Sports cars, reputed for being energy guzzlers, are now trying to boost their green credentials as they seek to attract environmentally conscious consumers and meet new climate standards.
At the Geneva Motor Show, Ferrari conscientiously draped signs on its new models saying that the vehicles’ carbon emissions have been cut by 30 per cent.
The F12 Berlinetta, a 12-cylinder car with 740 horsepower, is equipped with a system that automatically halts its engine at red lights or in traffic jams, thereby saving some fuel.
The brand is also developing a hybrid model, the F599 HY-Kers, although it is still a prototype at the moment.
If sports-car makers are making this effort to go green, it is partly because they are driven by new and tougher environmental standards in Europe. Some firms are also pushed by consumer demand to develop greener sports cars.