Ferrari unveils ethanol-powered sports car

muralisk · 15th January 2008, 14:18

DETROIT (Reuters) - Fill up your Ferrari at the farm?

The Italian luxury sports car maker unveiled a concept car on Monday that can run on ethanol which it said reflected its engineering expertise from Formula One racing and growing demand for alternative fuel vehicles in the United States.

The sleek Ferrari F430 Spider Biofuel, with green stripes on its silver bodywork, consumes an E85 -- 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline -- mix, a growing fuel blend in the U.S.

Ferrari chief executive Amedeo Felisa said during a news conference at the North American International Auto Show that the concept was part of the firm's efforts to reduce tailpipe emission levels by 40 percent by 2012.

Felisa said Ferrari had gleaned experience in using biofuel in Formula I because of regulations that competitors use gasoline with a 5.75 percent biomass content.
The FIA GT and American Le Mans Series racing organisations require 10 percent ethanol.

For the Spider Biofuel, Ferrari made some changes to the fuel injection system and to the engine's computer chip. The result was an increase in power output, with equal weight and a five percent decline in carbon dioxide emissions.

Ferrari, a unit of Fiat, shipped 6,400 cars in 2007, up 14 percent on 2006.
Sales to the Asia Pacific rose 50 percent, with 177 cars delivered to China. Sales to the Middle East rose 32 percent.

The operating result was 15 percent of turnover, according to a company statement.

Source: Ferrari unveils ethanol-powered sports car | Technology | Reuters

Nitin · 15th January 2008, 21:22

Thats interesting. I'd like to see more cars run on bio-fuel.
Was watching an episode of 'Pimp My ride', and they had a 1967 Camaro that runs on bio-fuel. The main source of the fuel was flaxseed/corn.

The best part being that there's really no drop in power with the change in the fuel.

PiranhaBoy · 16th January 2008, 08:00

moreover they are reducing the car weights so that they consume lesser fuel, giving nearly the same power output.

ram_hyundai · 16th January 2008, 20:12

any pictures for the car .sounding good and maybe the common cars would also be launched with biofuel.lol
ram

Nitin · 16th January 2008, 21:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by ram_hyundai

any pictures for the car .sounding good and maybe the common cars would also be launched with biofuel.lol
ram

lol? Its being worked upon,and pretty soon most of the common cars will run on bio-fuel.Its way more economical.
Pics of the car are on MSN auto. The link provided by murali also has a pic.

15th January 2008, 14:18	#1
muralisk BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hyderabad, Bangalore Posts: 711 Thanked: 13 Times View My Garage	Ferrari unveils ethanol-powered sports car DETROIT (Reuters) - Fill up your Ferrari at the farm? The Italian luxury sports car maker unveiled a concept car on Monday that can run on ethanol which it said reflected its engineering expertise from Formula One racing and growing demand for alternative fuel vehicles in the United States. The sleek Ferrari F430 Spider Biofuel, with green stripes on its silver bodywork, consumes an E85 -- 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline -- mix, a growing fuel blend in the U.S. Ferrari chief executive Amedeo Felisa said during a news conference at the North American International Auto Show that the concept was part of the firm's efforts to reduce tailpipe emission levels by 40 percent by 2012. Felisa said Ferrari had gleaned experience in using biofuel in Formula I because of regulations that competitors use gasoline with a 5.75 percent biomass content. The FIA GT and American Le Mans Series racing organisations require 10 percent ethanol. For the Spider Biofuel, Ferrari made some changes to the fuel injection system and to the engine's computer chip. The result was an increase in power output, with equal weight and a five percent decline in carbon dioxide emissions. Ferrari, a unit of Fiat, shipped 6,400 cars in 2007, up 14 percent on 2006. Sales to the Asia Pacific rose 50 percent, with 177 cars delivered to China. Sales to the Middle East rose 32 percent. The operating result was 15 percent of turnover, according to a company statement. Source: Ferrari unveils ethanol-powered sports car \| Technology \| Reuters
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15th January 2008, 21:22	#2
Nitin Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 3,294 Thanked: 20 Times View My Garage	Thats interesting. I'd like to see more cars run on bio-fuel. Was watching an episode of 'Pimp My ride', and they had a 1967 Camaro that runs on bio-fuel. The main source of the fuel was flaxseed/corn. The best part being that there's really no drop in power with the change in the fuel.
	() Thanks

16th January 2008, 08:00	#3
PiranhaBoy BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 208 Thanked: 3 Times	moreover they are reducing the car weights so that they consume lesser fuel, giving nearly the same power output.
	() Thanks

16th January 2008, 20:12	#4
ram_hyundai Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Calicut ,trisur Posts: 2,020 Thanked: 53 Times View My Garage	any pictures for the car .sounding good and maybe the common cars would also be launched with biofuel.lol ram
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