The new products began appearing in some U.S. outlets in January and should be available nationwide next month. They include three offerings, all backed with a guarantee of engine protection:

Mobil Super, which is guaranteed to protect engines for up to 5,000 miles between oil changes. Based on conventional mineral oils, it is available in SAE 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30 and 10W-40 grades.

Mobil Super High Mileage, in the same quartet of viscosities. Also based on conventional oils, its fortified with additional seal conditioners to prevent leaks and reduce oil consumption in older vehicles.

Mobil Super Synthetic, a full-synthetic oil that aims to take up a stance slightly behind that held by Mobil 1, the worlds best-selling synthetic. It will be sold in SAE 0W-20, 5W-20, 5W-30 and 10W-30 viscosities.

Conspicuously absent from this line-up is a synthetic-blend product. Also daring is the addition of a second-tier full-synthetic, especially one thats not called Mobil 1. But neither shift in strategy was undertaken lightly, stated Hesham Omar, Americas automotive marketing manager for ExxonMobil Lubricants and Petroleum Specialties in Fairfax, Va.

While its new to the U.S. market, Mobil Super is a global brand that already has met success in Europe, Asia and Latin America, Omar told LubesnGreases in an interview last month. Mobil Super is our global premium brand, and it is very successful all around the world. It has been repositioned around the world, and now were bringing it home, he said. We believe the Mobil Super name does better communicate quality to consumers.

The Clean product line, which included Mobil Clean 5000, Mobil Synthetic Blend 7500 and Mobil Clean High Mileage, have been cancelled and replaced with Mobil Super, which still has a mileage interval of 5,000 miles. The big news is that were adding a Mobil Super High Mileage and Mobil Super Synthetic.

Robert Shearer, a marketing advisor in the companys automotive marketing group, explained, Were constantly evaluating the market, doing consumer research, tracking the market, and watching OEM trends and changes in buyer perceptions. Last Octobers launch of ILSAC GF-5 and API SN, the newest engine oil categories, provided a good opportunity to roll out a new product line – but we first did extensive market research.

The revamped product line will bring efficiencies in blending, packaging and inventories, Omar said, but that wasnt the driver. We strive to continuously simplify our offer to consumers, and to reduce complexity in our business and improve our costs and competitiveness, but thats really a byproduct of this new effort. It wasnt the primary objective.

Some industry observers say that Mobil Super Synthetic could come back to haunt the company by biting into sales of its top-tier Mobil 1 synthetic, but Omar differed with such opinions and said market research shows that each can have a secure niche. We did very thorough consumer research on the proposition around Mobil Super Synthetic, and so we anticipate that Mobil Super Synthetic consumers will be trading up from conventional and synthetic blends, he said. The Mobil 1 buyer is seeking a superior product, and less likely to be interested in the Mobil Super proposition.

Another difference, Omar pointed out, is that the Mobil Super Synthetic wont be licensed to Dexos1, the trademarked oil now required for General Motors newest vehicles; that privilege will be reserved for Mobil 1 5W-30 and Mobil 1 Extended Performance. (If Dexos1 ever grows into a larger share of the motor oil market, the company always could revisit that decision, he conceded. We dont comment on the future, but thats something well continue to monitor.)

The market is changing, he remarked. More vehicles require synthetic oil, so more consumers will find themselves buying it for the first time. The OEMs are also looking at drain intervals that are 7,500 to 10,000 miles and beyond, which they can get with our flagship 15,000-mile Mobil 1 product.

The synthetic category is expanding and forecast to expand even further, per OEM requirements, agreed Shearer. Now well have a three-tier proposition for the synthetics segment. Theres Mobil Super Synthetic; Mobil 1, which is the leading product worldwide; and Mobil 1 Extended Performance. So well have a full range of synthetics for the installers and for retail.

By having two tiers of conventional products, too, well have a more robust offering for consumers, he continued. Weve been very focused in our offer, and in helping consumers find the right product for their cars, by clearly outlining the differences. Were making very heavy use of a check-chart approach – on the web, on press releases, and on the back label of the products. Its also on all sorts of point-of-sale materials in quick lubes and on the menu board.

The easy-to-read chart compares the spectrum of Mobil Super and Mobil 1 products, and shows how each adds performance beyond the ones before it. The company hopes that this will suggest price points that follow the same rankings, but declined to predict where the retail prices may settle. We expect prices will vary by retailer and region, commented Jeff Jones, another a marketing advisor in Fairfax. The entire range is designed to be competitive in the premium category, and we see them generally falling into the same order as on the check-chart.

All the Mobil Super products are backed by a guarantee against oil-related engine failure. While it follows on the heels of warranties offered by competitors such as Valvoline, Pennzoil and Quaker State, Omar called this guarantee quite different from any other.

First, the protection starts from the first oil change, as long as you own the vehicle, he said. Theres no registration required, either. We encourage consumers to read the guarantee – they can start a vehicle on the program any time, any vehicle, and the protection begins immediately.

The coverage is valid for as long as the consumer owns that vehicle, and continues using Mobil Super at appropriate oil-change intervals, said Shearer, adding, If there is any issue with the engine, the consumer will need to provide proof of purchase of Mobil products as part of the claims process. The full details are spelled out at www.mobil.com/guarantee.

Shearer said many distributors have already picked up the new products, and he expects by April theyll be available wherever Mobil products are sold.

That includes Mobil 1 Lube Express quick lubes, added Jeff Jones. They will be able to offer the Mobil Super Synthetic products, too. Its important to us for all quick lubes to have all the products available for consumers.

We are just now starting with the communication campaign, Jones went on. Were planning a fully integrated campaign, including media, public relations, digital, point of sale, and training materials for our nationwide network of sales professionals and distributors.

Were working closely with major retailers and key distributors, emphasized Omar. This is our opportunity to make the offer most appealing. Feedback from our marketers has been extremely positive, and they are pleased with the clarity, the simplicity of the offer, the training program and the investment behind the premium line.

This will be an all-out campaign, he assured. We havent been as aggressive in the past as youre going to see us be in the future.