higher octane only delays detonation, allowing you to run more compression, timing, boost, or some combination of the above. If you don't tell your car's computer to do something different with the fuel, it will actually run worse. My friend and I ran around in his car at 5lbs higher than normal boost and an advanced timing map when he filled up with 110 unleaded.
Regarding higher octanes in places other than the US, that isn't entirely accurate...there are three ways to quote octane numbers-RON, MON, and AKI
Quote:
Octane numbers are measured in two ways. The 'research' method of measuring the octane number uses a constant speed (1500 rpm) engine in laboratory conditions. This is the RON - Research Octane Number. The other method is the MON - Motor Octane Number, which uses the same test engine, but has a harsher test regime more closely related to road conditions. So the MON is usually lower than the RON for the same fuel.
Often you may see the octane rating quoted as (R+M)/2. This means an average of the two methods is used to give the fuel a number. This number method is often called 'pump octane' or AKI (anti-knock index) in the US.
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In places other than the US, it is common to quote RON numbers instead, thus making it look like they've got 'better' gas.