New sulphur-free petrol with the potential to reduce environmental impact, bring down running costs and improve performance will start to filter into UK filling stations early in 2003, and Audi has already fielded the technology needed to capitalise on its benefits.

Sulphur-free petrol will help to deliver lower carbon dioxide emissions, and at the same time will optimise the performance of the latest fuel-efficient Audi FSI direct injection petrol engines, two of which can already be found in A2 and A4 FSI models.

Industry speculation suggests that the new fuel may also attract a tax incentive of between one and three pence per litre in the Chancellor's predicted announcement later this month, which could equate to a saving of about £1.50 at every fill-up for the average motorist.

Classified as containing a maximum of 10 parts per million of sulphur, the new fuel will be phased into Britain closely behind Germany, where the vast majority of the country's estimated 16,000 filling stations will switch to sulphur-free from January 1, 2003.