THE words alternative fuel are the buzz these days with much research being carried out to find new power sources for motoring needs of the future.
In its inimitable style, Volvo has been in from the start and markets a range of cars that run on combinations of petrol and gas.
One of the most popular is the V70 Bi-Fuel based on the traditional Volvo large estate model.
With V70 Bi-fuel you can run the car on gas and leave the petrol tank to serve as a reserve.
This is a great fuel money saver when you consider the currently low price of gas. You can choose a car to run on either Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) or Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) - although the former will probably become the gas of choice for most drivers following the Chancellor's announcement that he is to increase duty on LPG over the next few years.
Bi-Fuel prices kick in at £23,387 for the S LPG model which is just a little more expensive than the lead in petrol only 140 bhp S.
Most expensive of the gas options is the SE CNG model which will set you back £25,633 - which is actually a little cheaper than the standard 170 bhp petrol-only SE.
So in real terms there is not much difference in price between the two - and it becomes more interesting when you realise there are still government-inspired powershift grants available.
I was lucky enough to be able to try one of the earliest LPG-converted cars - a Morris Ital, 20 odd years ago and it was very basic with a massive tank taking up most of the boot. The performance was nothing to write home about either.
The V70, in comparison, is light years ahead in getting the most out of gas power and keeping the tanks out of sight. Its performance is roughly equivalent to petrol versions. Of course gas consumption is higher than petrol but this is more than compensated for by the low price of gas.
The V70 Bi-Fuel drives in a very similar way to the 2.4 petrol. Indeed it is the same engine.
If you do a high mileage this vehicle is worthy of a very close look. It has all the attributes and comfort of the other V70s in the range and has the fuel efficiency.
FAST FACTS
Volvo V70 Bi-Fuel 2.4 S
Price: £23,387
Mechanical: 140bhp, 2,435cc 5 cyl petrol/gas fuel system driving front wheels via 5-spd manual gearbox
Top speed: 127mph
0-62mph: 10.6 secs
Combined mpg: 23.2mpg - LPG/ 29.7mpg - Petrol
Insurance group: 13
CO2 emissions: 197g/km - LPG/ 227g/km - Petrol
BiK rating: 21%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles; 8yrs anti-rust; 3yrs paint