Top Speed

Ferrari FF with E85 conversion can deliver 875 HP

Simona@topspeed.com(Simona) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:00:00 GMT

We aren’t exactly the biggest fans of Ferrari’s latest addition to their lineup, but this FF in particular may just be cool enough to change our mind. You see, the standard Ferrari FF works from a 6,262 cc direct injection V12 engine that delivers an impressive 660 HP at 8,000 rpm and a peak torque of 503 lbs-ft 6,000 rpm, which is fantastic for a car that looks like a stretched out wagon. That being said, Norwegian aftermarket developer, Customised.no, is upping that ante with a bio-ethanol (E85) conversion that will shoot up the power and kick back its emissions. Sounds intriguing.

The E85 conversion jump-starts the FF’s power output by taking it from 660 HP all the way to 875 HP! This newfound power will allow the sports coupe a 0-60 mph sprint time of less than three seconds, improved from the standard 3.7 seconds.

The conversion still doesn’t make the car any prettier, but it does reduce its emissions by about 80%, from the current 360g/km to 100g/km. Kind of impossible to believe considering this is still a Ferrari.

The E85 conversion for the Ferrari FF is priced at 1,500 euro ($1,900 at the current rates), and since it was converted at a Ferrari dealer, customers may still get to take advantage of their warranty.

gallery: 2012 Ferrari FF

Ferrari FF with E85 conversion can deliver 875 HP originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 18 January 2012 12:00 EST.

CCG Custom GT ecoVision

Simona@topspeed.com(Simona), Terence@topspeed.com(Terence) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:30:00 GMT

We have just uncovered even more evidence that there is a market for 21st century green super cars that look like classic 1960s Le Mans champions. It wasn’t too long ago that the Capstone Turbine Corporation unveiled the CMT-380 at the LA Auto Show. The Capstone was basically a hybrid powered Factory Five Ford GT-40 replica that charged the batteries with a compact micro turbine giving the CMT a range of 500 miles, a zero emissions mode and could run from 0 to 60 MPH in just 3.9 seconds. Today we have just come across the Custom Corner Germany GT ecoVision, a bioethanol burning mid engine super car wearing a very appropriate carbon fiber front lip, rear diffuser and wing.

Although the CCG Custom GT ecoVision doesn’t offer a ZEV mode, it does run on a combination of LPG and E85 bioethanol. Powered by a 6.0 Liter V8 sourced from a Corvette, the LS series engine currently produces a total of 450 HP, and CCG is promising that a 570 HP version is on the way. Weighing in at only 2,300 pounds, the ecoVision will rip from 0 to 60 MPH in only 3.2 seconds, and while the CMT we talked about earlier could only do 150 MPH, the CCG’s top speed is 193 MPH, using nothing but alternative fuels. By combining a proven aerodynamic design with a lightweight fiberglass body CCG allows the GT ecoVision to make the most with what its got, and as a bit of a tongue and cheek environmentally friendly maneuver the super car’s standard color scheme is green; however customers can choose from any color they desire.

CCG Custom GT ecoVision originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 10 December 2009 12:30 EST.

Video: Derek Bell drives the Bentley Continental Supersports around the Nürburgring

Terence@topspeed.com(Terence) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:00 GMT

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In another installment of racing legend Derek Bell keeping Bentley enthusiasts around the world informed about the new lightweight Continental Supersport with a lap around the Nürburgring race track in Germany. The English coach builder has announced that the first deliveries of the new Continental Supersports will begin later on this month. Mr. Bell is famous for his in car commentary, even while moving along at 200 MPH. The crew from Crewe claim that the new 204 MPH luxury sports coupe is the most extreme Bentley road car ever produced by W.O.’s car company.

Aside from being able to cruise around at over 200 MPH in style and comfort, but the Supersports is also capable of running on E85 biofuel and represents a step forward and most of all Bentley’s commitment to alternative fuels and they ensure that their entire lineup will be capable of burning up to 85% ethanol by the year 2012. The new Continental Supersports is slated to be on sale in most markets around the world by the year’s end. A few of the first batch of Bentley super cars have already been spotted, but we won’t be seeing too many of them here in the U.S. filling up at an E85 pump until the middle of 2010, just in time for the good old summer hike in gas prices.

