The FAA announced on Sept. 14 the approval of a new fuel that meets a “very low lead” (VLL) specification for use in all aircraft currently operating on 100LL. The approval, issued in a special airworthiness information bulletin (SAIB), is the culmination of an effort initiated last year by the members of the GA Avgas Coalition, the petroleum industry, and several engine and airframe manufacturers.
The first paragraph seems pretty spectacular, an actual new fuel to replace 100LL, the first new fuel that has full approval in years (the article goes on to say it will be just as healthy on engines and same power etc etc).
Then you get to this gem:
Much of the avgas sold today uses less than the maximum amount of lead allowed by the current 100LL specification and already meets the new “very low lead” specification. The addition of 100VLL is an important development in that it more accurately reflects the small amount of lead actually in avgas today.
So in other words, most (if not all) of the current 100LL fuel meets the new standard, so it's just a new wrapper for the same stuff. Even if it "more accurately reflects" the fuel, it doesn't change a single thing about what happens when you burn it.
If you're going to do that, why not just keep the name 100LL and say you are reducing the maximum content... although I guess then it wouldn't be the exciting "new" fuel.
