Why are Yanks better at M.P.G. than.....

[666 SVT]

I get 10mpg out of the lightning on my 48 mile round trip to work and
managed 13.7 on a recent trip of 170 miles to Newcastle. That's why I
just bought a dopey lookin Smart car for going to work in and leave me
more cash for modding the L

[ZR1cliff]

eliot said:

LuS1fer said:

no worse than 19-20 on a hard thrash

You’re talking about the 450bhp car in your profile? I'm not sure I can believe that MPG figure.

When my ZR-1 was standard, 5.7 litres and 375hp, It could return over 30mpg on a leisurely run. Last Sunday in it's modified form, nearly 7 litres and 550 plus hp, it returned 20.2 mpg and I'm sure I could have bettered that. These are all US Gallons, so add a bit more on for Imperial.

[aeropilot]

twistedsanity said:

could it be that a US gallon is different in volume to a UK gallon?

Yes it is.

A US gallon is smaller, it's 0.8 x Imperial gallon.

[ZR1cliff]

ZR1cliff said:

eliot said:

LuS1fer said:

no worse than 19-20 on a hard thrash

You’re talking about the 450bhp car in your profile? I'm not sure I can believe that MPG figure.

When my ZR-1 was standard, 5.7 litres and 375hp, It could return over 30mpg on a leisurely run. Last Sunday in it's modified form, nearly 7 litres and 550 plus hp, it returned 20.2 mpg and I'm sure I could have bettered that. These are all US Gallons, so add a bit more on for Imperial.

Yesterday I managed 26.1 mpg (US), which I am reliably informed translates to around 30ish mpg (imperial). This I managed driving on a 50 plus mile motorway/DC journey using mainly 6th gear at 70 mph @ approx 1900rpm, I found 5th more economical for slower speeds in the 50's. I think there is a possibility of getting even better results with clear roads. Not bad for nearly 7 litres of motor.

[300bhp/ton]

BLUETHUNDER said:

There european equivalents?.Been using the Ram all wkend driving around the south coast.Its been returning around 23mpg.This is much better than the 19mpg i get from the 4.0V8 LR i have.Same for the Corvette against the Cerbera.I was really pleased with what it returned.One of our stop off,s at the weekend at Horndean in Hampshire for a M.V show.



Mrs Thunder,Baby Thunder, and the Ram.Covered about 200 mls in total.Nice and comfy too.

Nice Ram

I think there several reasons why they are so good.

1. Comparing a Rangr Rover with the Rover V8 is not really a fair comparison. Most modern American cars have modern engines in them. The RR uses and engine from the early 60's and it shows. It really is pitiful on fuel. Although I will admit my TR7 V8 does manage 24-26mpg but it doesn't weigh anything.

2. Is the fact that most American V8's are all fairly new designs and efficent, also as they tend to opt for a larger displacement it means they have an engine that doesn't need to work hard to make the power, thus you can drive it more easy.

3. Combined with the big displacement usually comes better gearing. Tall gearing, low rpms cruising and low end torque means effortless driving.

4. I also think there is a real negative towards anything American here in the UK, so everyone seems to think they are all gas gusslers and don't stop or handle, lol :lol:

[300bhp/ton]

eliot said:

Robbed666 said:

You better believe it!

That MPG thread says 8MPG when flooring it, which is what I would expect and the point i was making.

Instant MPG means nothing, in a 6.0 V12 Jagaur you could get the instant to actually read less than 2mpg.

Overall average is much more key as thats how far you'll get on a tank of fuel.

In my LS1 powered Camaro with auto transmission it will regualry return 24-26+mpg (imperial gallons) and that's on short journeys and plenty of WOT action.

In the US they have smaller gallons, but I feel their roads are generally more economical to drive on.

But the reasons for the good fuel consumption are 2.73 final drive ratio, a car not weighing anywhere near as much as Jo-public seem to think and a fantastic engine.

[Robbed666]

aeropilot said:

twistedsanity said:

could it be that a US gallon is different in volume to a UK gallon?

Yes it is.

A US gallon is smaller, it's 0.8 x Imperial gallon.

It's actually 0.8326 x Imperial Gallon, (US Fluid ounces are marginally bigger than Imperial fluid ounces)

US Gallon = 3.785 litres, UK = 4.546 litres. 3.785/4.546= 0.8326
and 4.546/3.785 =1.201.

don't mean to be a pedant, but it all adds up! :-)

Edited by Robbed666 on Tuesday 17th June 19:16

[irocfan]

well as mentioned about another L on here my mileage is pitiful - averaging about 11mpg on short trips on a run it'll gasp to about 20mpg.... not earth shattering I know but then again the thing weighs 5000lb and will hit 145mpg and carry 3/4 ton I guess I can't really complain too much lol

my 3rd gen Irocs I used to drive would edge over 30mpg on a steady 65mph and it was a lovely lazy drive - when you wanted to though it would happily keep up with average performance cars

[JenkinsComp]

My C6 Z06 has a life to date average of 13.9mpg (UK numbers) but I live in central London so encounter alot of traffic where I get 0mpg, drag race it and throw it around tracks so it is way below what it could do if you live somewhere nice, do motorway miles, and don't race it.

On a trip to the South of France and back I could get 30mpg, even 33mpg when cruising in 6th. People think that yank cars are heavy, but it isn't stricly true; the Corvette with full leather interior, air con, sat nav etc weighs only 3179lbs/1442kgs (just 40kg more than a stripped out 997 GT3), and a 4th Gen Camaro weighs only 3300lbs/1500kg, so combine that low down torque with long 6th grear and a not-that-heavy body, and you can get amazingly good mileage on a run.

The difficult bit is resisting putting your foot down...