A Real 100mpg Car You Can't Buy Here!

VW ^

[John Jamieson]

VW Lupo "3 liter":100mph, 4 seats, airbags, automatic transmission, available AC. 78.5mpg city, 104.6mpg highway, 94.5mpg combined. If we can get the sulfur out of US desiel fuel, we could have 'em now!

(see link for details)

[FreedomPoster]

Don't you just love it when folks of a non-engineering/non-technological persuasion start making "why doesn't someone ___________". Generally, there's usually a really good reason why not, and that reason is generally inherently obvious to people with a high school physics background, let alone anyone who's been to engineering school.

[John Jamieson]

That approach I can handle..... it's the "those stupid jerks" in Detroit, or NASA, or Microsoft, etc. that tick me off.

[FreedomPoster]

>>Don't knock the TDI technology out of hand.

I want one of the new VW Touareg SUV's when they come out, with the TDI engine. 5.0 liter V10, 313 HP, 550 ft-lb torque (that's not a typo), 25+ mpg EPA combined!

[Chemist_Geek]

That approach I can handle..... it's the "those stupid jerks" in Detroit, or NASA, or Microsoft, etc. that tick me off.

Yes, it's the people in Lansing and Washington who think that, by graduating from law school, they know anything about everything. Those are the ones to be careful of.

[Chemist_Geek]

Are they saying people shounld not be allowed to buy them? If so, it is none of their business too.

No, just that they'll mercilessly mock anyone who does buy a city car. I don't think anyone here on FR would call for bans on sales of any type of vehicle; I sure don't want to see SUVs banned. I'd much rather people look at their interest in minimizing our dependence on Arab oil, and choose wisely.

As mentioned elsewhere, I work in fuel cell R&D. I don't want a government mandate like California has - that's the worst way to get a new technology out there. I want fuel cells, high efficiency vechicles, and the like to have such an inherent advantage that the consumer will want to buy them on their own merits. That's what I'm working for (when not taking a break by drinking coffee and reading FR...)

Saying someone should not have one as their only car is like saying some one must get a road bike before a mountain bike. Sure, most mountain bikes I see are being driven on roads, not in the woods. Does that mean these bikes never go offroad? Does it even matter?

With the bikes, there isn't the consumption/emission issue (Unless the bike rider has been to Taco Bell, but I digress...), nor is there the rollover issue or the squashing other smaller bikes issue, like there are with SUVs and city cars.

[Redcloak]

Rabbit-redux?

[FreedomPoster]

I had a first generation Rabbit back in the late 70's, and let me assure you, that thing is a *lot* smaller than a Rabbit.

[Old Professer]

Something that I had always wondered about was why they didn't just make a little diesel/electric car, sort of like train locomotives. A small, twin cylinder diesel motor, turning a generator, supplying power to electric motors.

Look up the term, Power Factor.

[On the Road to Serfdom]

I agree, I don't like the attacks on little cars either but they do not even come close to the attacks on SUV's. I would like to see cross between a golf-cart and go-cart made street legal. Slightly safer than a motorcycle yet cheaper and more fun than a “real” car. Actually I have seen these posted before. I see those posts attacking small cars more as a reflex against the anti-SUV crowd in general than a serious critique of people who buy a small car.

There is no consumption/emission issue with SUV's. There will be plenty of fuel for the next 1000 years, and global warming is a bad joke. 20 years from now we will see that and gas prices will be lower than now (adjusted for inflation and not including taxes.)

There is no "Crushing others" issue specific to SUV's. Unless you bring in the van, minivan, bus, delivery trucks, etc., it is not consistent to criticize SUVs for the risk of crushing others. Rollover risk is also overblown. Basically, the arguments against SUVs are exaggerated.

[John Jamieson]

Probably about the same interior volume due to more modern packaging, but 3" shorter wheelbase and about 300 pounds lighter due to better materials and smaller engine. It's really quite comparable. This one has better crash protection and airbags.

[John Jamieson]

I saw a super, 2 passenger "go cart" at Tractor Supply the other day. Full roll cage, full suspension, etc. $1795. All I could think of was changing the tires to street treads and wraping a body around it.

[John Jamieson]

I may have written that very poorly. It's the attacks on those folks that tick me off.

[John Jamieson]

This looks like it:http://www.go-carts-go-carts.com/program/fixedPriceMod.cfm?do=detail&productID=11&categoryID=4

[Willie Green]

"Absolutely adequate" for what???
Maybe it'll get you to the grocery store and back
But I sure wouldn't want to get on the Interstate with those 18-wheelers in one of those.

[John Jamieson]

I drove all over the US with wife and two kids in a 68 Opel "mini brute" pulling a trailer and running AC.

What do you drive Willie? A maglev?

[John Jamieson]

Huh? I believe "power factor" has something to do with the phase angle between voltage and current in AC circuits??? How does that apply here?

[Willie Green]

I drove all over the US with wife and two kids in a 68 Opel "mini brute" pulling a trailer and running AC.

Sounds like the wife had grounds for divorce.
Try that today and they'll lock you up for child abuse.

What do you drive Willie? A maglev?

Dodge Caravan. Plenty of room for my camping/fishing gear.

[John Jamieson]

Well, that will protect you from 18 wheelers all right!

[Willie Green]

Big enough for them to see me.
Enough zip that I can get out of their way when need be.

[Rocksalt]

At his point my buddy gets the oil for free.He has sometimes been forced to buy virgin product for about three bucks a gallon,but he does not have to strain it.He claims the system has been totally flawless at this point.The system's main component is a small preheater which warms up the oil before it gets to the glowplug.He gets about 50 miles a gallon in this little Nissan.I would like to try running an F-250 Ford truck on this stuff.