Ninety-seven octane unleaded petrol, the first ever to be produced in South Africa, goes on sale at selected Engen and Zenex fuel stations in KwaZulu Natal on Wednesday. Engen’s Dynamic 97 will cost the same as normal 95 unleaded.
Ninety-seven octane unleaded petrol, the first ever to be produced in South Africa, goes on sale at selected Engen and Zenex fuel stations in KwaZulu Natal (KZN) on Wednesday.
Steve Williams, business unit manager for Engen’s Eastern Region (KZN), on Tuesday said that the company’s unleaded 97, would go on sale from today and be phased in over the holiday period to include approximately 140 sites in the region.
Williams said that Engen has spent several million rands developing Dynamic 97 unleaded over the past two years. “In line with international trends and our commitment to developing cleaner fuels, we have been developing this product for a number of years. Dynamic 97 unleaded addresses the current perception of some motorists that lower octane equals lower performance,” Williams said.
“We believe that the new product offering of a higher octane will further encourage motorists to make the switch from leaded to unleaded petrol and this will support the government’s stated objective of phasing out leaded fuel by 2006.
According to Williams, Engen’s refinery is the most complex installation of its kind in South Africa. This, he says, allows the company to formulate Dynamic 97 unleaded without an additive package. “It (the fuel) is a true new formulation,” he said.
“Dynamic 97 unleaded petrol is the most progressive petrol ever developed in South Africa. It is cleaner burning and also provides better economy, performance and efficiency for every kilometre driven. We are proud to be the first company in the country to make a product such as this available to the public,” Williams said.
Engen’s unleaded programme pre-dates the government’s recent announcements by at least a year. The fuel does not rely on the use of Methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT) – an additive used by Sasol to improve the octane rating of its controversial Dualfuel product.
CAR magazine reported in March this year that a number of overseas motor manufacturers had advised against the use of MMT because it could cause misfiring and early failure of catalytic converter systems.
However, while Dynamic 97 has no MMT, it does contain more of the heavier aromatics than 95 unleaded. A spokesman for Engen said that the levels of heavy aromatics in Dynamic 97 were well within those accepted by industry, the SABS and government.
Dynamic 97 Unleaded can only be supplied directly from Engen’s Wentworth depot and service station attendants have been trained to advise motorists whether their vehicles are suited to use Dynamic 97 Unleaded.
A list of the newer cars that can use Dynamic 97 Unleaded will be available at the service stations selling the product and on Engen’s website, www.engen.co.za. The Engen hotline – 08600 36436 – will also provide motorists with further information, including where Dynamic 97 will be sold.
Engen’s new fuel is currently only available in KwaZulu Natal, however, the company is studying the feasibility of making the product more widely available.