Due to current economic issues with petrol prices, I decided to try running my TSI VRS on regular unleaded (from shell) rather than their V-power stuff. After a few tank fulls, I reckoned this would be a good opportunity to test in gear acceleration figures between the two different types of fuel to find out if there really is a difference.

First are some figures from the car with v-power

30-50 in 2nd 2.7

30-50 in 3rd 3.0

50-70 in 4th 4.6

50-70 in 6th 7.6

30-70 in 3rd 6.4

Now here are some figures for shell regular

30-50 in 2nd 2.8

30-50 in 3rd 3.2

30-70 in 3rd 6.5

So it would appear that on the TSI engines there is very little, if any difference (at least in performance) between the two fuels.

In terms of MPG, its probably to early to tell, but they both appear to be even, with v power giving an average 31.3 and regular giving 32.

Edited 10 May, 201115 yr by Gethin

That's interesting. How many miles has your vRS done? I'll be doing similar test when I get mine but that's after it's properly run in to get the best results.

What are you using to record the times?

The figures you have quoted, when allowing for a percentage of error indicates no difference.

I'm assuming your figures are on a "single run" so to speak.

To get accurate figures you would need to:

Ensure road and weather conditions are identical.

Run each test a minimum of 10 times, taking an average time.

On the old TFSI engine, under the filler it said 98 RON (95) indicating super was advised for maximum performance.

This has been replaced under the TSI with simply (95).

You should in theory be able to get better mileage from higher octane fuels in the TSI - but all indications are that from a perfomance point of view, standard should be just as good.

Wouldn't mind seeing your 0-60 times too

That's interesting. How many miles has your vRS done? I'll be doing similar test when I get mine but that's after it's properly run in to get the best results.

What are you using to record the times?

In terms of mileage on the car, it has just passed 20,000. the timings were measured using a stopwatch from within the car (operated by me, car with just one driver and half a tank of fuel), with a rolling start from 10mph below the lowest speed (i.e start from 20 to get a 30-50 time) It was done as an average of two runs, not just a one off (one run in one direction, one run in the other to account for if there was a gradient etc). I know it's not entirely scientific, but I think it's accurate enough to prove a point.

I deliberately have not posted a 0-60 time, as that has more variables involved such as grip, driver skill, gear changes etc. Truth be told I haven't ever tried a 0-60 in my car, I'm not aware of any road in and around Leeds where I could try it.

What surprised me is that 2nd gear isn't that much faster than 3rd for 30-50, even though subjectively the kick feels much bigger in 2nd

On the old TFSI engine, under the filler it said 98 RON (95) indicating super was advised for maximum performance.

This has been replaced under the TSI with simply (95).

my tsi equipped vrs says "98 ron (95)" on the fuel filler cap.

Thanks for posting the info. Its very hard to compare unless you're in "laboratory" conditions - things like differences in ambient temperature and humidity can make a difference so its very hard to do accurate side-by-side measurements.

EVO did a rolling road test a few years back with several cars (m5, subaru and golf gti IIRC) and found that the shell vpower DID have a positive effect on the GTI. This would obviously have been on the older EA113 engine (mk5 gti/TFSI) but i would guess that the results would be very similar on the later EA888 TSI motor.

I can't remember the exact details but it was a few bhp up on the vpower.

I find the Vrs feels nicer on the vpower but I've not done any sort of real testing. On my previous car (mk5 GTI) i did run different fuels back to back on similar trips and found that the higher RON fuel gave a few extra mpg. This was in no way scientific but it sort of makes sense - the more bang you have in the fuel the less you'd need?

- the more bang you have in the fuel the less you'd need?

errrrrr....NO!!!! It just encourages you to put your foot down more to feel the "kick"!!! Well that's my excuse your Honour!

The reason tho that EVO liked the Vpower fuel (others in the test provided more top end power) was the fact that they had done an internal inspection of the combustion chamber to look and how good the cleaning package that is added to the fuel is, and thought is was very good, also they preferred the way the engine felt throughout the rev range using Vpower....I don't use anything else!!

They may be very small performance benefits (although viewers of "top Gear" will be used to a 0.01 second difference in anything's performance vs anything else counts as completely beating into oblivion ) but I am still convinced that my 20,000 miles old vrs is happiest running on Shell V.power, there are also supposedly benefits long term keeping the engine clean and I guess you either believe that or not. I have tried other "premium" grades from the other fuel suppliers but I am convinced the car is most responsive and smoothest when it is drinking v.power. On expeditions to Europe I did fill up a few times with a fuel in Germany that was rated at 100 and it seemed to thrive on that. Ok even if the performance benefits are not apparent without a stopwatch and if maybe it is all in the psychology... for long term health of engine I will stick with premium.... my annual average is about 8,000 so perhaps I am just fortunate that the price difference is not so relevant as for a higher mileage driver...

IMHO

I only really notice a difference when I'm forced to use supermarket 95RON. The car feels heavier and needs more throttle and the engine sounds rougher.

I'm found Shell 95RON to be perfectly fine and no detectable difference between that and V-Power.

tescos super unleaded well its called something else now, is 99ron i think its the same as shell v-power some other garages claim ther petrol to be super unleaded but is still only 95 ron!

tescos super unleaded well its called something else now, is 99ron i think its the same as shell v-power some other garages claim ther petrol to be super unleaded but is still only 95 ron!

Its called Momentum99.

I've used various petrols in my VRS and I can't hand on heart say I've noticed any difference.

Very difficult for most of us to perform a properly controlled test for either power or economy I would have thought.

http://www.thorneymotorsport.co.uk/tuning/Fuel_Test_Results_Update.shtml

I've been using Tesco Momentum99 for a few months now and only really notice the difference when giving it plenty of welly (which is quite often). For normal driving I don't think there's much difference. As I only do between 5-6k miles a year I can afford the £2.50 a tank extra. Fuel economy may have increase but it's marginal. I can get 46 mpg on a long run but it's normally around 33mpg.

http://www.thorneymotorsport.co.uk/tuning/Fuel_Test_Results_Update.shtml

Very interesting. So the handbook current when I bought mine said it would have no effect, but if this is to be believed it could be worth +19.7bhp.

JKM have a TSi VRS maybe they could do a test on that specifically?