83MPG Volkswagen Elise

http://www.autocar.co.uk/news_article.asp?na_id=217406

oh ya saw that... kinda cool but as a 2nd car only. i would have a lot of issues if that was my primary mode of transport

Now, here's a car with a relatively blunt nose, obviously not close to a .26 drag coefficient. So VW's primary aim with it isn't MPG?

And what does the 83 MPG figure mean? Overall? Including accelerating 0-60 in 6.3 sec.?.

Still, I'm impressed. About time VW got its butt in gear with serious R & D.

First of all, the 83 MPG figure is most likely Imperial gallons, not good ol' US gallons...

Still:

83 * (miles / Imperial gallon) = 69.1119291 miles / US gallon

is impressive for a non-hybrid with crappy aerodynamics.

I love Google.

It's probably powered by one of their tiny little TDI engines.

Gee, will they modify the Hybrid Tax to screw-over this vehicle too?...

The 83MPG means when the truck broadsides you, that's the mileage you get as you go rolling sideways down the road like a big rolling pin! :lol: :lol: :lol:

The acceleration of 0-60 in 6.3 seconds is determined by how big the truck was that hit you and it related speed upon impact! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Any more questions?

To quote the article...

The engine is more powerful (136 hp) than the Prius' even though they have the same displacement. The car is also considerably lighter. The article didn't give a drag coefficient.

Volkswagen EcoRacer
VW has no plans to produce it.

It's just a concept platform that incorporates some novel materials Carbon fibre this and such. If we could get away from steel to some of these carbon materials every car would get MUCH better gas mileage. Keeping the cars on the ground would be the hard part.

well once I looked at the pictures, its no tooooo skinny!

Why would they not want to produce this car?... It actually looks like it would sell.. its very sharp and would be a seller in America I think.

yea... they would really have to have proper aerodynamics with spoilers etc to stay on the ground or it would be easy for that light of a car to become airbourne!
And if a truck hit you!.. it would be like a football going for a field goal!

I think that this is a great car coming from VW.

Lightweight, sporty looking, and yet a fast and impressively efficient power plant. I wouldn't buy one because it may be too small for me, but it would be a decent seller.

Actually, I would like to see skinnier cars.

(Pie in the sky)
My ideal car for commuting would be a 2 passenger hybrid with the passenger seated behind the driver.
I'd still have a more general purpose car at home.
The right tool for each job.

If these types of cars caught on, the left lane(s) could be reserved for them (like HOV) to quell the fears of those afraid of getting crushed by trucks or SUVs.

Skinnier cars would be easy to flip and roll with side impact, but true... would shave off alot of weight!

What makes me nervous is some of the recent cars VW has put out, seem so cheap and problematic to work on that mechanics don't even want to mess with them?

I bet there are plenty of reasonable technical solutions to this; skinny body but (relatively) wide wheelbase, gyroscope, low center of gravity.

The only real challenge would be to reverse the arms race in consumer vehicle size.
(You know, the "My vehicle has to be big enough to be uncrushable by all the other vehicles that to have to be big enough to be uncrushable." attitude.)
Having reserved driving lanes on key roads and highways for small, fuel efficient, low emission vehicles would certainly help with this.

You must be talking about the bicycle lanes? :lol:

And what up with your avatar? and what is she doing?... working at a carwash? :lol:

That's Akane Tendo from the anime series "Ranma 1/2".
She's dancing (in the opening music and animation).
I'm seriously otaku so I wanted an anime related avatar (for now).