Friday, February 1, 2013

The Curious Fuel of a Mazda 6



Mazda turned to the farm to power its latest race car entries at the 2013 edition of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona.

Three Mazda 6 sedans were on the starting grid for the annual endurance race that went from January 26th to January 27th. Each Mazda 6 was powered by a new Skyactiv-D clean diesel engine. The race car version of the Mazda 6 used a bio-diesel fuel capable of producing more than 400 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque from the engine.

Going to the racetrack offers a chance for experimentation and the fuel used in these Skyactiv-D engines was no exception. The bio-fuel powering these race cars was an organic goop made from a mixture of chicken fat, beef tallow and pork lard.

You read that light. The same ingredients found in a typical fast food hot dog are now a fuel source for race cars.

It makes for an interesting moral dilemma if, for example, you encounter a vegan race car driver. Do they refuse to race in a car using animal by-products as fuel? Do vegans or vegetarians boycott watching the 24 Hours of Daytona altogether? Do any racing fans hail from that dietary demographic in the first place?

The funny thing is the slaughterhouse inspired bio-fuel burns much more efficiently than typical gasoline. When injected into a Skyactiv-D engine, it burns 25 to 30 percent less fuel than a gas-powered race car over the same distance.

Louisiana, which is famous for find all sorts of novel uses for animal parts, is home to the refinery that produces this unique bio-fuel. Dynamic Fuels produces 75 million gallons of synthetic diesel each year made from a blend that includes Tyson Foods animal by-products. Dynamic Fuels is planning to sell this fuel to the public eventually at $5 per gallon.

When this bio-fuel hits the market, you can contact Reedman Toll, a top Philly Mazda dealer, to test drive a Mazda 6 fueled by the remains of chickens, cows and pigs.

Who knew farm animals could feed your family and fuel your car at the same time? They have all sorts of wonderful uses that give vegetarians everywhere unending nightmares.

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