Motul 300V vs 8100: What's the Difference?

This is one of the most frequently asked question of any car owner. When it comes to picking the right Motul engine oil, which is better suited for my car: the 300V or 8100?

Both are 100 percent synthetic engine oils, synthesized and produced free of any mineral or crude oils. This ensures that Motul can control the quality of every drop of oil in the bottle, as opposed to having to refine the quality of mineral base oils.

Now, as Motul’s top-of-the-line, full synthetic racing engine oil, 300V is their most well-known product. But while 300V is cutting-edge stuff (and you can certainly use it in every application) it doesn’t mean you should do so. When it comes to protecting the engine, sometimes it’s not really the case of which is “best,” but rather, which is most suitable.

The most important thing to know is that 300V is truly a racing oil. Mechanics at the Dakar Rally or Le Mans endurance race pour it into the competition vehicles they service, and it’s the exact same stuff you can buy off the shelf at your Motul dealer or service provider.

Racing oils provide the same things that ‘street’ (or regular) oils do: Improve power, protect the engine, and improve the reliability and longevity of components. 300V is a very specific product, and there are even different formulations for different racing applications, from sprint races to endurance rallies.

300V does its job well, but unlike 8100, it’s designed, as is typical of a racing lubricant, to have a more frequent replacement interval than a street oil like 8100. 8100, as a high-quality lubricant, can be changed at your car’s stated service intervals while 300V would require replacing far sooner for the optimum performance.

So, besides those with actual racing cars, who should use 300V? Avid motorsport enthusiasts whose vehicle are in a high state of tune or which are used regularly at track days or sporting events such as time attacks, gymkhana, or drag races. And that’s not to say 8100 can’t do it either, those who attend occasional track days but do a majority of driving on normal roads will find 8100 up to the task.