L.N.
Most manufacturers will continue to produce, what they have always produced, so long as they can maintain a market for it.
They will do this in spite of the fact that a better performing longer lasting product has been developed.
Multi-grade, high detergent engine oils are a perfect example of this, PAO synthetic oils developed during the war, but not introduced into the market place until early 1990’s are another.
It is not beyond reason, given the above, that manufacturers will lie when asked about superior or improved products manufactured and marketed by a competitor.
The only way forward in such an environment is product competition in the open market place, backed by honest research data, and that is both hard and expensive to come by.
Using racing as a development tool for engine oils has very limited cross over into the passenger car world. Most racing engines have a very short life and fresh oil every race (the longest of which, Le Mans, lasts perhaps 3000 miles). Most races do not exceed 200 miles.
Passenger car engines are expected to run for well over 100,000 miles with oil change periods of up to 6 months and 10,000 miles. Temperatures over this length of time can vary to extremes. The passenger car engine is hauling a heavier vehicle over longer distances, perhaps pulling caravans, boats or trailers as well. In truth the poor passenger car engine oil works much harder for much longer than any racing engine oil.
I am no great believer in ‘mechanics in a bottle’ or snake oil cure-alls, but I do believe that small companies can make significant discoveries that are difficult to market because major manufactures refuse to acknowledge them for fear of loosing market share.
Just my two cents worth.
Regards,
W.B.