When it comes to power density and achieving maximum efficiency without sacrificing performance, BMW’s EfficientDynamics range is right up there with the best of the current crop of downsized motors.

BMW’s engine wizardry plays its part, but so does advanced lubrication technology. The purpose of the 2012 Castrol / BP & BMW EfficientDynamics Global Challenge is to highlight this – and celebrate BMW and Castrol’s long-running strategic partnership, now in its 14th year.

 It’s also longhand for an eco-driving challenge. International Fleet World went along to the private roads of the Transport Research Laboratory in Berkshire, to test its mettle against a select handful of BMW dealers and media from around the world. A bit of learning is required before the track time though, so the first stop is Castrol’s Technology Centre tucked away in the Berkshire countryside, an R&D facility teeming with white coats and tortured engines.

So why is lubricant technology becoming more important? Castrol’s white coats provide an assembly of BMW dealers and media with a bit of context. 

Small is good – as prevailing car tax regimes and government policy would advocate. And putting less under the bonnet to improve efficiency without compromising performance, is a challenge that both engineers and motor industry marketers have risen to over the past few years. In the current climate, no manufacturer worth its salt can do without an eco sub-brand. That’s fuelling the trend for ever-decreasing engine size, and aggressive boosting technology – as Castrol’s European Development Manager for passenger car engine oils, Richard Egan explains:

“As most of the OEMs move towards downsizing – you’ve got these small powerhouses working much harder to deliver the same power as larger capacity engines – and the engine oil has to work much harder to provide the same protection and durability needed. But smaller engines mean smaller sumps – so the oil not only has to work harder, there’s less of it to go around.”

However well-oiled the presentation, lubricant technology can’t be considered exciting in the traditional sense. But with a large chunk of scheduled service costs these days attributable to higher-tech lubricants, it’s useful to know there is some substance behind the premium mystique of ‘top tier’ offerings from Castrol, Shell and ExxonMobil. 

Should the fleet industry be interested in what the oil boffins say? Well, yes. Thanks to extended service intervals which the likes of the VW Group and BMW have largely tuned for the fleet market, many cars will cover up to 40,000km before the on-board computer calls time and recommends an oil change. The wrong lubricant can spell disaster, particularly for diesel particulate filter (DPF) – equipped vehicles with exhaust after-treatment systems – which is why BMW developed its Longlife oil specification, setting a minimum standard for the lubricants used in its latest engines. If fleets want to keep repair costs down, it’s important to know the correct lubricant is used – even more so where cars are maintained outside of the manufacturer’s franchised service network. The current factory-fill choice and BMW’s recommended aftersales lubricant is Castrol Edge Professional, formulations of which were developed to deliver the protection and durability needed by the highly-stressed TwinPower turbocharged engines in BMW’s current model line-up.

 It’s not just about durability and engine protection though. The other reason for fleets to take notice of oil choice is that it forms a vital piece of the fuel economy jigsaw – with the latest low-viscosity friction reduction technology making ever-more impressive economy numbers possible – as BMW’s engine development man, Hubert Fischer explains: 

“About 25% of fuel consumption is due to friction in the engine, so efforts to improve oil technology are hugely important to BMW.”  It’s also hugely important from a fleet manager’s perspective; if company cars are to achieve anything like the 68mpg figure claimed for the 320d EfficientDynamics, the right oil has to go in at service time. That, according to Fischer, and the trend for more highly stressed engine hardware is pushing the industry towards lower viscosity (thinner) oils. He also reveals Castrol is working with BMW to develop a 0W 20 grade lubricant – one of the thinnest oils seen outside a motorsport application.

But ExxonMobil and Shell also produce oils which franchised dealers are free to use, provided the formulation meets BMW specs. As to why many BMW dealers stick with Castrol, there’s clearly value in the premium image, “We buy Castrol because it’s a strong brand in the market and a premium oil for a premium car – and because of the personal relationships with them developed over many years,” said Stephen Potter, MD of London-based franchise, Hexagon BMW.

