Road Test (MPG report for 1951)

Time in partnership with CNN ^ | March 19, 1951

[PeterPrinciple]

At 3 a.m. one morning last week, 32 new cars began to roll out of Los Angeles on the first leg of a trip which twisted up the slopes of snow-capped mountains and along parched desert highways to the rim of the Grand Canyon. Purpose of the trip: to find out which U.S. cars get the most mileage and efficiency from their fuel. Every major U.S. make, except Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac, was represented. At journey's end, about 21 driving hours later, the cars had traveled from 280 feet below sea level to 7,005 feet above, had covered 840 miles. The winner: a Lincoln sedan, with 66.484 ton-miles per gallon (weight of car and passengers in tons, multiplied by miles, divided by gallons of gasoline consumed). Top places in actual miles per gallon: the six-cylinder Nash Rambler (31.053); the four-cylinder Henry J (30.109); the six-cylinder Henry J (28.860); the six-cylinder Studebaker Champion (28.621).*

[PeterPrinciple]

Folks, this is an interesting article. I look at these miles per gallon for new cars in 1951. They aren't much different than today. All these environmental laws have not done anything to improve things. Most likely have made things worse. Give this out to all your green friends.

[x1stcav]

I'd take issue with you that, while these old girls did well in new condition, the maintenance interval was probably 4 or 5 greater than today, and in terms of acceleration, etc there's no comparison.

My '61 Alfa Romeo Spider will get over 30 MPG on a trip. Wouldn't want to use it as a daily driver, however.

[Auntie Mame]

This is really surprising. Interesting.

[Jack of all Trades]

Interesting, except that today you can buy a car with more than double the horsepower of the winner (Nash Rambler) with the roughly the same mileage performance. If one were to hold power and vehicle weight constant (82 bhp, and 2500 lbs for the Rambler), and apply modern engine controls, the resulting fuel economy number would probably just about double.

Add to that the ability to start instantly in hot and cold weather, and run through over 100K miles without major repair (typically), and I would say that there has been more than a little improvement in engine technology in the past five decades. These are direct results of emissions controls.

[Leto]

The emissions from engines today are far lower than the older engine.

[SunkenCiv]

If one were to hold power and vehicle weight constant (82 bhp, and 2500 lbs for the Rambler), and apply modern engine controls, the resulting fuel economy number would probably just about double.

That would make 62.106 per gallon, so that's not likely. The Toyoto Prius hybrid stands alone with the highest fuel economy rating, at 60 (51 city), and that's using the 2007 figures. In 2008 the EPA will begin to use the more realistic and lower estimates.

In the wake of the OPEC embargo, the Big Three dropped vehicle weight, reduced cross-section, and improved aerodynamics, all of which increased fuel economy, which in turn reduced emissions, even before other methods (such as the movement to fuel injection and away from carboretors, which took a long time).

[Jack of all Trades]

Perhaps I was a little generous with the doubling of the stated number. However, I would suggest that the 30 MPG number from the article is probably a little optimistic for what one should expect from the car over the long term.

On the modern car side, I know for a fact that the VW Passat TDI will deliver better than 50 MPG through 100K miles. I would also guess that if either the Prius or a TDI were stripped down to 2500 lbs, and the engine controls were modified to limit acceleration to that of a '51 Rambler, 60 MPG would be within reach.

I'm not trying to argue over details, only to indicate that the original conclusion that 50 years of automotive progress has amounted to naught.

[SunkenCiv]

I think there were additional test conditions in those 1951 tests, such as smooth tread tires under higher than normal pressure, and not driving at high speeds. It is still an interesting article, in that fuel economy hasn't changed much in 58 years.

[Jack of all Trades]

What hasn't changed is the thirst for performance. Ever since the first two automobiles crossed paths, people have wanted to go faster. It has ever been thus. Car manufacturers are just producing the kinds of cars that people want.