CORVETTE WINS MPG MARATHON
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CORVETTE WINS MPG MARATHON
- Iconic supercar wins eco-driving challenge
- 61.26 per cent improvement over combined mpg figure
- Responsible driving brings huge cost benefits
An educated approach to driving can bring huge benefits to owners of all types of car, proving that you don’t necessarily need a fuel-sipping supermini to cut your motoring costs.
And to illustrate the point, the legendary Corvette was crowned the overall winner in the annual Fleetworld/ALD Automotive MPG Marathon, recording a record 61.26 per cent improvement over the official combined figure in the two-day, 411-mile economy driving event.
Driven by Press Association journalist Richard Hammond, the Corvette Z06 achieved a combined MPG figure of 30.96mpg over the challenging route, proving that even a 198mph supercar can achieve fuel economy similar to that of a modern family hatchback if driven with a sensible approach to road and traffic conditions.
MPG Marathon organiser Ross Durkin said: “Driving economically is possible in whatever car you own – all it takes is consideration of prevailing road conditions and an educated approach to how you drive your car. The Corvette’s success proves that any driver can improve their fuel economy if they think in advance and anticipate road conditions.”
Using Total Excellium high octane petrol at a cost of 109.9 pence per litre, the Corvette used £66.41 worth of fuel over the route, a saving of £40.54 compared to if it had achieved its official combined figure of 19.2mpg.
The Corvette Z06 is available in the UK now, priced from £54,995
- Iconic supercar wins eco-driving challenge
- 61.26 per cent improvement over combined mpg figure
- Responsible driving brings huge cost benefits
An educated approach to driving can bring huge benefits to owners of all types of car, proving that you don’t necessarily need a fuel-sipping supermini to cut your motoring costs.
And to illustrate the point, the legendary Corvette was crowned the overall winner in the annual Fleetworld/ALD Automotive MPG Marathon, recording a record 61.26 per cent improvement over the official combined figure in the two-day, 411-mile economy driving event.
Driven by Press Association journalist Richard Hammond, the Corvette Z06 achieved a combined MPG figure of 30.96mpg over the challenging route, proving that even a 198mph supercar can achieve fuel economy similar to that of a modern family hatchback if driven with a sensible approach to road and traffic conditions.
MPG Marathon organiser Ross Durkin said: “Driving economically is possible in whatever car you own – all it takes is consideration of prevailing road conditions and an educated approach to how you drive your car. The Corvette’s success proves that any driver can improve their fuel economy if they think in advance and anticipate road conditions.”
Using Total Excellium high octane petrol at a cost of 109.9 pence per litre, the Corvette used £66.41 worth of fuel over the route, a saving of £40.54 compared to if it had achieved its official combined figure of 19.2mpg.
The Corvette Z06 is available in the UK now, priced from £54,995
what i mean to get 31 it must of been the must boring drive ever to attain those figures, and no-one would ever putle around like that in such an awesome drivers car
i dont think anyone would buy a Z06 because it can average 31mpg, its great that you can get when needed though. Im pretty sure the majority of owners in the UK with such a car wouldnt use it as an everyday vehicle and would probably have something more frugal for the trips to work, running about etc
i dont think anyone would buy a Z06 because it can average 31mpg, its great that you can get when needed though. Im pretty sure the majority of owners in the UK with such a car wouldnt use it as an everyday vehicle and would probably have something more frugal for the trips to work, running about etc
Edited by Viper on Saturday 11th October 14:02
My point is that the Z06 is intrinsically economical. We return mid twenties even when wearing the lead driving wellies and high teens with brains in the top drawer back at the office.
There's a very finite amount of time you can stand on the loud pedal even given our experience with them.
The racing 'vette does a lap of Silverstone on 3 litres when knocking in 2.00 minute laps.
It's not why you buy them for sure, but it's a nice bonus.
There's a very finite amount of time you can stand on the loud pedal even given our experience with them.
The racing 'vette does a lap of Silverstone on 3 litres when knocking in 2.00 minute laps.
It's not why you buy them for sure, but it's a nice bonus.
i think the points are:
1. Corvette perhaps are feeling the regs,consumer pinch against huge engined but fairly cheap (for supercars) mpg/emissions pinch
2. Proving that if we all drive a bit 'better' then we can extract about 10mpg more from our commutes.
seen as the car in question is a Z06 i would suggest it is the 1st point, a fearfull marketing ploy from a company who dont have the resources, nor consumer base to develop a radical smaller engined supercar with performance and economy to match at this time.
in essence its marketing spin that been done by a few companies to try persuade that a 6.0 V8 isnt too bad to run after all.
