On Feb 27, 2:05*pm, Ed Huntress wrote:
On Wed, 27 Feb 2013 13:23:08 -0800 (PST), jon_banquer









wrote:
On Feb 27, 1:02 pm, Ed Huntress wrote:
On Wed, 27 Feb 2013 15:57:37 -0500, "Existential Angst"

wrote:
"Ed Huntress" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 27 Feb 2013 15:44:09 -0500, "Existential Angst"
wrote:

"Jon Elson" wrote in message
news:N4CdnY3o7JBs9bPMnZ2dnUVZ_qGdnZ2d@giganews. com...
Existential Angst wrote:

Exactly WHY was the 1974 54 hp beetle good enough then -- and good
enough
for 1/2 the driving world -- but it's **** now?
Can you imagine the mpg of that car, with a decent motor in it? I'm
sure
we'd be talking 70 mpg with a pure ICE, and much higher with any
hybridization.
There was a guy a few years ago selling his Honda Insight (hybrid)
on eBay, and he had a picture of the dashboard display, I think it was
86
MPG averaged over the 130,000 miles on the car. This was a stock
production vehicle, although it was obvious he actually knew how to
drive
it
for good economy.

Wow.... If it's true.
I was under the impression Honder wadn't doing too well with their
hybrids..... which doesn't mean it wadn't a good car. 86 mpg is right on
the heels of this 100 "MPGe" claimed by all-electrics.

As I mentioned, Prius c devotees are claiming 68 mpg with a light foot.

Here's what you're looking for:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_1-litre_car

It's a VW, it burns dead-dino fuel, and it gets around 240 mpg.

Holy ****.....

I hope Whoyakidding's cereal spoon is in his ass (as usual) when he reads
this, and not in his mouth, cuz iffin it's in his mouth, he just might
choke...

It's a real car, BTW, although it's more of a design exercise than a
prototype. VW officials drive it around on the streets from time to
time. They say it's really fun.

They spent a lot of time on safety and they're confident it will meet
standards anywhere.

--
Ed Huntress

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/...kswagen-xl1-pr...

"It's the physical representation of the benefits of reducing weight
and improving aerodynamics. The small body may only take two people,
but it's allowed for an incredibly streamlined body with a drag
coefficient of only 0.189.

Low weight--only 1,752 lbs--means only a small engine and electric
motor is needed to deliver respectable performance. Much of the car is
constructed from carbon fiber, aluminium and titanium.

VW says the car will do 261 mpg, though the real figure will be lower
than that should it ever be tested under EPA guidelines. Even so,
it'll still use comfortably less fuel than any vehicle currently on
sale.

A diesel engine of only 0.8 liters and 2 cylinders capacity produces
47 horsepower, with a further 27 horses delivered by the electric
motor. Power reache the wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

Those figures sound miniscule by modern standards, but the XL1 should
reach 62 mph in12.7 seconds. Top speed is 98 mph.

Operating alone, the small battery can deliver up to 31 miles of
range, and can be charged via plug or regenerative effect.

The price you pay for being green...

The negative aspect to all this is cost. The XL1 is unlikely to be
built in large numbers, and What Car estimates a cost as high as
$100,000 or more.

Holger Boch, XL1 project leader, says "It's clearly going to cost a
lot more than a Golf - it's made of carbonfibre and has two engines.
The people who buy it will be people who like technology and who like
being seen in a low-CO2 car."

Thankfully, its drivetrain may be put to more practical use, in cars
like the VW Up city car.

Whether either of these will ever reach the U.S. is unclear, though
Volkswagen will reveal more details at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show."

That's quite a development. VW has pushed all kinds of
extreme-efficiency experimental cars and prototypes, but this is one
that I'd really like to own.

'Too bad, though. It sounds like it will cost twice as much as a Lotus
Elise. Do I want a hot, sexy sports car that handles like a dream? Or
do I want a 47-horsepower diesel coupe that costs more than I paid for
my house? Decisions, decisions. For me, though, they're all dreams.

--
Ed Huntress

AFAIC a lightweight car is the answer and is what's needed.