Jan 21, 2008

Yes, Racing Does Improve the Breed

When you contemplate environmental hotbeds, it is unlikely that your mind will immediately conjure up pictures of racetracks. In the world of high-speed, high-stakes motorsports competition, the "green" movement doesn't seem to have much of a foothold. But that is changing, as indicated by two "concept cars" that were unveiled at this week's North American International Auto Show in Detroit. An experimental Ferrari F430 sports car and the prototype R8 V12 TDI are both steps in a green direction that derive their beginnings from racing.

Unbeknownst to many, F1 racing fuel is some five percent renewable ethanol, and Ferrari is using that as a jumping off point for its new, experimental F430 Spider that has been recalibrated and re-tuned to operate on a "biofuel" gasoline mixture. The Flex Fuel Ferrari concept can use conventional gasoline, E85, which is 85 percent ethanol, or any combination thereof. Because of the re-tuning, the Flex Fuel F430 actually offers 10 additional horsepower, while emissions are down five percent. The company also notes that its cars that are currently on sale can operate on an ethanol mixture of up to 10 percent, which is good news, since fuels with that kind of ethanol concentration are commonly sold throughout much of the United States. 

Audi has a completely different take on the ultra-performance vehicle segment but its environmental effort is also rooted deeply in racing. At the Detroit auto show the elite German brand turned the sporting world upside down by cramming a 500-horsepower diesel -- yes, diesel -- V12 into its highly praised R8 sports car. The V12 TDI is closely related to the engine in the two-time LeMans winning R10, and it not only offers 500 horsepower but also a staggering 738 pound-feet of torque. The peak torque level is achieved at just 1,750 rpm, which helps the R8 V12 TDI concept rocket from zero to 62 miles per hour in just 4.2 seconds. Audi claims the car's top speed is over 186 miles per hour (300 kilometers per hour.) An even more radical version of the R8 body, special paint and ceramic brakes help complete the concept vehicle. The entire package offers supercar performance while using significantly less fuel and creating fewer harmful emissions than a conventionally powered R8.