Abstract: According to the invention, a) from the position of an accelerator pedal actuated by the driver, a value is extracted of a power (P.sub.d) requested by this driver, b) in various vehicle operating phases, a base power (P.sub.b) absorbed by the vehicle over and above the power possibly required to move the latter is calculated, and c) the quantities of air and of fuel admitted into the engine are controlled in such a way as to drive the power (P.sub.m) which it delivers to the sum of the requested (P.sub.d) and base (P.sub.b) powers.

Abstract: A setpoint air charge (R.sub.c) is calculated from an indicated setpoint (.theta.) of the position of an accelerator pedal, a reference charge value (R.sub.r) is extracted from a behavioural model of the engine (15) activated in real time by the setpoint charge (R.sub.c), an air charge value of the engine (R.sub.m) is measured, and, from the difference (R.sub.c -R.sub.m), the opening (.phi.) of an air-intake throttle valve of the engine (15) is controlled in such a way that the air charge (R.sub.m) of this engine closely follows that of the reference charge (R.sub.r) calculated by the behavioural model. Application to the control of an engine propelling a motor vehicle.