Not so many years ago the motor oil market was simple, with a single multi-grade oil suitable for most cars. Today, with engine technology transformed, the landscape is very different and it is essential to choose the right oil for the right application.

To understand the importance of correct oil choice Oliver Kuhn, deputy manager of the LIQUI MOLY oil laboratory, has provided an insight in to why universal motor oil is now a total non-starter. Oliver says, “In the past it was almost irrelevant which oil you poured into the engine. Choice was limited and the car tolerated almost everything. Over the years different viscosities of oil came about, but today the viscosity is just one of many important properties.”

Oliver explains that Industry standards are decisive for modern motor oil. These come from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) or the American Petroleum Institute (API). Furthermore, especially European car manufacturers have developed their own oil specifications. He says, "Overall there are currently more than 50 specifications for motor oil."

The reason for this explosion in different specs lies in the vehicle manufacturers efforts to reduce fuel consumption and therefore also emissions. Especially European car manufacturers discovered motor oil to be a vital factor in this quest, with different specs maximising the economy of the engine.

Oliver says, “The question of the "best oil" cannot really be answered in general terms. Instead it is a question of using the right oil for each car. Today, motor oil is like a liquid replacement part. Putting in the wrong oil is like fitting the wrong replacement part. This threatens dangers that go beyond a little oil sludge. There are actually oil-engine combinations that destroy the engine after just a few hundred kilometres.”

Oliver believes a change in trend towards fewer oil types is not on the horizon. He comments, “In future the variety of oils will grow even further and the trend towards ever more specialised oils will continue.”