The first car I would like to analyze and discuss is the 1959 Fiat 600 that competed in the Shell Eco Marathons and achieved verified fuel economies of 173 mpg in 1967, 244 in 1968 and 304 in 1973.
This car may or may not have been previously covered in this forum if not I would like to perform an in depth analysis of the car and just how it achieved its 304mpg back in 1973.
First lets look into the 1959 model year Fiat 600 car specs.
Basic Specs:
Sources
#1.
Fiat 600 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
#2.
1957 Fiat 600 2a serie detailed specs and performance
Class = City car
Body style = 2-door sedan
Layout = RR layout
Engine = 633 cc OHV I4
767 cc OHV I4
843 cc 100 R7.038 OHV I4 (600S)
Length = 3,215 mm (126.6 in)
Width = 1,380 mm (54 in)
Height = 1,405 mm (55.3 in)
Curb weight = 585 kg (1,290 lb)
CD = 0.5
Top Speed = 61mph
MPG = 41.2
Now we know the basic specs of the Fiat 600 next we need to determine what engine was used in the Shell Eco Marathon version as well as any modifications that were done to enhance the baseline 41.2 mpg of the original.