Its all too late, the regs are tightening porsche with its anti congestion charge tried the same as have other marques.
the future is set in stone its ultra low emission, recyclable cars with fantastic mpg and a slight towards family friendly safe driving without speed involved hence the global net of speeding technologies in nearly all countries being enforced harder along with better green credentials.
they will just have to run with the times to survive.
1. Corvette perhaps are feeling the regs,consumer pinch against huge engined but fairly cheap (for supercars) mpg/emissions pinch
2. Proving that if we all drive a bit 'better' then we can extract about 10mpg more from our commutes.
seen as the car in question is a Z06 i would suggest it is the 1st point, a fearfull marketing ploy from a company who dont have the resources, nor consumer base to develop a radical smaller engined supercar with performance and economy to match at this time.
in essence its marketing spin that been done by a few companies to try persuade that a 6.0 V8 isnt too bad to run after all.
Its all too late, the regs are tightening porsche with its anti congestion charge tried the same as have other marques.
the future is set in stone its ultra low emission, recyclable cars with fantastic mpg and a slight towards family friendly safe driving without speed involved hence the global net of speeding technologies in nearly all countries being enforced harder along with better green credentials.
they will just have to run with the times to survive.
meggerman said:
i think the points are:
1. Corvette perhaps are feeling the regs,consumer pinch against huge engined but fairly cheap (for supercars) mpg/emissions pinch
2. Proving that if we all drive a bit 'better' then we can extract about 10mpg more from our commutes.
seen as the car in question is a Z06 i would suggest it is the 1st point, a fearfull marketing ploy from a company who dont have the resources, nor consumer base to develop a radical smaller engined supercar with performance and economy to match at this time.
in essence its marketing spin that been done by a few companies to try persuade that a 6.0 V8 isnt too bad to run after all.
Its all too late, the regs are tightening porsche with its anti congestion charge tried the same as have other marques.
the future is set in stone its ultra low emission, recyclable cars with fantastic mpg and a slight towards family friendly safe driving without speed involved hence the global net of speeding technologies in nearly all countries being enforced harder along with better green credentials.
they will just have to run with the times to survive.
Wouldn't it be nice if we all agreed. 1. Corvette perhaps are feeling the regs,consumer pinch against huge engined but fairly cheap (for supercars) mpg/emissions pinch
2. Proving that if we all drive a bit 'better' then we can extract about 10mpg more from our commutes.
seen as the car in question is a Z06 i would suggest it is the 1st point, a fearfull marketing ploy from a company who dont have the resources, nor consumer base to develop a radical smaller engined supercar with performance and economy to match at this time.
in essence its marketing spin that been done by a few companies to try persuade that a 6.0 V8 isnt too bad to run after all.
Its all too late, the regs are tightening porsche with its anti congestion charge tried the same as have other marques.
the future is set in stone its ultra low emission, recyclable cars with fantastic mpg and a slight towards family friendly safe driving without speed involved hence the global net of speeding technologies in nearly all countries being enforced harder along with better green credentials.
they will just have to run with the times to survive.
There is a point here which you seem to have missed.
The Z06 does have the capability to do 30 mpg at the drop of a hat.
No fearfull ( with one "l" please)marketing ploy.
It's what they do.
No marketing spin.
The car does 30 mpg when cruising, and as we know, it still does that above the national speed limit, as we found on on trips in Europe.
So, despite the fact that it would be nice to agree with you, the fact that you are talking out of your bottom precludes a meeting of minds on this occasion.
Corvettes are just lovely to burble round in slowly. Even at 70mph the things are just ticking over.
I ran a C5 alongside an Impreza P1 for a while and the Suby crucified me for fuel. The Vette was way more economical, if only due to the fact that it was impossible to drive the P1 slowly. Real world economy favours the Corvette.
I ran a C5 alongside an Impreza P1 for a while and the Suby crucified me for fuel. The Vette was way more economical, if only due to the fact that it was impossible to drive the P1 slowly. Real world economy favours the Corvette.
I have just done 2000 miles in California in a Corvette. I was worried about the fuel bill, but on the long straight freeways with cruise pegged at 75mph it was averaging 32mpg. Covert that into imperial gallons and it is even more impressive.
(Then I found some proper roads and got 8mpg)
I was truly impressed with the Corvette. A great blend of GT and supercar, with everyday practicality. I had always dismissed the car, and now I'm trying to persuade a friend who wants to buy a 996 to consider a Corvette instead.
(Then I found some proper roads and got 8mpg)
I was truly impressed with the Corvette. A great blend of GT and supercar, with everyday practicality. I had always dismissed the car, and now I'm trying to persuade a friend who wants to buy a 996 to consider a Corvette instead.
Janesy B said:
i doubt a person thinking of buying a 'vette is going to be arsed about MPG.