Derek Bell driving impression videos after the jump.

Video: Derek Bell drives the Bentley Continental Supersports around the Nürburgring originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 14 October 2009 13:00 EST.

Lotus Exige Tri-fuel

Terence@topspeed.com(Terence) — Thu, 7 May 2009 14:30:00 GMT

After the recent success of the Lotus Exige 270E Tri-Fuel at the Shanghai Motor Show, Youngman Auto, the lightweight English sports car builder’s Chinese partner has submitted a request that the concept go into production, at least for the Chinese market by the end of this year. The alternatively fueled Lotus made its debut at Geneva in 2008, and what set the car apart from normal flex fuel vehicles that can run on a blend of gasoline and ethanol, the Exige 270E adds methanol into the mix. It is no surprise that the Chinese are so interested in the Tri-Fuel, because back in 2007 China became the world’s largest producer and consumer of methanol. In 2008 nearly 1 Billion gallons of the alternative fuel was blended with gasoline in the panda loving country, and mixtures of methanol/gasoline are already available at many gas stations throughout the land.

Check out the diagrams after the jump to see how Tri-Fuel works.

Lotus Exige Tri-fuel originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 7 May 2009 14:30 EST.

Bentley Going Fast, Green in Geneva

Jeffrey N. Ross@topspeed.com(Jeffrey N. Ross) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:41:00 GMT

Following up Bentley’s recent 50-year celebration of the legendary 6.75-liter V-8, the company is readying a all-new model powered by biofuel. Currently, the car is known simply as the Extreme Bentley and it will debut in March at the Geneva Motor Show. While Bentley’s current top-performance car, Bentley Continental GT, puts out 600 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque, Bentley says its new car will be the company’s “fastest, most powerful car ever” – those are some pretty big words if you ask us. More importantly though, the new biofuel-powered car is just the first phase in an initiative Bentley plans to spread across its lineup by 2012 with a goal to reduce carbon emissions of its overall fleet by 15 percent and, with an advanced new powertrain, help cut fuel consumption by up to 40 percent.

The Extreme Bentley sports a unique, but instantly recognizable Bentley design – briefly revealed in a teaser video Bentley showed on its Web site. Up front, the quad lamps and large mesh grille reflect the look of the Arnage, Azure, Brooklands and Continental, while the long hood and swept roofline should give the car an aggressive stance. The Extreme Bentley will mark the first flex fuel Bentley vehicle to which Bentley believes that bioethanol fuels, such as E85 in the United States, will become a sustainable and ethical alternative fossil fuels in the future. Short of the electric-powered Tesla Roadster, the Extreme Bentley, being such a powerful car that also takes the environment into consideration, should revolutionize luxury sport cars.

Bentley Going Fast, Green in Geneva originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 28 January 2009 12:41 EST.

British company finds trash the answer to fuel prices

Erin Brooks@topspeed.com(Erin Brooks) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:23:00 GMT

A British chemical company, Ineos, has found a way to alleviate prices at the pump by converting ordinary household trash into ethanol. The process involves burning the trash to produce gas, then feeding the gas to bacteria which in turn produce ethanol. They purify the ethanol into fuel to be used in cars. Claims are that 100 gallons of fuel can be made from one metric ton of dry waste. Ineos plans for commercial quantities to be produced within two years.

“In North America and Europe we will see around 10 percent or more of petrol (gasoline) being replaced with [ethanol],” said Peter Williams, Bio chief executive officer. “Our technology will make a major contribution to reducing greenhouse gases and the world’s need for fossil fuels.” The heat that is recovered during the gasification and fermentation processes will be used to produce electricity.

British company finds trash the answer to fuel prices originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 30 July 2008 20:23 EST.

IS GM'S ETHANOL BET GOING TO GO SOUTH?

Ralph Kalal@topspeed.com(Ralph Kalal) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 14:49:00 GMT

Posted on 02.13.2008 14:49 by Ralph Kalal
Filed under: | emissions | ethanol cars | Cars | Car News

E85.

