0-60 vs Fuel economy

After reading the posts on fuel economy and the different sized engines (My brain hurts trying to imagine the size of Morelite's 8.1 litre, as where I live as a progressive tax is levied on all engines and it maxes out at 6500 dollars over 3.5 litres) This left me wondering about performance. Not to see who has the fastest car, but just to see if those big low MPG enigines really offer the performance advantage one would associate with it. What is considered a "fast" car in daily commute? Over here it's anything that does the 0-60 in under ten seconds. So what acceleration does your care have (compared to the MPG) and how often do you get the chance to use it?

Update on the MPG post as well, one car (mine) which made it to the 50MPG class is no more, it did not survive side impact with a streetlight. I had to exit via the passenger door.

Kristofg said:

After reading the posts on fuel economy and the different sized engines (My brain hurts trying to imagine the size of Morelite's 8.1 litre, as where I live as a progressive tax is levied on all engines and it maxes out at 6500 dollars over 3.5 litres) This left me wondering about performance. Not to see who has the fastest car, but just to see if those big low MPG enigines really offer the performance advantage one would associate with it. What is considered a "fast" car in daily commute? Over here it's anything that does the 0-60 in under ten seconds. So what acceleration does your care have (compared to the MPG) and how often do you get the chance to use it?

Update on the MPG post as well, one car (mine) which made it to the 50MPG class is no more, it did not survive side impact with a streetlight. I had to exit via the passenger door.

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Anything less than two liters isn't too common except in very small cars in the US. Now, US spec vehicles... many minivans can do 0-60 in <10 seconds. Many models are fit with a larger engine for the US model.

2.5 to 5 liters is a common range for the average commuter cars. Usually, anything less than 3 liters is a small car or medium size car without the larger engine option.

'05 Honda Civic = 1.7 liter 4 cyl
'06 Crown Victoria(also used as police car) = 4.6 liter V8

My Kia Spectra was something in the 2.5-3 liter range and I got 27 mpg normally but when on the highway and driving 80 MPH (speeding I know) I got it up to 30 mpg. It may have made the 10 second limit to 60. My backup car the Kia Rio gets 35+ on the highway at 75 MPH without air conditioning, 30 with or normal city driving.

Funny thing I have noticed is that I get better fuel economy when running somewhere above 70 MPH. The opposite of what we were told driving at 55 would do. Of course back in the early days of 55MPH the older cars might have benefitted from driving at that speed. Mine don't

My Ford Taurus SHO has a 3.4L with 0-60 in 7.6 seconds. If I drive nicely :lolsign: I can get 23 MPG. I use the 235 HP a lot on the highway.

I'm in Australia so sorry, no idea how the MPG works...
0-60 (mph i'm guessing ?) it'll be a whee bit over 8 seconds.
40litres of fuel gets me about 360km's if i drive nicely (not too heavy a right foot).
I flatten the right pedal alot...so i guess i've got alot of chances to accelerate.

Oh it's a 1.6 litre...

It's amazing how many cars in the US are 2.0 litres or less. Especially the 'economy' models.

The horsepower to weight ratio determines the 0-60 mph times. A 90 HP motor cycle easily reaches 60mph in seconds. Put that 90 Hp in a 4,000 pound car id you may not make it to 60 before you die of boredom.

Daniel

My car does 0-60 in 4.5 seconds without breathing hard, tops out at over 150mph, and gets over 20mpg cruising on the highway at 65mph all with a 4.6 litre V8. And it's a convertible. :rock:

Read somewhere (popular mechanics or consumer reports) that the new Corvette Z06 with the 500hp engine can get up to 27mpg on the highway. Thats pretty good for a car that can go 0-60 in around 3.5 seconds. Now if I can just hold off on my next couple hundred flashlights, maybe I'll be able to afford one.

I don't know about the newest cars, but the 4-cylinder engine options for midsize sedans were commonly in the 2.0-2.5 litre range a few years ago. Usually anything over 4-4.5 litres is either a truck engine, or in a very large (Lincoln Town Car) or very fast (Corvette) car. Things are very different now than they were in the '60s-'70s. Back then most cars could be had with engines in the 6-8 litre range.

My 1990 Mazda 626 2.2 sedan was never a speed demon but it didn't feel underpowered. Fuel eco in the mid 20s. My current ride is a 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee (despite the name it's something of a trim midsize SUV) with the 4.0 engine. Not only does it get only about 13-15 MPG, it's quite slow off the line. The three major factors involved in that are an outdated (but reliable) engine, a soft automatic transmission, and a heavy vehicle. The more appropriate engine for this year Jeep was a 5.2 V8, which surprisingly got the same MPG.

