100mpg caterham

[swansen]

hello all, swear i had a username here couple years back, dunno what happened. Anywho, search the site for awhile to try to find anything regarding this story, and nothing came up.

aanndd since i can't point links yet, if you do a search for "131 mpg caterham" in google its the first couple links.

I just really like the simplicity, and this would take a lot less body work that a teardrop design requires.

Anywho, just thought i'd add this.

[AntiochOG]

I would love to own a Caterham some day, but I'd never even considered hypermiling one.

[swansen]

Yeah, just really simple, brunto autoworks produces a lotus 7 replica, they are US based and produce kits at all level, bare bones to finished.

Lot of DIYers and fabricators here, taking this caterhams concept, even doing something like a corvette or miata frame and putting a low flat body over it would be a lot simpler than a teardrop body.

[Arragonis]

Westfield (another company that got so good Caterham sued them) made a Lotus 11 replica which might be better for MPG - the lightness of a 7 but without the "side of a house" aero.

[swansen]

yeah, while on the westfield topic, i bet the XTR has an amazing drag coefficient xD.

However, the idea behind the initial post is that there is more than a single way to achieve low drag, and the vehicle mentioned in the initial post is just vvveerrryyy simple, anyone with basic tools could create those angles, as there are no compound curves.

[cptsideways]

The new Caterham 160 would be a perfect candidate platform with its three pot 800cc lump from a Suzuki, think its gets 80mpg stock too.

Always thought these would make a great base car

[euromodder]

Caterham 160 for the UK market :
Seven 160 | Caterham Cars
That price is in kit-form , fully built it's 18000 GBP.

EU6 compliant,
490 kg giving 163 HP/ton,
155 (!) wide high profile tyres, 14" steel wheels,
no power steering, non-boosted brakes, drums aft

Caterham 165 for export markets :
Seven 165 | Caterham Cars

It's back to Colin Chapman's original ideas about lightweight cars.

[RustyLugNut]

Hasn't Jack McCornack already done this?

He has a re-bodied Lotus reproduction car powered by a Kubota diesel engine with fuel economy well above 100 mpg.

[elhigh]

^^ +1

Yup. Check it: Kinetic Vehicles
This article (and it's four years old) also gives a shout to Basjoos' Aerocivic.

You can see he switched to a more aero body for better numbers. But the featherweight chassis means decent performance even from the low-po Kubota lump.

The only downside on the LoCost is it's a two-seater. Luggage capacity doesn't look that great, either.

[RustyLugNut]

Originally Posted by elhigh

^^ +1


The only downside on the LoCost is it's a two-seater. Luggage capacity doesn't look that great, either.

Just as long as I can fit my tiny wife and her tiny outfits, it's capacity is good. If I can include my golf clubs - even better!