376 MPG Blast From the Past

[theycallmeebryan]

I believe this is the same car. The most ironic part of it all is that it was owned by Shell.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt7VDBWAJmc

[SVOboy]

Okay okay, let's not do simple, boring, bickering sorts of things. I am sure most of us things this is BS, myself included.

And it is going to stay that way until someone proves otherwise. No one has said anything to that effect, nor will they likely, because the idea is so far out of the realm of physical possibility it will be hard to prove.

Personal, I don't see why a chain drive is important. Chains are used in many vehicles, and were used on many cars. Part of the reason they're not used on cars anymore is because they suck for that application.

[jamesqf]

One thing you have to realize about the mpg figures from those Shell Fuel Economy Challenges is that the competitors are doing EXTREME pulse & glide with low top speeds, not real-world driving.

[evolutionmovement]

At that level, why have a car at all? Ignoring the highly questionable validity of the claims, you give up safety, reliability, practicality, and performance. There's a popular vehicle out there that's cheap even in expensive form, has performance on par with this thing or better, is easier to maintain, usually has the chain drive you're so enamored with, and uses no gas at all—it's called a bicycle. The only thing I can see that's better is weather protection, though I wouldn't want to drive on those tires in the rain.

[Frank Lee]

Other than the Opel being built from bits of a real road car, it is completely unsuitable for street use. The 376 mpg was not obtained on the street either- we are talking closed course, no stops, extreme pulse and glide, low average speeds. I haven't found specific info on the builders but I'm fairly certain they AREN'T Shell engineers as we are told. Shell SPONSORED econo ralleys, and they still do, but Shell doesn't enter their own vehicles, and I'm not sure when the last time is that any of their own engineers did.

The Opel is a purpose built competition car. Some of those mods could be brought to the street but many of them can't and the end result wouldn't be any better than what you guys are doing with current offerings anyway.

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Additionally, it appears to have a side draft carb fully enclosed in an airbox and it BREATHES through the crankcase ie: ALL the intake air comes through the crankcase, as well as being preheated by the "radiator".

Well if I wanted to "cheat" in an econo contest I'd make the carb breathe crankcase fumes, and fill the crankcase with 2-stroke mix. How much do you wanna bet that thing would run with *NO* fuel in the gas tank at all?!? LOL! Wouldn't surprise me to find two or three "hollow" cylinders in there either.

[vtec-e]

I'm a little dismayed at the bickering going on here. Having said that, i know little about the car in question so maybe the negative comments about it are deserved.
On the face of it, it certainly looks the part. And i'm guessing that the engine does so little work to push the car that it can be lagged up like a hot water cylinder. I sometimes feel like doing that to my 1.4D4D in cold weather!
JeremyInIndy, that coil is a heat exchanger and it would appear to be the fuel tank although i'm sure it may be fed from elsewhere.
So, someone point me in the right direction so i can educate myself about this car and see where the pseudo science is with my own eyes.

ollie

[Frank Lee]

Ollie- all you need to do is google "Louis LaPointe", then spend as much time as you can stand without pulling your hair out reading his.... er... material.

[vtec-e]

I've got precious little hair left so i'd better be quick!

ollie

[dcb]

too many people say they can do what everyone else cant. If this 376 mpg performance isn't repeatable by an independent party then it might as well have never happened.

Guy with the actual car can't even find the clutch pedal Would be interesting if he ever got it lit and what he could do with it. But it is dumb to assume outlandish claims are true before proven true. Like so much progressive x-prize hype.

I thought I saw that they had to keep it above 30mph for the competition, but a 35 year old report sprinkled with lots of bs over the years, who the hell knows.

Any one want to guess, based on the pictures, on the cda/energy requirements for 30mph for that car? And compare it to 376mpg?

[hyperyaris]

lol but they can't do it now?