 Laboratory tour and presentation over with, it’s a quick hop down the M4 to the private roads of the Transport Research Laboratory in Crowthorne.  Awaiting us is a fleet of BMW’s latest 320d EfficientDynamics models – each plastered with Castrol/BP livery and the assorted national flags of the various countries represented by the attending delegates. The plan is simple: to coax our union-jacked BMW 320d EfficientDynamics to a home victory over the assembled international media. 

Instructors provide a few pointers on how to adopt the most fuel-sipping driving style first, and it isn’t all about accelerator dodging – the kind of tips handed out would be familiar to anyone who has attended an eco-driving course. Smoother accelerator and brake inputs, fewer gear changes and planning well ahead of junctions will all see that fuel gauge needle move more glacially. Setting the tyre pressures correctly and taking off that roof rack from last summer’s camping trip helps, too.

The pre-set route takes in 30mph roads as well as a tantalising high-speed bowl section, but with a benchmark figure of 49.2mpg to beat, that’s off limits. As there’s a time limit attached – we also have to cover the course in less than 18 minutes to avoid penalties. That means deliberate dawdling to nudge up the economy figure is out.

It may be a well-worn BMW driver stereotype, but driving too close to the car in front seriously damages your fuel economy. In the end, being bunched up behind slower cars leads to frustration and too much flirtation with the right pedal, scuppering any chance of getting near the BMW’s claimed 68mpg. With a shamefully inefficient 46mpg, it’s a reminder that leaving plenty of space behind the car in front enables you to dictate your own pace and finesse any brake and accelerator inputs. Thinking about the driving style more takes practice, but it makes a whole world of difference to the economy figures, as a second run and a more respectable 52mpg proves. 

So the gold medal goes to the French team, who manage a far more frugal 61mpg. Apart from reinvigorating international relations, the surprise of the day is that driver behaviour and car choice are only part of the equation when it comes to achieving manufacturer’s fuel economy claims. The slippery golden stuff matters too.

When it comes to power density and achieving maximum efficiency without sacrificing performance, BMW’s EfficientDynamics range is right up there with the best of the current crop of downsized motors.

BMW’s engine wizardry plays its part, but so does advanced lubrication technology. The purpose of the 2012 Castrol / BP & BMW EfficientDynamics Global Challenge is to highlight this – and celebrate BMW and Castrol’s long-running strategic partnership, now in its 14th year.

It’s also longhand for an eco-driving challenge. International Fleet World went along to the private roads of the Transport Research Laboratory in Berkshire, to test its mettle against a select handful of BMW dealers and media from around the world. A bit of learning is required before the track time though, so the first stop is Castrol’s Technology Centre tucked away in the Berkshire countryside, an R&D facility teeming with white coats and tortured engines.

So why is lubricant technology becoming more important? Castrol’s white coats provide an assembly of BMW dealers and media with a bit of context. 

Small is good – as prevailing car tax regimes and government policy would advocate. And putting less under the bonnet to improve efficiency without compromising performance, is a challenge that both engineers and motor industry marketers have risen to over the past few years. In the current climate, no manufacturer worth its salt can do without an eco sub-brand. That’s fuelling the trend for ever-decreasing engine size, and aggressive boosting technology – as Castrol’s European Development Manager for passenger car engine oils, Richard Egan explains:

“As most of the OEMs move towards downsizing – you’ve got these small powerhouses working much harder to deliver the same power as larger capacity engines – and the engine oil has to work much harder to provide the same protection and durability needed. But smaller engines mean smaller sumps – so the oil not only has to work harder, there’s less of it to go around.”

However well-oiled the presentation, lubricant technology can’t be considered exciting in the traditional sense. But with a large chunk of scheduled service costs these days attributable to higher-tech lubricants, it’s useful to know there is some substance behind the premium mystique of ‘top tier’ offerings from Castrol, Shell and ExxonMobil. 

