Before political correctness and saving the planet kicked in, I'm sure that octane = tetestarone, in the sense of: "my car only runs on 5 star". In the less than happy period of my Audi TT ownership, the manufacturer recommended super unleaded, but I could never tell the difference from cooking gas.
Oops! the grumpy old man strikes again! - and he's had a few, down the pub and can't figure the spelling of T...one.