Ferrari beats locals on emissions

The Ferrari California's commendable exhaust emissions of 270 grams per kilometre of CO2 - bettering the Commodore SS V8 manual's 288g/km and the Falcon G6E Turbo's 278g/km - is attributable to its HELE technology fist seen at last year's Paris motor show.

HELE - for High Emotion, Low Emissions - comprises a stop-start system, low-energy airconditioner and fuel pump, and new gearshift mapping for the automatic transmission. It brings the California's emissions down to 270g/km from 299g/km.

The California HELE is Ferrari's first car with stop-start technology.

Spokesman for Australian Ferrari importers Ateco Automotive, Edward Rowe, says the $460,000 car will be joined later by other Ferrari models using the same technology.

UK-based automotive research company JATO Dynamics today released data showing Ferrari's fleet average emissions for the 2010 calendar year was 326g/km CO2, down 46g/km on the previous year, making it one of the big achievers for the year.

The reduction is equivalent to 12 per cent and has been achieved without Ferrari using the corporate fleet average of its parent, the Fiat group. Fiat has the lowest fleet CO2 level of any European carmaker despite not producing any hybrid or electric vehicles.

JATO says reductions during the year by rivals included Aston Martin (down 0.6 per cent to 357g/km); Bentley (down 1.9 per cent to 397g/km); and Lamborghini (down 1.5 per cent to 372g/km).

Bentley's big improver was its new Mulsanne that has a 393g/km CO2 emission compared with the outgoing Arnage at 465g/km.

One of the best performers in JATO's survey was Lotus that reduced its fleet average by 3.2 per cent.

The European Union intends to fine car makers for missing the 120g/km CO2 fleet average by January 2012. The fines start at about $7 for the first g/km  over the 120g/km threshold, rising to about $150 for 4g/km over that limit. Fines are expected to run into millions of dollars for some companies who can't offset high fuel consumption and emission outputs with more efficient models.

Aston Martin, for example, only recently announced the sale of it's Toyota-based city car, the Cygnet, that has 99g/km. This would offset the 357g/km CO2 average of its high-performance cars in 2010.