In article .com,
Aidan wrote:
My understanding was that a catalytic converter increased fuel
consumption by about 10%, whilst the heat generated in catalysing CO
into CO2 was sufficient to make it a fire hazard in dry grass. So now
the Germans have added on a steam engine which recovers 10% of the
efficiency.

Nothing like 10% with a modern cat.

I saw Maggie Thatcher (ex industrial chemist) on TV ranting about
catalytic converters, the only time I heard her speak sense. A more
cost-effective method of reducing emissions was the lean-burn engine,
which was both more efficient and less polluting that an un-catted
engine. I believe Rover had done much development on the lean-burn
technology, but that seems to have been scuttled after BMW's brief
period at the helm.

Rover never produced a lean burn engine - although they may have
researched it. Indeed, they limped on with carburettors long after
everyone had gone to EFI - not surprising since they owned SU
carburettors. Even although they produced the first EFI equipped UK model
in the SD1 Vitesse and it was obvious then this was the way to go.

--
*Certain frogs can be frozen solid, then thawed, and survive *

Dave Plowman London SW
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