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First Lpg Autogas Cars Race in BTCC

Mountune Racing has announced its new lpg autogas-powered engines will be used by Team Aon in the 2010 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), the first ever lpg autogas cars in the 30 race BTCC. Mountune Racing has been working on developing and refining the new race engine since the end of last year.

The engine is based on the Mountune Racing Ford Focus 2 litre Duratec engine that the team successfully used in the latter half of the 2009 season. The new engine features a Garrett turbo charger and produces 275bhp.

Roger Allen, general manager at Mountune Racing, said: “We are pleased that we have been able to develop a competitive race engine fuelled by lpg, and we are very happy with the end result. We are looking forward to another successful season with the team, and hope to continue to build upon last year’s successful end to the season.”

The first prototype engines were collected by Team Aon at the beginning of February and have since undergone a series of successful tests both in the UK and Spain.

Driver Tom Onslow-Cole said: “I can’t wait to take the new car out and see what it can do in a competitive environment. We already know lpg is a greener fuel than petrol, so if it also proves to be a race winner, I’m sure I’ll be driving a car powered by the fuel of the future.” The two vehicles were converted using a specially designed Prins liquid lpg autogas system. The lpg autogas component parts, adapted from the soon to be released Prins LI conversion kit, have been hand built for the project by Prins Autogassystemen BV of Holland.

The component development project was managed by Will Putter, commercial director at Prins Autogas UK. He said: “Working closely with Paul Onslow-Cole, Tom’s dad, it has taken two years of serious negotiations and technical development, but this project is going to prove a winner on the tracks.”

As well as financial assistance, team sponsor Calor will also provide all fuel for the cars and technical support to Team Aon.

Chris Taylor, autogas development manager at Calor, said: “The launch of the first competitive lpg car specially developed to suit a motorsport environment is testament to the hard work that has gone into improving performance for autogas vehicles. We’ve been delighted with how it’s worked on the test track and we’re very much looking forward to watching both drivers in action during the new season.

“In a climate where motorsport is under intense scrutiny for its contribution to carbon emissions, it’s never been a better time to show how lpg, as greener alternative fuel, can help to power the sport with a reduced environmental footprint. And the best thing is, similar technology can be applied to nearly all petrol vehicles, on and off the track.”

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