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Castrol

Castrol is a brand of industrial and automotive lubricants which is applied to a large range of oils, greases and similar products for most lubrication applications. The Castrol brand is part of the BP Group of companies, but has retained its separate identity.

History

In February 1899, Charles Cheers Wakefield took what was perhaps the greatest risk of his working life: he resigned from the Vacuum Oil Company over a disagreement with the management regarding Vacuum Oil's foray into the railroad lubricants sector, and set himself up as competition. The firm he left behind would go on to become Mobil Oil.

Wakefield rented three small rooms on the third floor of 27 Cannon Street in the heart of London, and it was there, on Thursday 9 March 1899, that the firm of C.C.Wakefield & Co opened its doors for the first time.

In 1909, the company began production of a new automotive lubricant named "Castrol" (a contraction of castor oil, from which it was made). The company developed specific oil applications for various applications of the new internal combustion engine, including cars, motorcycles, and aircraft. The original 3 grades of oil being CW for cars, C for motorcycles and R for aircraft and racing engines.

In 1966, Castrol was acquired by British oil company Burmah, which was renamed Burmah-Castrol. In 2000, Burmah-Castrol was acquired by the then BP Amoco plc (now renamed BP plc). Castrol branded lubricants continue to be sold around the world and are, in many countries, market leaders.

Products

Castrol offers lubricants for virtually all domestic, commercial and industrial applications. Some of the bigger, current product brands offered by Castrol include:

- for passenger cars: Edge, Magnatec, Syntec, GTX
- for motorcycles: Power1, PowerRS, Act>evo
- for heavy duty vehicles: Elixion, Enduron, Hypuron, Tection, CRB, Agri
- for ships: Cyltech, TLX Plus
- for industrial applications: Hyspin (hydraulic), Aircol (compressors), Alpha (industrial gears)

More specialist, less well-known or discontinued brands of note for cars include XL, GTD, Formula RS, Synt and SLX. For motorcycles, they include TT, TTS, GP, GPS and Go!.

Castrol A747 is considered by many to be the premier oil for 2-stroke racing motorcycles. It has a distinctive smell that can be recognized instantly and is often nostalgic. This characteristic smell derives from the castor oil base lubricant..

Castrol produce oils for the whole arena of automotive lubrication, including motorcycle 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines, car petrol and diesel engines, an extensive range of manual and automatic transmission fluids, chain lubricants and waxes, coolants, suspension fluids, brake fluids, greases, cleaners and maintenance products.

Castrol also produce products for agricultural machinery, plant, general industry and marine engineering uses.

Castrol products were voted best/most trusted products in switzerland.

Sponsorship

The most prevalent display of the Castrol brand is to be found in sponsorship of varying motorsports (mainly as a "technical partner"), currently in the World Rally Championship, MotoGP, World Superbikes and World Supersports. Castrol have previously been formally involved in Formula 1, World Touring Cars, British Superbikes, British Rallying, DTM, V8 Supercars, Dakar Rally, Drag racing, Sidecar racing - and more.

In North America, Castrol has been an active sponsor of NHRA drag racing, especially with John Force's funny car under the GTX brand since 1987. The company has also sponsored the Brewco Motorsports #27 car in the NASCAR Busch Series, driven by Casey Atwood from 1999 to 2000.

Castrol is one of the most popular oils used in the Australian Touring Car/V8 Supercar series with Castrol as one of Ford Performance Racing's title sponsors. Castrol has been sponsoring Perkins Engineering for many years, most of them as a title sponsor until 2006. Castrol has also have hold the rank of title sponsor with Team Bray, owned by Australian drag car legend, Victor Bray for 17 years.

For the 2007 Formula 1 World Championship, Castrol also sponsor the Williams F1 Toyota team.

Castrol sponsored Swindon Town Football Club from 1995 to 1997. In the first season of this two-year deal, Swindon were Division Two champions.

Castrol has recently began to sponsor a popular Nintendo podcast called Lithcast.

Another interesting sponsorship by Castrol is of the UEFA Euro 2008 football tournaments see www.castrolindex.com

Speed records

Historically, Castrol has been a prolific sponsor of World Land Speed Records, with 21 "titles" to their credit, and their rightful claim of the "World's 'Fastest' Oil", with their current unbroken record of a supersonic speed of 763.035 mph (1,228 km/h) set by RAF fighter pilot Sqn Ldr (then) Andy Green, in the Richard Noble 'brainchild' ThrustSSC. This occurred in the USA at the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, on 15 October 1997.

Advertising

Castrol products are still marketed under the red, white and green colour scheme that dates from the launch of Castrol motor oil in 1909. Advertisements for Castrol oil historically featured the slogan "Castrol - liquid engineering"; this was more recently refreshed and reintroduced as "It's more than just oil. It's liquid engineering." In 2008, this slogan is also being featured as the name for a new rewards club called the "Castrol Liquid Engineering Crew" in which members get the chance to win prizes.

For many years the opening notes of the second Nachtmusik movement of Mahler's Seventh Symphony were used as the signature theme of Castrol TV commercials.

2008: This classic bit of Mahler has now been remixed for Castrol by Birmingham(UK) composer Mark Taylor. (More info about Mark here: http://www.chameleonmusic.co.uk )

A single based on Mark's remix is available for download, (iTunes), from the 25th August 2008 - all profits to Teenage Cancer Trust. Single: It's Liquid Engineering (nice Gorillaz vibe) Released: 25th August 2008 (iTunes download) Written by: Mark Taylor // Craig Hardy (Lemar, McFly, Blue) // Jason Perry (McFly, Lostprophets) // MC Blemish Recorded and Produced by: Craig Hardy // Jason Perry // Mark Taylor. Featuring: mystery lead vocalist // MC Blemish

Download the FREE ringtone and learn more about the charity single here: http://www.whoisrorc.com/

Listen to single here: http://www.myspace.com/whoisRORC

A ringtone based on the remix will also be available for download very soon.