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It may only be a prototype, but Affinity is a machine capable of making any red-blooded car enthusiast purr like a two cylinder Euro-IV emission standard engine.

Anthony Law and Evan Scouros are members of Cambridge University Eco Racing, a team which took it upon itself to create an eco-friendly car that at least matched the standards of heavyweights such as MIT in America.

Comfortable?

"It can run completely off solar power and it has the batteries so you don't just stop," says Anthony.

Their aim is to take the vehicle to the World Solar Challenge in Australia in October 2009, a race from the top to the bottom of the country. Only cars powered by solar energy need enter - lucky the race isn't in sunny Cambridgeshire then.

"This in itself isn't a practical vehicle at the moment. The competition encourages people to develop new technologies.

Poetry in motion?

"The look of the car and the idea of being able to travel around Australia without any power is an inspiring concept."

The current model won't make the journey Down Under, but it will act as inspiration for the new design which the team are currently plotting out on fancy computers.

The eco-friendly claims of the futuristic car are impressive and the team hope to influence future developments in energy efficient transport - as well as maybe win the friendly competition in Oz.

"This car can drive 50mph using the same power as a hairdryer. Imagine driving using the power of a hairdryer - it wouldn't normally work," says Anthony.

Affinity has already put its hairdryer engine to the test; by driving the length and breadth of the country.

Affinity

A journey from Land's End to John O'Groats not only amazed school kids and taught them about eco-technology, it also held up a few motorists on the nation's motorway network.

"Everywhere we go we get people coming over to have a look at it and everybody's really excited about it.

"On the roads we weren't going as quick as normal traffic. But they'd overtake and then see what they were overtaking and stop to take photos."

They also have to let the police know before they take to the roads and if they could let BBC Cambridgeshire's traffic and travel team know too that'd be helpful.