Espresso Machine Covers 210 Miles

An espresso-powered car has been cheered through Manchester's streets at the end of an eventful 250-mile journey, which saw it overheat several times, although it did not actually break down.

The "car-puccino", powered by used ground coffee, had consumed around 11,000 espressos by the time it reached the city after leaving London 17 hours earlier. The car took a shot of coffee every 60 miles.

Adapted from a 1988 Volkswagen Scirocco bought for £400 on eBay, the car-puccino was designed by Jem Stansfield, who presents BBC1 show Bang Goes The Theory. Its insurance policy would no doubt be unique.

The car roasted the waste coffee using a furnace in its boot that produced flammable vapours to run the engine.

Bang Goes The Theory editor Dermot Caulfield said heavy tailbacks caused delays but that the experiment was successful.

He said: "We just picked a day when the British motorways decided to clog up. Sitting in traffic for hour after hour given the delicacy of the engine wasn't the greatest thing in the world but we just kept meeting people who were able to help us. It didn't necessarily break down, we just had to make sure it wasn't overheating and cool it down."