Discovered this tidbit via the DetNews:
Quote:
Eibach says springs give cars mpg bounce
Tests by suspension company show springs push vehicles to 13 percent better gas mileage
Oliver Rathlein, Eibach's vice president for marketing, said fuel economy was gauged while rolling along at 70 miles per hour on California freeways and was affected only by the way the springs lowered the car and thus reduced aerodynamic drag.
[...]
Stock real-world: 23.34 mpg average.
Springs installed: 26.4 mpg.
EPA Highway rating: 25 mpg
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Don't know about you, but while I'd expect to see some improvement, a 13% result seems gleefully optimistic.
Cue the analysis of Eibach's testing methodology (and credit to the company for posting the details on their site):
- Same 2010 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS 6 Speed Automatic, tested: 8/15/09 & 9/26/09.
- contracted an independent company, Test Pilots Independent Testing Services, to do all the driving
- Identical highway route of 167.7 miles (HWY 15N & 10E to Palm Desert and back)
- Cruise control set at 70 MPH the entire way (takes away any human bias)
- Each start time 5:00 AM Saturday morning
- August 15th: temp. start 61°F, finish 74°F
- September 26th: temp. start 62°F, finish 76°F
- Very little wind both times.
- Start and finish same gas station, same pump and pumped full with 10 clicks.
from:
http://performance-suspension.eibach...ws_test_eibach