View Single Post
Old 12-27-2010, 12:25 PM   #7 (permalink)
Jim-Bob
Junkyard Engineer
 
Jim-Bob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: New Port Richey, Florida
Posts: 167

Super-Metro! - '92 Geo Metro Base

$250 Pizza Delivery Car - '91 Geo Metro Base
Team Metro
90 day: 43.75 mpg (US)

Fronty the wonder truck - '98 Nissan Frontier XE
Thanks: 7
Thanked 19 Times in 12 Posts
It's an interesting question but one with a few options. Sadly though, most of them are getting fairly old as rear drive small cars are few and far between today. The Miata is the obvious choice as it has a small frontal area, a relatively small engine and is pretty light. The best choices that come to mind are older Japanese Kei cars like the Honda Beat or Suzuki Cappuccino, but they are not yet legal to import to the US. For cars you can find in the US then, you have to go back to the 1970s with something like a Datsun PL 510 or a E10 Corolla. Both weigh less than a Miata, have engine bays that can take more modern swaps, and can seat 4 or 5 adults in relative discomfort.

There is a less obvious choice though: The base model 2011 V6 Mustang. It is EPA rated at 30 MPG highway and already has very good performance.
__________________
No green technology will ever make a substantive environmental impact until it is economically viable for most people to use it. This must be from a reduction in net cost of the new technology, not an increase in the cost of the old technology through taxation



(Note: the car sees 100% city driving and is EPA rated at 37 mpg city)
  Reply With Quote