TopGear.com America high mpg project (regeared, aeromodded diesel Rabbit)

[MetroMPG]

Oh, and I spotted the windshield wiper aero mod.

[MetroMPG]

This project is like a blast from the past for me:



That's the last (of half a dozen) Rabbits I owned when I was in school. Same year as Sipster (I think... might be off by one). Same suspension & reinforcement mods as Sipster (minus the coilovers - just antisway & stiffeners). Same Jetta steel wheels as Sipster. I loved that car. Gas engine though.

It was also the first car I started eco-driving.

(Crappy pics captured from crappy video).

NO crash damage! :P (Though it was only about 10 years old when I had it.)

[eyesoreracing]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Dave: you're being too hard on yourselves with the "Necessary for 70 mpg?"
column in the table of suspension upgrades! They don't all have to read "NO".

Just Google "death turn hypermiling" to find out what I mean. Conserve momentum!

I like how you think!

That column should give you a hint about how we're doing the accounting on the $7,000. We're clearly doing a few things that aren't necessary for the 7s, like coil-overs and LSD, and we don't plan on counting those. Ending up with a car that's still fun to drive is important to those of us losing sleep during the build, though...

-Dave

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by giff

...but figured you would be interested regardless,

Yeah, especially the "safer sipster" picture :-) You folks are working in the US, right? Didn't anyone tell you we drive on the other side of the road?

[mfor4x4]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Yep - they just posted it today, as foretold.

Looks like an updated version of Car & Driver magazine's "Crisis Fighter" ecomodding series from the 70's, eg. the Crisis Fighter Pinto ... except with a much bigger budget!

From the TG article:

This will be interesting. Thumbs-up, Top Gear.

That is so cool, they are coming to my neck of the woods, and what is even cooler is that I know the pwner of CWS personally, I was good friends with his brother.

The owner of CWS did crazy things to cars way back. I bought a 1976 Civic from him which had an Accord engine in it that had the timing advanced, The car was crazy fast but horrible on fuel. One of the coolest cars I saw him build when I was younger was putting an old Cooper Mini on a Samurai frame with big mudder tires. The guy is a genius with cars.

[bwilson4web]

A bunch of us Prius owners have been monitoring a marketing firm effort by "greenhuman" to drive a new Jetta TDI and a Prius coast to coast via Maine, Florida and Washington State:

• News on the Portland to Portland Green Test Drive - one of two sites
• Green Human Environmental Blog Site Seattle Washington State Northwest News - second site

Now their methodology is weak and there is no evidence of any engineering data having come out of the 7,000 miles covered. But I just noticed you' all didn't have any postings about this other effort. Just thought I'd pass on the joy. IMHO, the "Top Gear" effort has a lot more behind it than the marketing firm exercise.

Bob Wilson

[Frank Lee]

So many Jetta parts! Why not make a Jetta get 70?

[Clev]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

So many Jetta parts! Why not make a Jetta get 70?

My co-worker is getting 55 on a Jetta TDi wagon--with no mods or special driving techniques. I would think that 70 would be possible.

[aerohead]

I believe,Holman and Moody,of racing car fame modified a VW Rabbit in the late 1970s or early 80s and were able to achieve 80 mpg.Sorry I don't have any particulars.One mention of note,at high speed ( 80-mph + ),the efficiency of the turbo'd Rabbit can be eclipsed by that of a gasoline car.------------------------------------------------------------------- I think your goals are quite reasonable.Best to you!

[Big Dave]

One thing that limits the VW TDI (regardless of the car) is its acceleration-oriented gear ratio.

3.89:1 ain't gonna ultimately cut it for big MPG. From what I can see VWs are resistant to gearing changes. Limited gear flexibility is one reason I don't much like front wheel drive.