The Shell Eco-marathon is an annual fuel economy competition organised by Shell UK and in several countries around the world. The competition challenges High School and College teams from around the world to design, build and test energy efficient vehicles.
Was designed and constructed at Ford Dunton in 1983-84 as UFO2 (Ultimate Fuel Optimiser) to compete in the Shell Eco-marathon competitions in 1984 in which it broke the then world record achieving 3803 miles per gallon. After several international Eco-marathon competitions in 1984, where it really made a name for itself, it was displayed for Ford publicity purposes then stored at Dagenham
The Belfairs High School Leigh-on-Sea Eco-marathon team had been competing annually in the event since 1984 achieving a significant number of awards using a progression of vehicles wholly designed and constructed by the Belfairs team.
The Blue car on show here is the Belfairs BRAT (Belfairs Really Advanced Technology) which in 2002, at Rockingham Motor Speedway the teams completed 7 laps of the 1.5 mile oval circuit at a minimum speed of 15 miles per hour and achieved second placed UK entrant with a fuel economy of 4152 miles per gallon. After an approach from the Belfairs team, Mr. Tom Malcom, Manager of Heritage Programmes at Ford Motor Company at Warley, generously agreed that the Belfairs team could use the Ford UFO2 as part of their preparations for the forthcoming 2003 competition. To take advantage of the advances in technology, the Ford engine and transmission, wiring loom, instrumentation and vehicle computation were removed and replaced by Belfairs designed and developed units. Wheels and tyres were also updated and engine management was by the use of a Pectel motor sport ECU With the car now re-named Phoenix, the Belfairs team achieved 2nd UK team with 5010 miles per gallon, while their BRAT was 3rd UK team with 3987 miles per gallon
Belfairs Students Triumph at National Competition thanks to financial support from John Anthony Signs Ltd. of Rayleigh. On 1st July 2009 a group of students from Belfairs High School, Leigh on Sea, Essex competed in the 33rd Shell Eco-marathon Youth Challenge UK 2009 and overcame the best efforts of teams from 25 other schools to win the top award.
The annual event challenges teams of students to build and compete with a vehicle designed to use as little petrol as possible to cover seven laps of the Rockingham Motor Speedway, Corby, Northants.
During the winning run the car from the Belfairs team used 10ml, about two teaspoonsful, of petrol to cover the 10 miles at the astounding average fuel consumption of 4312 mpg. This is now the National Schools record.
The team are shown here with Paul Snaith, Vice President of Shell Downstream Marketing who presented the award.
The pit crew shown with Mr. Snaith are, from left to right, George Harrison, Marcus Mitchell, Daniel Bazan and Daniel Welford. In front, holding the trophy is Dominic Forward who drove the winning car.
The upper bodywork of the car is being fitted with the assistance of Barry White, one of the engineering consultants to the Belfairs project
The car which is named the BRAT (Belfairs Really Advanced Technology) was constructed and developed over a period of years almost entirely in the school workshops.
The student pit crew have the responsibility of preparing the BRAT before each of its three runs, having it’s fuel tank filled by the officials, timing and recording the runs and communicating by radio with the driver to control his average speed.
The vehicle was donated to the Museum of Power by Ian Bushell on behalf of Belfairs School.
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