German tuner Hartge has released more details about its BMW 1-series hatch designed to run on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Labeled project ‘V300+’, the LPG 1-series produces up to 550bhp and is claimed to reach speeds in excess of 300km/h. If the claims prove true, the Hartge tuned hatch will be the fastest LPG-driven car based on a production mode in history, reports IANS.

The land-speed record for an LPG vehicle was achieved by the IdéeVerte Compétition, an aerodynamic racecar that went on the reach 315km/h in 2004.

The Hartge LPG 1-series was co-developed with the help of several experts from the University of Technology and Economics in Saarbruecken, Germany, and is designed to showcase the performance potential of the alternative fuel. LPG reportedly burns much cleaner than petrol and diesel and in some cases produce more power and torque. Hartge also has a V8 powered 1-series that runs on regular petrol but "only" delivers 450hp.