Petron launches most advanced unleaded gas

Petron Corp. announced the launching of its most advanced unleaded gasoline tomorrow, Feb. 13, 2000. The new product known as XCS Plus Valvemaster is a revolutionary fuel which works better than leaded. It is the company's response to the forthcoming mandatory phaseout of leaded gasoline on April 1, 2000 and also manifests Petron's strategy of introducing new petroleum products, which target specific market clusters.

Petron's XCS Plus Valvemaster will be formally introduce during the Valentine concert of two of the country's top performers, "Concert King Martin Nievera and "Concert Diva" Zsa Zsa Padilla. The concert "Divine Madness 2000" will be held at Araneta "The Big Dome" Coliseum at 8 p.m.

Currently, the majority of the country's car owners use leaded gasoline. While lead is acknowledged as a hazardous, environmentally unfriendly substance, it is the component in gasoline that lubricates valve seats, cushioning them from wear and tear.

Petron's fuel formulation partner, Associated Octel Co. of the UK, explained that XCS Plus Valvemaster is the only unleaded premium gasoline that has a phosphorus-based lubricant in place of lead to protect cars from valve seat recessions. It also has superior detergency which results in cleaner exhaust emissions while keeping the car engine in A-1 condition. Associated Octel Co. UK, is the world's leading manufacturer of fuel additives.

While adding the new features of Valvemaster, the gasoline will retain all the well known attributes of the existing Petron XCS brand on power, clean burning and fuel economy.

Petron chairman and chief executive officer Jose A. Syjuco Jr. said the research studies commissioned by the company's marketing group indicated that motorists, while recognizing the harmful effects of lead to the environment, still felt that their cars run better on leaded gasoline.

"They worry about the damage that may happen to their vehicle's exhaust valve seats in the absence of lead. They are concerned that their vehicle performance will not be optimized because the lead that helps boost octane rating will no longer be present," Syjuco added.

Petron president Khalid Al-Falih further stressed the XCS Plus Valvemaster provides more power, better response and acceleration, improved fuel economy as well as reduced tail-pipe emissions.

Motorists who want an assurance that the unleaded gasoline they will eventually have to put in their vehicles will perform just as well as leaded gasoline can now switch to XCS Plus Valvemaster. This new unleaded premium gasoline will initially be available in 60 Petron service stations in Metro Manila.