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  VW spokesman Martin Hube believes they "have a responsibility as a company to the environment, even in motorsport," he says.

THE future of motorsport may lie in alternate fuels such as compressed natural gas.

The gas-fired Sciroccos which competed successfully in the Nurburgring 24-hour race are powered by a 243kW/400Nm 1.9-litre turbocharged engine.

VW spokesman Martin Hube believes motorsport should be looking at more alternate fuels with the 24-hour race featuring several diesel and hybrids models.

"We have a responsibility as a company to the environment, even in motorsport," he says.

"This shows the customer that you don't have to fear technology like CNG; it's clean and safe."

VW has CNG-powered Passat and Tiguan street models, but don't expect to see any in Australia.

Gehling says our CNG infrastructure network is not comprehensive enough. "We would much prefer LPG, because of the existing network," he says.

VW makes LPG-powered models such as Golf and Caddy but only in left-hand drive. "It's a chicken-and-egg situation," Gehling says.

"You don't make it (right-hand-drive LPG models) unless there is demand and there is no demand because they aren't available."