Drunk with power? Ferrari tries ethanol

Luxury automaker trying maintain engine’s kick while lowering emissions

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updated 5:06 p.m. ET Jan. 14, 2008

DETROIT - Ferrari is experimenting with ethanol to help its luxury sports cars produce lower emissions and improve fuel economy.

Ferrari said Monday it developed an engine for an F430 Spider to run on E85, an 85 percent ethanol blend. The automaker says it produces 5 percent less carbon dioxide emissions and boosts horsepower by 10 percent.

It did not say how fuel consumption changed. Ferrari's goal is to cut emissions by 40 percent by 2012.

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It is showing the F430 Spider Biofuel at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit along with two other models, including the 430 Scuderia that goes on sale this year.

Ferrari is part of Turin, Italy-based Fiat SpA. The automaker says global sales rose 14 percent last year to about 6,400 cars.