I think the difference between US and European averages is more related to the size of vehicle rather than speed. My impression of many western European areas is that cars are mostly small and midsize, with some tiny cars in cities. Some minivans, not many trucks. Here in the US most cars on the road are midsize, with smaller numbers of small cars, large cars, and minivans. Most of them have V6 performace packages available. Really tiny cars are very uncommon. You also have a large percentage of SUVs and pickup trucks, which really swings the balance.

In brand new cars in the US I'd consider a 10 sec. 0-60 to be very below average, usually the domain of small engine trucks or subcompact cars. Just from flipping through a Car & Driver chart it seems like 6-8 is where most cars and trucks fit in, with some performance option everyday cars getting down to 5. When you considering the size of some of the SUVs in the US it's pretty amazing that they can motivate a 5000 pound truck to 6.5 0-60.

I have a 04' Acura TL manual 6 speed. It has a 3.2 liter which was listed as 270 HP when I purchased the car. Motor Trend says 5.9 sec 0-60, it is electronically limited on the top end to 155 mph. According to the trip computer I have averaged 26 mpg over the past 27,000 miles at an average speed of 41 mph.

2006 Corvette Z06 (not mine)

7.0 liter engine
505hp+
0-60 3.7 seconds (3.4 was achieved by Car and Driver)
16mpg city
26mpg highway
top speed 198mph


Further proof that overhead camshafts are not better than pushrods.

chevrofreak said:

2006 Corvette Z06 (not mine)

7.0 liter engine
505hp+
0-60 3.7 seconds (3.4 was achieved by Car and Driver)
16mpg city
26mpg highway
top speed 198mph


Further proof that overhead camshafts are not better than pushrods.

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them specs seem wrong but i aint sure but thats amazeing 26 mpg.id imagine it drops a few cyclinders at high speeds

raggie33 said:

them specs seem wrong but i aint sure but thats amazeing 26 mpg.id imagine it drops a few cyclinders at high speeds

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The specs are correct.

My '06 Civic with AT will probably just make it to 60 in ten sec. Normal commute returns about 33 mpg, pure highway was 42 mpg. This is a 1.8 l. engine.

Geoff

I've never timed it myself, but have found numbers indicating that my car goes 0-60 in 8.4 seconds. This is fast enough for me. Mileage in city driving is 19-20. It's a heavy car with an inline four cylinder making 160 hp, at least the manufacturer claims that number.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that it has a high gear ratio as well. Not sure about that though. It's fun to drive!

Performance and efficiency specs are constantly improving. Today's transmissions also help in spacing the gears to keep the engine in a happy range. With 7 spd trannies and variable smart type shifting, it's amazing what some cars will be capable of.

At 75 MPH the barge I'm in, is turning about 2,500 RPM's. The best recorded has been 28 MPG. Factory spec is 0-60 is at 7.2 and 1/4 at 15.6. The 4L blows in town though, probably 16-18 MPG.

fast is 0-60 in under 6.5 seconds.

Now.... one car that amazed me in terms of hp:mpg, was the chevy impala SS with 300 hp and 30 mpg... thats 10 hp per mpg.

-David

gadget_lover said:

It's amazing how many cars in the US are 2.0 litres or less. Especially the 'economy' models.

The horsepower to weight ratio determines the 0-60 mph times. A 90 HP motor cycle easily reaches 60mph in seconds. Put that 90 Hp in a 4,000 pound car id you may not make it to 60 before you die of boredom.

Daniel

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Hey, hey hey quit making fun of my 1.9L 92HP 3400lb car has a 0-60 of around 11 something. Again I have to say it drives me nuts that people seem to be so obsessed with speed and 0-60 times yet drive up an on ramp and typically do 0-60 in about a minute, go figure...

2 litre ford mondeo (contour) diesel, 0-62 mph 9.8 seconds, 130 mphish, 36-39mpg round town fully laden with tools and parts, boot and back seats full of stuff with the back suspension about 4" compressed from the weight, unloaded with just me and she who must be obeyed in the car doing between 85-95 on a long journey 56mpg is about average.
still sounds like a ****ing tractor though.
when were replacing the fiances merc itll probably be a v6 diesel audi, silky smooth and sounds much less like a diesel,

Remember that the original VW's in the US were 36 horsepower. Worked well enough, although I wouldn't want to race one.