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Motorsport goes green
The 2008 Ford Fiesta Sporting Trophy becomes the first event of its kind in Ireland to be powered by an environmentally friendly fuel
Cork, 6 February, 2008 – Last Sunday’s (3 February, 2008) launch of the Maxol E85 Ford Fiesta Sporting Trophy (FST) in Galway can be considered a triumph, for both Motor Rally and for raising awareness of the benefits of renewable energy in Ireland.
Ford Ireland and Maxol have joined forces to introduce this Rally Championship as the first event of its kind to be powered by bioethanol in Ireland, demonstrating a sea change in favour of environmentally friendly fuels.
The Rally features specially converted Ford Fiesta ST cars which are powered by Maxol E85 bioethanol. Bioethanol is renewable fuel, produced locally in Cork. The fuel is manufactured from whey (the leftovers from cheese production) and unlike other forms of biofuel, it is made without any greenhouse gas emissions. As well as giving a significant reduction in CO2 on the production / consumption cycle, the fuel gives a useful performance increase to the cars, thereby enabling the FST drivers to improve on their already impressive stage times.
Speaking about the FST, Eddie Murphy, Chairman and Managing Director of Ford Ireland, said: “ The series bears out what hundreds of everyday drivers of Ford FlexiFuel vehicles (FFVs) in Ireland have come to realise: in terms of design and performance, these really are ‘no compromise’ vehicles.”
The ethanol, distributed by Maxol, is actually sourced from milk and derived from renewable sources of grass and cereals – upon which the cows that produce the milk are fed.
According to Brian Donaldson, General Manager – Marketing & Retail, The Maxol Group; “This is an exciting time for bioethanol fuels in Ireland and one in which Maxol has taken the lead by introducing both E85 and E5 to motorists through a large number of our service stations in the Republic of Ireland. We believe that our association with the Rally will promote the many benefits of E85 to the general motorist, encouraging them to use this environmentally friendly fuel on our roads.”
Staged over 6 rounds, all on tarmac, the new Maxol / Ford series offers Irish competitors the chance to compete at more classic events in an economical way. E85 Fuel is currently available from 26 Maxol Service Stations. Ford offers FlexiFuel (FFV) versions of the Focus and C-MAX, with the Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy following in Spring ‘08. The Rally fuel will be supplied directly to all participants at the pump price of around €0.94 per litre*, making this a significant saving.
The following five stages of the Rally will take place at the UAC Easter Rally (23rd March – venue to be confirmed); Killarney (4th May); Letterkenny (15th June); Armagh (23rd August) and Cork City (28th September). For further updates, please visit www.motorsportireland.com.
The Rally features specially converted Ford Fiesta ST cars which are powered by Maxol E85 bioethanol. Bioethanol is renewable fuel, produced locally in Cork. The fuel is manufactured from whey (the leftovers from cheese production) and unlike other forms of biofuel, it is made without any greenhouse gas emissions. As well as giving a significant reduction in CO2 on the production / consumption cycle, the fuel gives a useful performance increase to the cars, thereby enabling the FST drivers to improve on their already impressive stage times.
Speaking about the FST, Eddie Murphy, Chairman and Managing Director of Ford Ireland, said: “ The series bears out what hundreds of everyday drivers of Ford FlexiFuel vehicles (FFVs) in Ireland have come to realise: in terms of design and performance, these really are ‘no compromise’ vehicles.”
The ethanol, distributed by Maxol, is actually sourced from milk and derived from renewable sources of grass and cereals – upon which the cows that produce the milk are fed.
According to Brian Donaldson, General Manager – Marketing & Retail, The Maxol Group; “This is an exciting time for bioethanol fuels in Ireland and one in which Maxol has taken the lead by introducing both E85 and E5 to motorists through a large number of our service stations in the Republic of Ireland. We believe that our association with the Rally will promote the many benefits of E85 to the general motorist, encouraging them to use this environmentally friendly fuel on our roads.”
Staged over 6 rounds, all on tarmac, the new Maxol / Ford series offers Irish competitors the chance to compete at more classic events in an economical way. E85 Fuel is currently available from 26 Maxol Service Stations. Ford offers FlexiFuel (FFV) versions of the Focus and C-MAX, with the Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy following in Spring ‘08. The Rally fuel will be supplied directly to all participants at the pump price of around €0.94 per litre*, making this a significant saving.
The following five stages of the Rally will take place at the UAC Easter Rally (23rd March – venue to be confirmed); Killarney (4th May); Letterkenny (15th June); Armagh (23rd August) and Cork City (28th September). For further updates, please visit www.motorsportireland.com.
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