Having long since shed its association with the famous car marque, the fiercely independent Italian manufacturer is part of the giant Same Deutz-Fahr organisation.

It chose to unveil two more environmentally-friendly models at distributor Inlon Agrimec Group's annual dealer conference staged at Ourimbah, NSW, late last week.

The R3 EVO 85 and the R3 EVO 100 have been introduced against a backdrop of soaring crude oil prices which are prompting farmers around the world to focus on one of their key input costs, notably fuel.

Inlon's managing director, Jim Jardim, spoke about the fuel cost spikes of the last 12 months, suggested that $2/L prices probably were around the corner and wondered out loud as to the likely repercussions of $3/L to $4/L bowser prices.

"Fuel is affecting everybody and fuel costs are changing the equation," he said.

"The sales message is that biodiesel, the more it comes on line, is a way to 'future-proof' tractors by helping to lower fuel costs."

Interestingly, Lamborghini saw the potential for biodiesel in 1997 when its engines first became compatible with the 'green' fuel.

Later, all its Euro 2 engines could handle B5 blends but its new-generation Deutz engines are rated as 100pc biodiesel compatible (B100).

Eventhough biodiesel isn't readily available in Australia, Inlon's sales and marketing manager, Gary Surman, made the point that Lamborghini wants to flag the technical advances it is making in the important area of engine technology.

But he cautioned about sourcing fuel from "the local fish and chip shop", drawing attention to the strict guidelines set out over three to four pages in each tractor's operating manual.

"Engine manufactuirers are looking ahead so that when biodiesel becomes more readily available farmers using our tractors are ready to go," Mr Surman said.

"As well, they'll know they don't have to do any modifications to their engines."

Much is being made of the advantages associated with renewable fuels, notably their lower particulate emissions with the absence of sulphur all but eliminating sulphur dioxide pollution.

Essentially, biodiesel offers users the opportunity to play their part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, plus offer further comfort in the knowledge it doesn't contain some of the more hazardous hydrocarbons.

* Extract from a full report to appear in this week's Rural Press agricultural newspapers.