Should the fleet industry be interested in what the oil boffins say? Well, yes. Thanks to extended service intervals which the likes of the VW Group and BMW have largely tuned for the fleet market, many cars will cover up to 40,000km before the on-board computer calls time and recommends an oil change. The wrong lubricant can spell disaster, particularly for diesel particulate filter (DPF) – equipped vehicles with exhaust after-treatment systems – which is why BMW developed its Longlife oil specification, setting a minimum standard for the lubricants used in its latest engines. If fleets want to keep repair costs down, it’s important to know the correct lubricant is used – even more so where cars are maintained outside of the manufacturer’s franchised service network. The current factory-fill choice and BMW’s recommended aftersales lubricant is Castrol Edge Professional, formulations of which were developed to deliver the protection and durability needed by the highly-stressed TwinPower turbocharged engines in BMW’s current model line-up.

 It’s not just about durability and engine protection though. The other reason for fleets to take notice of oil choice is that it forms a vital piece of the fuel economy jigsaw – with the latest low-viscosity friction reduction technology making ever-more impressive economy numbers possible – as BMW’s engine development man, Hubert Fischer explains: 

'About 25% of fuel consumption is due to friction in the engine, so efforts to improve oil technology are hugely important to BMW.'  It’s also hugely important from a fleet manager’s perspective; if company cars are to achieve anything like the 68mpg figure claimed for the 320d EfficientDynamics, the right oil has to go in at service time. That, according to Fischer, and the trend for more highly stressed engine hardware is pushing the industry towards lower viscosity (thinner) oils. He also reveals Castrol is working with BMW to develop a 0W 20 grade lubricant – one of the thinnest oils seen outside a motorsport application.

But ExxonMobil and Shell also produce oils which franchised dealers are free to use, provided the formulation meets BMW specs. As to why many BMW dealers stick with Castrol, there’s clearly value in the premium image, “We buy Castrol because it’s a strong brand in the market and a premium oil for a premium car – and because of the personal relationships with them developed over many years,” said Stephen Potter, MD of London-based franchise, Hexagon BMW.

Laboratory tour and presentation over with, it’s a quick hop down the M4 to the private roads of the Transport Research Laboratory in Crowthorne. Awaiting us is a fleet of BMW’s latest 320d EfficientDynamics models – each plastered with Castrol/BP livery and the assorted national flags of the various countries represented by the attending delegates. The plan is simple: to coax our union-jacked BMW 320d EfficientDynamics to a home victory over the assembled international media. 

Instructors provide a few pointers on how to adopt the most fuel-sipping driving style first, and it isn’t all about accelerator dodging – the kind of tips handed out would be familiar to anyone who has attended an eco-driving course. Smoother accelerator and brake inputs, fewer gear changes and planning well ahead of junctions will all see that fuel gauge needle move more glacially. Setting the tyre pressures correctly and taking off that roof rack from last summer’s camping trip helps, too.

The pre-set route takes in 30mph roads as well as a tantalising high-speed bowl section, but with a benchmark figure of 49.2mpg to beat, that’s off limits. As there’s a time limit attached – we also have to cover the course in less than 18 minutes to avoid penalties. That means deliberate dawdling to nudge up the economy figure is out.

It may be a well-worn BMW driver stereotype, but driving too close to the car in front seriously damages your fuel economy. In the end, being bunched up behind slower cars leads to frustration and too much flirtation with the right pedal, scuppering any chance of getting near the BMW’s claimed 68mpg. 

With a shamefully inefficient 46mpg, it’s a reminder that leaving plenty of space behind the car in front enables you to dictate your own pace and finesse any brake and accelerator inputs. Thinking about the driving style more takes practice, but it makes a whole world of difference to the economy figures, as a second run and a more respectable 52mpg proves. 

So the gold medal goes to the French team, who manage a far more frugal 61mpg. Apart from reinvigorating international relations, the surprise of the day is that driver behaviour and car choice are only part of the equation when it comes to achieving manufacturer’s fuel economy claims. The slippery golden stuff matters too.