Motor vehicle e.g. small-size car, start-up phase controlling method, involves starting fuel injection process at time after synchronization time, where time of start of clutch lies before synchronization time

The method involves accelerating an internal combustion engine (12) e.g. diesel engine, by a starter that acts as an electrical machine (16) from standstill. An automatically actuated clutch (50) is started from a predetermined threshold speed in order to initiate a start-up phase, where the clutch is opened at beginning of a start-up process. A fuel injection process is started at a time after a synchronization time, where time of the start of the clutch lies before the synchronization time, and the end of the clutch lies after the synchronization time. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) an apparatus for controlling a start-up phase of a motor vehicle (2) a motor vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine.