has BP Ultimate 102 been specially formulated to have a RON of 102, it is also guaranteed to have an incredible 90 MON rating.
This huge difference in octane quality compared to ordinary petrol means that in highly tuned engines much higher performance is possible with BP Ultimate 102.
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