Open a modern owner's manual and you'll find more than a viscosity. It lists a code: VW 508 00, BMW Longlife-12 FE, Porsche C40. That code is an OEM approval: the manufacturer tested specific oils and certified them for your engine. Using an oil without the code can matter for warranty and for the engine itself. The tables below map each code to the Motul oil built for it.
Manufacturer-specific oils (built for one code)
| Your manual says | The Motul for it |
|---|---|
| VW/Audi 508 00 / 509 00 (0W-20) | Motul Specific 508 00 509 00 |
| BMW Longlife-12 FE (0W-30) | Motul Specific LL-12 FE |
| Porsche C40 (5W-40) | Motul Specific C40 |
| Ford WSS-M2C948-B (5W-20, EcoBoost) | Motul Specific 948B |
| Jaguar Land Rover STJLR.51.5122 (0W-20) | Motul Specific 5122 |
| Nissan GT-R / NISMO | NISMO Competition Oil by Motul |
Broad-approval synthetics (one oil, many codes)
The 8100 line carries stacked European approvals. Each product page lists its exact current approvals in the Specs & Approvals table, pulled from Motul's published data:
- 8100 X-cess GEN2 5W-40, the broad European workhorse
- 8100 X-cess 5W-30 where a 5W-30 with European approvals is called for
- 8100 X-max 0W-40 for low-temperature European specs
- 8100 X-power 10W-60 for high-output engines specifying 10W-60
- Asian Import line for API/ILSAC specs on Japanese and Korean makes
- NGEN Hybrid for hybrid duty cycles
How to use this
- Find the spec code in your owner's manual or oil cap, not only the viscosity.
- If it matches a Specific oil above, that's your answer; it was built for that code.
- Otherwise, open the 8100/Asian Import product pages and match the code in the approvals table.
- If no code is listed anywhere, match viscosity and API/ACEA rating from the manual.
Browse Automotive Oil. Every page lists its approvals, so you can match your manual exactly. Free shipping on orders of $50 or more.