Synthetic fuels (synfuels) are a promising approach for operating vehicles with internal combustion engines in a renewable and climate-friendly way in the future. According to manufacturers’ specifications, they can be used in modern models without any reservations. But what about compatibility with classic car engines?
‘Even though there were isolated reports that a classic car had been operated using synfuels without any problems, and vehicle manufacturers had given approval for their current model ranges, we were not aware of any well-founded studies examining the use of synfuels in classic car engines in any detail,’ explains Dino Graf, who is also responsible for the Classic division at AMAG. ‘It was clear to us that the majority of owners of valuable classic cars would not want to risk using fuels that have not yet been researched.’
With support from Motorex, AMAG Classic and Empa carried out a detailed and scientifically robust study on the compatibility of synthetic petrol with classic cars. Engine components were tested for over a year and test drives and performance measurements carried out with selected classic cars. The result: even classic cars can be operated in a climate-friendly way in the future, because synthetic petrol can be used safely in older engines.
