To provide a lubricating oil composition having the ratio of the absolute viscosity rise at 40C to that of the RL216 reference oil at 40C of less than about 0.8.

The lubricating oil composition comprises less than about 30 wt.% of a relatively low Noack volatility base oil and a viscosity additive comprising a minor effective amount of a sacrifical polymer viscosity index improver having a shear stability index (SSI) of greater than about 45 and a major amount of a viscosity index improver having an SSI of less than about 26.