Is anyone familiar with the "Automotive X Prize"?
Basically, it is an X prize to produce a production vehicle that gets 100 mpg.
Seeing as you all have a lot of experience with some cars that come close or meet that bogey, I wonder if you would critique my idea for an entry.
I'd be starting with a '92 to '95 Honda Civic VX with the manual tranny (44 mpg EPA highway).
If you are familiar with the Import Tuner space, you know that there are a ton of performance mods for this car. I would be applying as many weight saving and efficiency enhancing performance mods as possible.
For example, you can get carbon fiber doors, fenders, hood, spoiler, air dam and hatch for this bodystyle. You can get weight saving polycarbonite windows. You can get weight saving aluminum control arms. You can get springs that lower the car dramatically. Lightweight seat are also available.
On the efficiency front, you can get underdrive pulleys, headers, freeflow exhaust systems, cold air intakes, larger throttle bodies, and freer flowing intake manifolds.
For some more unique items, I would be looking to replace the side view mirrors with backup cams (eliminate the drag due to mirrors). I'd be looking for some other more... unique hacks of the ECU to enable start-stop, cutting fuel on deceleration, and alternator cut out on acceleration.
It goes without saying that I would use low rolling resistance tires and a low drag suspension alignment (those aluminum control arms have a lot more adjustment). Also, some of the tuner items like adjustable fuel pressure regulator and cam phaser would offer more tuning ability.
My question to you experts is, do you think that this would be enough to get in the 100 mpg ballpark? Lighter weight, less drag, more engine efficiency, optimal tuning and setup?
Or would I just be wasting my time?