VAUXHALL has seized the initiative in the environmental stakes with the launch at the Fleet Motor Show of Britain's first range of fully manufacturer warranted dual fuel cars and vans. The bi-fuel vehicles - 2.0-litre Vectra and Omega cars and a Combo van - run on both liquefied petroleum gas and unleaded petrol.

They can be ordered through Vauxhall dealers nationwide, and have a complete 12-month parts and labour warranty. A small, but expanding network of dealers has been trained to service and maintain the vehicles. The dual-fuel cars carry a £2,725 price premium over the comparable petrol-engined models, and the Vectra is available as both a saloon and hatchback, while the Omega as a saloon only. Both come in virtually all trim levels.

The Vectra features a 46-litre doughnut tank in the spare wheel well, giving it a range of 250 miles on lpg, while the Omega has a conventional 68-litre tank in the boot, giving it a range of about 325 miles. A flick of a switch allows drivers to change over to petrol so running out of fuel should not be an issue.

Sample on-the-road prices of Vauxhall dual fuel vehicles: Vectra LS £18,170; Vectra GLS £19,400, Vectra CD £19,925, Vectra SRi £19,650 and CDX £22,245; Omega GLS £21,600, CD £23,245, CDX £25,245; Combo CNG £10,491 (plus VAT), Combo LPG Merit £10,976 (plus VAT), Combo LPG LS £11,591 (plus VAT).