That’s the mantra at General Motor these days.

Not only do they want to make cars that run on it, they want to make the oil companies sell it to you. If the oil companies won’t cooperate, then they’d like the federal government to force it on them.

But, could it be a huge mistake?

That’s the suggestion that comes from two distinguished reports, one in the journal Science, authored by scientists at Princeton and Woods Hole Research Center, and the other from the University of Minnesota and the Nature Conservancy.

Guess what?

Ethanol contributes more to greenhouse gases than gasoline.

That’s what they say.

(more after the jump)

IS GM'S ETHANOL BET GOING TO GO SOUTH? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 13 February 2008 14:49 EST.

Ford Flexifuel vehicles in Europe

Blas Nicusor@topspeed.com(Blas Nicusor) — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 09:13:00 GMT

Posted on 02.16.2007 09:13 by Blas Nicusor
Filed under: Ford | hybrid cars | ethanol cars | Cars | Car News

Ford Flexifuel vehicles in Europe originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 16 February 2007 09:13 EST.

GM to bring more E85 Ethanol Stations

Blas Nicusor@topspeed.com(Blas Nicusor) — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 13:00:00 GMT

Posted on 02.15.2007 13:00 by Blas Nicusor
Filed under: General Motors (GM) | emissions | ethanol cars | Cars | Car News

GM to bring more E85 Ethanol Stations originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 15 February 2007 13:00 EST.

Twenty One Eco Cars on show at the LA car show.

David Allen@topspeed.com(David Allen) — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 12:01:00 GMT

There will be at 21 eco friendly cars on show at the LA car show.

Twenty One Eco Cars on show at the LA car show. originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 29 November 2006 12:01 EST.

Yahoo Auto's offers “Green Center”

David Allen@topspeed.com(David Allen) — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 05:54:00 GMT

With Yahoo Auto’s, you can now find the green rating for the car that you are interested in.

Yahoo Auto's offers “Green Center” originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 27 November 2006 05:54 EST.

Lotus Exige 265E

Simona@topspeed.com(Simona) — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 17:34:00 GMT

Lotus Engineering, the engineering consultancy division of Group Lotus Plc has developed a bio-ethanol E85 version of the Lotus Exige. The research vehicle is a true Lotus (it weighs just 930 kg unladen) and is called the Lotus Exige 265E. 265 indicates the approximate horsepower and is consistent with the naming strategy of other one-off and limited run Lotus variants such as the Lotus Sport Exige 240R; the E indicates the environmentally favourable bio-ethanol E85 fuel (85% ethanol alcohol and 15% petrol / gasoline) that powers this extremely high performing sportscar.

Lotus Exige 265E originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 23 August 2006 17:34 EST.

Focus Coupe-Cabriolet FFV

Simona@topspeed.com(Simona) — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 10:13:00 GMT

Britain ’s first bio-fuel car is out in front once again - as the first Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) to be backed by discounted insurance from Norwich Union. The Ford Focus FFV went on sale in August 2005 and since then customers have come from areas closest to Morrisons’ bio-ethanol pumps in Somerset and East Anglia .

Focus Coupe-Cabriolet FFV originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 18 July 2006 10:13 EST.

Ford of Brazil Tapping into World's Leading Ethanol Market

Alex Damian@topspeed.com(Alex Damian) — Mon, 5 Jun 2006 14:26:00 GMT

Posted on 06.5.2006 14:26 by Alex Damian
Filed under: | ethanol cars | Cars | Car News

Ford of Brazil Tapping into World's Leading Ethanol Market originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 5 June 2006 14:26 EST.

Ford is Pushing Ethanol as Alternative Fuel

Alex Damian@topspeed.com(Alex Damian) — Mon, 5 Jun 2006 14:15:00 GMT

Posted on 06.5.2006 14:15 by Alex Damian
Filed under: Ford | ethanol cars | Cars | Car News

Ford is Pushing Ethanol as Alternative Fuel originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 5 June 2006 14:15 EST.