'Carrot' car runs on chocs and wine (From Hampshire Chronicle)

'Carrot' car runs on chocs and wine

1:58pm Monday 7th September 2009

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A racing car partly made from carrots that runs on chocolate and stale wine has its first outing at Brands Hatch next month.

The car looks identical to other Formula 3 machines with performance to match, reaching speeds of 130mph and accelerating to 60mph in under 2.5 seconds.

But that is where the similarity ends. The "Worldfirst" racer designed by engineers at the University of Warwick was built from the ground up to be green, with bodywork made from recycled rubbish and a diesel engine that runs on biofuel.

Much of its carbon fibre body work started life as aviation industry scrap and plastic soft drink bottles, and the steering wheel is composed of waste from juiced carrots.

The fuel used to power its 230bhp recycled aluminium engine comes from a variety of sources, including chocolate waste and fermented wine dregs.

On October 17 the car makes its debut at Brands Hatch, where it will be competing against around 22 other more conventional Formula 3 vehicles.

Project leader Dr Kerry Kirwan expects the car to hold its own and drive home the message that environmental awareness has a place in motorsport.

"We'll be disappointed if it doesn't do well," he said. "We believe this is the greenest car in its class. It's the first car of its kind built from waste material, recycled material and natural materials, but it has the same performance levels and looks just like a Formula 3 racing car.

"We hope to reach out to future scientists and engineers and give them something they can get excited about and relate to."

In their search for unusual construction materials, the team went to a company in Scotland that makes fishing rods from glued together carrot fibres. The result was a vegetable-based steering wheel.

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