Liqui Moly, the German motor oil manufacturer, has launched its new Special Tec AA 0W-16 to the market. PMM finds out more about this super-low viscosity engine oil.
‘‘It is the lowest viscosity oil that we have ever launched”, explained Tim Keller, Export Area Manager at Liqui Moly, when talking about the Special Tec AA 0W-16. It is suitable for selected models from Honda, Lexus, Suzuki and Toyota, as it is mainly the Japanese car manufacturers that stipulate a viscosity of 0W-16. However, up until now, this has been fairly uncommon outside of Japan, but this is gradually changing.
“0W-16 oils are still very much a niche product but, technologically, they are very interesting,” explained Tim. “This is why we are already producing it, even though the revenue earning potential is still low.”
Special Tec AA 0W-16 meets the requirements for API SN Plus + RC and ILSAC GF-5 and is suitable for selected models of Honda, Lexus, Suzuki and Toyota.
The lower the oil viscosity, the less power the engine has to use to pump the oil. This lowers fuel consumption and emission levels accordingly. A low viscosity oil is one of the many tricks car manufacturers use to reduce emissions. A thicker viscosity 10W-40 used to be the most widely spread viscosity, today it is 5W-30 and increasingly more 0W-20. And now, 0W-16 has been launched.
The challenge for oil manufacturers is to develop an oil that has a low viscosity on the one hand, but also ensures the lubrication of the engine under extreme loads. The actual oil used in the motor oil cannot manage this because its viscosity is too low. It is the highly-developed additive packages that are mixed with the actual oil in the motor oil that keeps the engine lubricated.
The showcasing of the Special Tec AA 0W-16 also sees a relaunch of the entire Special Tec AA series. This product line includes motor oils developed specifically for cars produced by American and Asian manufacturers.
Each specification has an improved performance recipe and a new design. Commenting on the recent developments, Tim confidently remarked, “We have the right oil for nearly every car.”
