Stay tuned, an interesting article that PROVES my theory on power-to-weight ratios are REALLY where a car's fuel economy is decided, long before you turn the key!!
So here it is: due to a mechanical repair that I didn't have time to invest in, I had to rent a car to go to Montreal to get my son. To keep costs low with a rental, i rented the second-lowest class of car available: a Pontiac G5; basic 4-door; 4-cylinder; bare-bones vehicle. I as lucky to have Cruise Control, (as I later found out).
So here I am, cruise at 120/kph towards Montreal, the usual round-trip comes out to about 6 hours on a good day. This vehicle has a fuel-tank of about 65 liters, about two less than my 2002 BMW M540i; running with a 2.2 liter 4-cylinder. The logic and the common social belief is that the smaller the engine, the better the fuel economy. Well not really.
Ottawa-Montreal-Ottawa consumed one FULL tank with the G5. With my BMW's 4.4 liter V8: 1/2 tank. Why is that, then? Heavier car; bigger engine! Physics. Power-to-weight ratio. In simpler terms, each cylinder had less weight to move per-cylinder unlike the 4-cylinder. And this is with the same number of gears in both transmissions.
Just goes to prove, just because it`s common belief or `popular belief`, that doesn`t make it so, nor right. As an example, building a Prius does more harm to the environment BEFORE it is even on the road than if I spent a year driving my BMW, (which I don`t, I only use it 5 months out of the year and then it goes into winter-storage).
So, again as I`ve said so many times, don`t be a sheep, don`t follow the crowd, rad up on topics of interest, learn the truth, don`t believe everything without learning more about it.
And to those detractors who still want to bash V8s; why don`t you go for a ride on your diesel-chugging GreenPeace Rainbow Warriors and protest against the disinformation Toyota and other `sayers-of-nay` have spread and turned fiction to fact. Look beyond the social-programming! Make up your own mind with facts, not belief, not fiction.
3 comments:
Not exactly rocket science, bigger engines lower RPM over the long haul results in better milage and fuel economy.
Unfortunately the point of maximising fuel economy is to reduce emissions, so that there is a future for our children. At least that is what fuel economy regulation is supposed to be for.
Fact: A V8 is producing more emissions burning fuel at lower compression.
I'd suggest a power to weight to logic ratio...
3500 pounds of V8 powered car with a combustion engine that produce fifteen times more energy in waste heat than it produces mechanical motion is a pretty stupid way to move your 220 pound carcass from A to B.
I didn't know much about cars, I really am a little car person but knowing you can get more miliage on more cylinders, now confused me. I will need to do more research. Thanks Chris
Hey Chris,
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