2007 honda car that gets 80 mpg??????

[orthogonal1]

I was under the impression that the FIT was coming to the U.S.

80mpg has been a possibility for years. BUT, do you want to live with a low HP and torque vehicle?

The trick is good acceleration with that 80mpg.

We need lighter cars to do this, but that costs.

Look at that S2000. Not big on HP or torque, but it gets down the road dandy. And its overweight, but still fairly light.

Lighter is better. Mass is the key.

 

[Bob W]

Look at that S2000. Not big on HP or torque, but it gets down the road dandy. And its overweight, but still fairly light.

The S2000 has a miserably low torque rating, but it isn't short of horsepower. 240HP is more than many (most?) vehicles, and to achieve that with a 2.0 liter engine is nothing short of miraculous. That's more horsepower per liter than any other production vehicle on the planet.

I certainly wouldn't consider the S2000 "overweight" either. Compared to what?

-Bob

 

[flava]

The trick is good acceleration with that 80mpg.

For 80mpg with decent power and torque you definitely need a small (read light) car, like that VW Lupo. A hybrid might offer the same if it is equally light (those batteries are quite heavy).
If you look for the best power + torque + mileage mix (far from 80mpg though) ... you need to start driving modern diesels The torque is great and quite constant. The only downpart is the relatively narrow rmp range a diesel can take : up to 4500rmp

Some examples, from small to big:

BMW 2 liter 4 cylinder diesel engine specs, 3 series (1400kg):
163 HP
340 Nm torque (250 lb-ft)
140 mph top speed
city: 30 mpg
road: 52 mpg
mixt: 41 mpg



BMW 3 liter 6 cylinder diesel engine specs, 5 series (1600kg):
231 HP
500 Nm torque (369 lb-ft)
155 mph top speed (electronically limited)
city: 25 mpg
road: 45 mpg
mixt: 35 mpg


Audi 4 liter 8 cylinder diesel engine specs, A8 model (2000kg):

326HP
650NM torque (480 lb-ft)
155 mph top speed (electronically limited)
city: 17mpg
road: 32mpg
mixt: 25mpg

Volkswagen 5 liter 10 cylinder diesel engine, Phaeton (2500kg)
313 HP
750NM torque (554 lb-ft)
155 mph top speed (electronically limited)
city: 14 mpg
road: 28 mpg
mixt: 21 mpg

 

[Bob W]

I've never heard of those cars. Maybe they aren't available here.

I once knew an older gentleman who had lived in Paris for some time and was a huge fan of diesel cars. He had a diesel Ford Escort and a Diesel Lincoln Mark VII. He claimed the Lincoln got over 40mpg while traveling.

The downside, diesels have a reputation for being noisy and smelly. It would take quite a marketing campaign to overcome that. Also, in US, diesel prices have risen to the point that it now costs more than gasoline, and diesel vehicles are more expensive (pickup trucks anyway).

Best Wishes,
-Bob

 

[flava]

I've never heard of those cars. Maybe they aren't available here.

I once knew an older gentleman who had lived in Paris for some time and was a huge fan of diesel cars. He had a diesel Ford Escort and a Diesel Lincoln Mark VII. He claimed the Lincoln got over 40mpg while traveling.

The downside, diesels have a reputation for being noisy and smelly. It would take quite a marketing campaign to overcome that. Also, in US, diesel prices have risen to the point that it now costs more than gasoline, and diesel vehicles are more expensive (pickup trucks anyway).

Best Wishes,
-Bob

I know diesels are almost inexistent in USA and Canada. The loud smelly poluting diesels are the very old generation. The new diesels are silent and powerfull, and polute as low as a modern gasoline engine (more nitrates but less monooxide). The trouble is you need good diesel to keep them running well, and in many counties diesel fuel is low quality on purpose (costs less to produce and still works for truck engines). The EU anti-pollution standards are very tough. More than half of the cars sold in Europe have diesel engines.
In France diesel fuel costs 15% less compared to gasoline, plus the mileage is at least 25% better. You pay more when you buy the car though, so if you drive like 5000 miles per year it's not worth the difference. If you drive over 7500 miles a year a diesel makes sense.

 

[Bob W]

Thanks for the analysis. I know diesel trucks in the US, even new ones, are much louder and smelly than gasoline trucks, even blowing out visible exhaust. Both of my bosses have new diesel pickups and those trucks are louder than my 12-year-old gasoline truck, harder to start when cold, and both blow visible smoke from the exhaust.

-Bob

 

[flava]

Thanks for the analysis. I know diesel trucks in the US, even new ones, are much louder and smelly than gasoline trucks, even blowing out visible exhaust. Both of my bosses have new diesel pickups and those trucks are louder than my 12-year-old gasoline truck, harder to start when cold, and both blow visible smoke from the exhaust.

-Bob

I have a Toyota diesel and a Ford Escort gasoline, both SW. The Ford is noisier ... but it's not the most silent engine ever built
All other things being equal, a diesel engine is still noisier than a gasoline engine. The difference is not as big nowadays, and it depends who made the car/engine. I can assure you that inside a S class Mercedes with a diesel engine you can still hear your breath Mercedes, Audi, BMW and Toyota make a good job in keeping the noise low.
Latest diesels have particle filters to cut out the fumes. Note that it's not the visible fumes that make the most dangerous pollution ... but they are visible
When it's really cold, like -25°C cold, you will have a hard time starting a diesel unless you have a heating setup. It never happens over here so it's not a problem for me. Where it happens (high altitude) the people still use diesels but avoid keeping them outside all night, or have heating setups at hand.