There are various ways you can legally boost the performance of your car, ranging from expensive modifications which involve adding a turbocharger or ‘low-cost’ options like using after-market additives which are mixed with the petrol. From customer surveys, Shell has found that there is a segment of motorists in Malaysia who want an extra bit of performance from their engine and are willing to pay for that edge.

For such motorists, Shell Malaysia has introduced a third choice at its pumps known as Formula Shell V-Power. Positioned above its two other unleaded fuels, this new product costs, on average, 15 sen more than premium 97-octane Shell petrol.

The new fuel contains Vaporon ‘energy boosters’, additives which “unleash extra energy to provide more power the instant you step on the accelerator – just like turbocharging your engine’, claims Shell Malaysia.

But the additives are not the main reason why Formula Shell V-Power provides the performance enhancement (although Shell regards it as a ‘re-engineered fuel’); the real secret, which was developed by the engineers working on fuels for the Ferrari’s Formula 1 racing cars, is the refining process to get the fuel. During the refining process, the fuel created is more dense and as the amount of power generated is really a result of the mass of the fuel and air that is used in the combustion process (rather than the volume), this in effect allows the new Shell fuel to ‘contain’ more potential power.

It’s the same principle as using a turbocharger or having extra valves – to force more of the air-fuel mixture into the combustion chamber. In this case, there is no use of hardware and the fuel itself is made more dense to start with.

The 97-octane Formula Shell V-Power is also said to offer other similar benefits as the other Shell fuels, ie engine cleansing, maintenance of engine cleanliness, etc, thanks to the advanced additive package its formulation contains.

The new petrol has been thoroughly tested in Shell’s UK laboratories and also in a test vehicle run on Malaysian roads for an extended period. It is compatible with other petrols but if mixed, Shell warns that the benefits may be reduced. No side effects are expected at all and the petrol will not have any effect on catalytic converters which chemically convert the toxic elements in the exhaust gas into harmless carbon dioxide and water vapour.

The same product has been introduced in some other countries (where it is marketed under other names such as Formula Shell XO and Optimax) and is available at over 230 stations in Peninsula Malaysia.

Shell Malaysia is confident that Malaysian motorists will accept the extra charge for the new petrol, which is necessary because it costs more to make, because they will notice the improvement in performance immediately. After all, many have already been spending a bit extra putting in additives to get extra performance so now Shell Malaysia is doing the same thing for you in every litre of Formula Shell V-Power.

TD Cars (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, the Malaysian company which makes the classic TD 2000 sportscar, is aiming to sell around 120 units this year. The number will be for both domestic and export sales.

The company made this forecast during a signing ceremony for the appointment of a dealer on the East Coast, Aman Razak Saga Holdings. The dealership agreement was signed by TD Cars (Malaysia) Managing Director Edward Teo and Aman Razak Saga Holdings Chairman Datuk Othman Abdul Razak.

To date, TD Cars (Malaysia) has sold about a dozen cars in Malaysia. Besides the Malaysian market, TD Cars (Malaysia) is looking at many overseas markets including those in the ASEAN region, Australia, New Zealand, Hongkong and even Japan, Exports to Singapore will commence shortly.

The car, which costs between RM170,000 and RM183,000, is built at Automotive Conversion Engineering Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of EON which specialises in customising cars (it makes the Proton Limousines). The TD 2000 uses a 2.0-litre Toyota 4A-FE engine and has a bodywork made of fibreglass.

To cater to growing customer demand for accessories for 4WD vehicles, Automotive Corporation (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, the distributor of Isuzu vehicles, has set up a 4×4 Gallery at its branch in Jalan Ma’arof, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

The 4×4 Gallery, which officially opens today, carries accessories for Isuzu vehicles as well as items of interest to off-road enthusiasts. According to Hisamuddin Abdul Wahid, the manager of the branch which is also designated the company’s 4WD Centre in KL,the prices of the accessories offered are about 10% lower than prices charged in other accessory shops.

“These are accessories which we have imported from well known companies like JAOS, TJM and Thule and they are only for Isuzu models like the Rodeo and Trooper,” Encik Hisamuddin told AUTOWORLD.COM.MY.

According to Encik Hisamuddin, the company’s feedback from customers – especially those buying models like the Isuzu Rodeo – showed that there was demand for more options to customise their vehicles. Therefore, as a service to customers, ACM decided to bring in the more popular types of accessories and offer them at special prices.

“We also offer advice on customisation and as we have been selling Isuzu dual-purpose vehicles for two decades, we have a great deal of experience on the subject,” he said. “We can provide advice to customers on what are the practical ways to modify their vehicles and the problems they may face if they want to install some accessories which are not suitable.”

The ACM 4WD Centre in Kuala Lumpur also looks after the 500-strong Isuzu Owners Club which periodically organises activities for its members. Encik Hisamuddin also revealed that the company is considering opening 4WD Centres at its branches in Johor Bahru and Penang in future as interest in off-road vehicles and activities is growing rapidly around the country.

It costs 15 sen more per litre than all other premium-grade petrols but that extra cost doesn’t seem to have deterred Malaysian motorists from buying the newly-introduced Formula Shell V-Power. In less than a fornight after its launch on May 6th, three out of every ten motorists visiting a Shell station have filled their vehicle with the new petrol.

“Although we were confident that the new petrol would be positively received, the actual response has been overwhelming and much better than we expected,” Rahman Kassim, Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd’s senior manager (fuels and brand) told AUTOWORLD.COM.MY. “From our surveys, three out of every ten visitors to our Shell stations filled their vehicles with Formula Shell V-Power and there are many repeat purchases evident too.”

Encik Rahman said that the demand for the new petrol was greater than anticipated so the ratio of supplies in the stations has been quickly adjusted to meet the extra demand to avoid disappointing motorists.

Emphasising that the introduction of the additional grade – making Shell then only company offering three grades – is to give consumers more choices, he said that it is entirely up to a motorist which fuel he or she prefers.

“During this introductiory phase, we have promoters to introduce the fuel but there is no pressure on motorists to buy. And we also make sure that they understand that it does cost more and tell them why,” he explained. “Those who want the benefits buy the new fuel while those who are satisfied with the performance they presently experience from their vehicle will continue to choose Formula Shell.” The extra 15 sen does not seem to be an issue, he noted.

In any case, even at RM1.25 per litre, the price is still low by world standards. That’s because the government subsidises the cost to keep it within reason and pump prices are regulated. At today’s oil prices, a litre of premium petrol should actually cost around RM1.60 to RM1.70.

Looking ahead, he forecast that when the initial curiosity tapered off, Formula Shell V-Power should account for 30% of sales while Formula Shell would account for the highest volume of 60%. The remaining 10% would be taken up by the regular grade which he said was on the decline.

“Regular grade petrol is losing popularity among motorists and is used more for non-auto applications. It is likely that this grade will be phased out before long and the industry is having discussions with the government on such a move for the near future,” he revealed.

Formula Shell V-Power is available in the Klang Valley area for the time being and will be sold at 250 of the 850 Shell stations nationwide by the end of the year.