10 lightest new cars available in 2010 (North America), 2009 (Europe)

[ShadeTreeMech]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I like that the Diahatsu Cuore is 2nd on your list - and the first 4 passenger vehicle, yet not much heavier than the Smart.

Cars like this one horrify me. There is no crush zone in case of a rear end collision, except the heads and bodies of whoever may be in the back, which would have to be children. Put an adult in the back and the back glass acts as a headrest.

If I had a car like this, the back seats would come out and be disposed of. My minvan has a sturdier frame and more room in the back than these things, and even it scares me a bit.

[gone-ot]

...car = (TANK + tin can)/2



...mathematically, speaking...approximately.

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by ShadeTreeMech

I love the Tempo myself, but mine was lucky to get over 30 mpg (3 speed auto; I ran 60 @3000 rpms)

The OHV may be more compact, but more simple it isn't. The pushrods only add to the weight and complexity while reducing its power and maximum rpms.

I would say though the weight of the block isn't the problem with a pushrod engine (and timing chains are a PAIN to get to compared to a belt, although the change intervals are longer) but rather the design. Having the cams lifting the tappets directly is much simpler than the cam pushing the lifter which pushes the pushrod which lifts the tappet.

AFAIK, the aluminum block/cast iron sleeve method is straight forward and reliable. My Max has an aluminum block and DOHC run by 4 timing chains, yet there is no recommended interval on changing the chains and this engine is known to last over 500k miles without problems.

When the Explorer did away with the pushrod and went with an OHV, the mileage went up. I know of a guy managing to eek out 30 mpg from a 2wd Explorer with the OHV engine. With a lot of hypermiling and even shutting off half the cylinders on my pushrod Explorer, I managed to get 19 once.

Tempos need to be 4 or 5 speed to get good fe.

Pushrods don't add much weight and as far as higher rpms... who cares?

I have 5 Tempos- two are 26 years old, one with nearly 300,000 miles- and I've never touched a timing chain on any.

Explorer... pushrod IS OHV.

You shut off half the cylinders and that improved fe?

[user removed]

One neat little pushrod engine was the Toyota Corolla 1.5 liter of the mid 70s.

The RWD SR5s were little screamers.

Like a Mini Hemi.

regards
Mech

[rmay635703]

Don't forget the Subaru 360 sedan at 920lbs or so. The older you go the lighter you will find, old bugs were light also. Especially the reallly old bugs, little tinker toys compared to a Super Beetle.

[RobertSmalls]

Originally Posted by ShadeTreeMech

Cars like this one horrify me. There is no crush zone in case of a rear end collision, except the heads and bodies of whoever may be in the back, which would have to be children. Put an adult in the back and the back glass acts as a headrest.

If I had a car like this, the back seats would come out and be disposed of. My minvan has a sturdier frame and more room in the back than these things, and even it scares me a bit.

I've read about rear head airbags on one of these cars... I think it was the Toyota iQ. You have a few inches of airbag between you and the glass. The other guy's bumper is supposed to connect with something solid in your car, and you'll go 0-20 in zero seconds, which will hurt, but it's not going to crumple like a tin can and kill everyone. At least not in a 20mph collision. Also, the bumper is probably six inches behind the rear glass, which doesn't count for as much in America as it does in Europe and Japan.

Your minivan is not inherently safer, because your van weighs twice as much. Your frame needs to be twice as stiff to endure the same acceleration without buckling.

All that said, I like to have a foot or two of crumple zones behind my rearmost passengers, which would make a rear end collision less jarring for everyone. I also like to have as much crumple zone up front as possible. There are small cars, including the Smart, that do amazingly well in crash tests considering their size, but that's qualified praise.

[Patrick]

Have you seen this video? It's a good illustration of the effects of mass (or lack thereof).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he6TL...eature=related

[gone-ot]

...it also says alot about LONG hoods!

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Let's hear it for deathtraps! ;-) (Thought I'd pre-empt that one.)

OK. Hooray!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It_-sgoEQJE

[Frank Lee]

While you guys are busy crashing into stuff, I'll see and avoid.