High-MPG Corvette

[Big Dave]

I think I have posted on this before. MPG is more a matter of how you drive than what you drive. Even a 400 HP Corvette can get pretty good MPG if driven well.

2009 Chevrolet Corvette MPG Test Drive: Will the Vette Meet New CAFE Standards? - Popular Mechanics

Now I personally have no use for anybody that drives 10-under the posted limit. In my view they are as big a hazard as the aggressive driver. FWIW, my sim agrees with the link. Driving the limit would get about 30 MPG.

Now if the ‘Vette were available with the 4.5 liter diesel V-8 GM had to drop, 50 MPG would be easy.

Too bad Corvettes are so headroom challenged. I could get a distressed C5 or C6 and convert it to a Cummins 4BT3.9 and put some even lower rolling resistance tires on it and probably get 40-50 MPG easy.

[Christ]

i'd drive a 50 mippig vette no doubt.

for the money, i'll stick with Cara.

[Big Dave]

A stock C6 coupe has a wind-tunnel measured CdA of about 8 square feet..

Not a bad start.

Skinnier LRR tires, wheel skirts. Some sort of "plug" for the tail. Other than the engine swap, the whole project is an adventure in fiberglass bodywork.

Gotta find a beater or salvage C6 to start such a project. The little guy has to do it. Ain't gonna happen out of the husk of GM. The Corvette will be lucky to survive at all.

[Christ]

good luck with it

i dont remember what gen, but some of those corvettes, the tail piece comes right off in one section, leaving you with a good starting surface, and a $2000 piece to sell... more if you don't keep the tail lights.

[NiHaoMike]

Given how much it costs new, a Tesla sedan would be a better deal.

[roflwaffle]

Forget a diesel if someone is interested in the sportscar aspect, it'd throw off the weight distribution. Just swap one of those cylinder deactivation head setups on and manually actuate it for good ~40-50mpg@55-65mph. Anyhoo, the only danger a driver going 10mph under the limit presents is to the other drivers who shouldn't be driving in the first place. It's not as if noticing another vehicle is driving slower is rocket surgery, and if someone can't deal with another car going ten mph below the limit, what happens when there's a wreck up ahead and they have to deal with a few vehicles going 55-70mph under the limit?

Edit- I suppose this is what can happen.

[dcb]

Well, it kinda does matter what you drive. 32mpg hiway corvette? enh... 45mpg corvette? I'm listening.
Corvette V8 diesel conversion - 40 mpg (US) avg.

P.S. Speed kills.

[Mustang Dave]

Originally Posted by Big Dave

MPG is more a matter of how you drive than what you drive.

It's also a matter of where you drive and which route you choose.
Freeway driving up a grade into the wind is worse than driving lower (speed limit) speeds up gentler grades into the wind.
I've done some testing with my Scangauge (and some fillups) and determined that freeway driving doesn't always give the best MPG
My Mustang may not look quite as cool as a Corvette, but it cost less than half as much.

[Frank Lee]

No doubt, 10 under is the faster guy's problem.

Speed limits are speed limits. The law doesn't say you have to drive at max speed.

You can go all the way down to min limit for your road. If some ****head doesn't like it, they are free to pass.

We have farm implements, grain trucks, you name it plodding along. What are ya gonna do Dave, ram 'em?

[Christ]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

No doubt, 10 under is the faster guy's problem.

Speed limits are speed limits. The law doesn't say you have to drive at max speed.

You can go all the way down to min limit for your road. If some ****head doesn't like it, they are free to pass.

We have farm implements, grain trucks, you name it plodding along. What are ya gonna do Dave, ram 'em?

Be an extremely inattentive driver, pull up on one with a speed differential of at least +60 MPH on a back road, and show him that your car fits in one lane sideways, and your windshield is clear enough to wave through...

That got me to pay attention a bit more on back roads... the waving part didn't happen, but drifting in a Sunbird kicks ass.