You think wrong then! I race mine but also do a alot of road mileage. My Z06 has done over 23,000 miles since new on drag strips (4th in the UK Street Racer series this year), track days, on road trips, magazine testing at Bruntingthorpe, shopping, and commuting through London traffic. I drive a Z06 because I want a Z06 and it does everything I ask of it.
I don't care about whether the car does 5mpg and would still have one even if it did, but knowing that you can easily get over 30mpg it makes the ownernership experience all the better.
For example, when you fancy a trip to the South of France, it doesn't cost an arm and a leg in fuel meaning you can spend more on food and wine! Some of the guys I drag race against have to fill their cars three times - once on the way to the strip, again before they race, and again on the way home. Thats like £150 in fuel for a weekend racing. In the Z06, I fill up once (£55), drive to the drag strip, race, drive home again and I still have half a tank of fuel left and an extra £100 in my pocket compared to the others. I race 6 or 7 times a year, add it up and you see that I saved enough to pay for my insurance!
Of course supercar owners think about fuel costs, who likes throwing money away? Have your cake and eat it, buy a Z06.
Edited by JenkinsComp on Monday 27th October 09:47
Viper said:
what i mean to get 31 it must of been the must boring drive ever to attain those figures, and no-one would ever putle around like that in such an awesome drivers car
i dont think anyone would buy a Z06 because it can average 31mpg, its great that you can get when needed though. Im pretty sure the majority of owners in the UK with such a car wouldnt use it as an everyday vehicle and would probably have something more frugal for the trips to work, running about etc
wrong! Why would I poodle around in some poxy econobox when I have a Z06? i dont think anyone would buy a Z06 because it can average 31mpg, its great that you can get when needed though. Im pretty sure the majority of owners in the UK with such a car wouldnt use it as an everyday vehicle and would probably have something more frugal for the trips to work, running about etc
Edited by Viper on Saturday 11th October 14:02
I only have one road car because thats all I need. Perfect for the shopping with it's huge boot, I can even fit an adult sized racing bike in there and close the lid. Can you do that in a 3 series BMW? The clutch isn't stupidly weighted so it's easy to drive in traffic, and the superb LS7 idles like a rock at 600rpm giving me no overheating type heart palpitations in traffic whatever the temperature outside.
And yet it runs 11.7s at the dragstrip on stock run flat tyres. Now, how quick is a stock Viper again, and how much do they cost?
Edited by JenkinsComp on Monday 27th October 09:48
Edited by JenkinsComp on Monday 27th October 09:53
Edited by JenkinsComp on Monday 27th October 09:53
Edited by JenkinsComp on Monday 27th October 09:54
I'm glad this has been "officialised". I have a supercharged Mustang which, whilst not in the same league as the Z06, pumps over 450bhp and can still achieve an average 30mpg driven scarefully and sedately if not slowly. Even when thrashed, it doesn't drop below 19mpg but the point here is that you can have economy and performance in one vehicle and the fears surrounding the alleged thirst of a large capacity V8 have been completely unfounded for at least 10 years - Subarus, Focus STs and RX7s have been comfortably outdrinking American V8s for years and years.
The sheer joy of these cars is that even driven slowly, they are special, the big lazy V8 burbling away like a boiling pan of water. It's not compulsory to go fast and they do fast and slow equally well.
Shame they didn't run a Ferrari or Lamborghini alongside and see what sort of appalling mpg those returned.
The sheer joy of these cars is that even driven slowly, they are special, the big lazy V8 burbling away like a boiling pan of water. It's not compulsory to go fast and they do fast and slow equally well.
Shame they didn't run a Ferrari or Lamborghini alongside and see what sort of appalling mpg those returned.
LuS1fer said:
I'm glad this has been "officialised". I have a supercharged Mustang which, whilst not in the same league as the Z06, pumps over 450bhp and can still achieve an average 30mpg driven scarefully and sedately if not slowly. Even when thrashed, it doesn't drop below 19mpg but the point here is that you can have economy and performance in one vehicle and the fears surrounding the alleged thirst of a large capacity V8 have been completely unfounded for at least 10 years - Subarus, Focus STs and RX7s have been comfortably outdrinking American V8s for years and years.
The sheer joy of these cars is that even driven slowly, they are special, the big lazy V8 burbling away like a boiling pan of water. It's not compulsory to go fast and they do fast and slow equally well.
Shame they didn't run a Ferrari or Lamborghini alongside and see what sort of appalling mpg those returned.
In my experience, it's making a fast car go slowly that is the difficult bit.The sheer joy of these cars is that even driven slowly, they are special, the big lazy V8 burbling away like a boiling pan of water. It's not compulsory to go fast and they do fast and slow equally well.
Shame they didn't run a Ferrari or Lamborghini alongside and see what sort of appalling mpg those returned.
Making a car go fast is easy.
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