Opel ECO speedster
 

I just wanted to toss this out there for discussion. Its certainly not new but I did a search and found nothing on it(here) so...

Opel ECO speedster
1.3-liter ECOTECH CDTI -GM's smallest of the ecotech diesel series
113 mpg average over a 24hour rd test
1445lbs

My thoughts...
At 1st it seems really impressive to get 113mpg out of a sports car but when you look at the stats it seems about right. A 1.3 in a 1445lb car is comparable to a heavy motorcycle, only perdier and on 4 wheels lol. the car wouldn't pass cali smog tests either, not that they would ever release that car here or anything like it.

A well balanced 2.6 in a car weighing 2890lb car could, I bet get about 56.5mpg without any extensive mods(if any). So is this a step forward? I see it more as a step sideways. A fine example of what we already knew was possible.

Your thoughts?

I saw this on the show "Future Cars" a while back and fell in love with it the instant I saw it.

http://www.thenewconversation.com/po...peedster12.jpg

Ya, I was never a fan of the opel speedsters looks but the latest model looks pretty sexy.
I find the stats much sexier though lol.

Now that is one sweeeet ride!!!

I think more fuel efficient options anywhere is a step in the right direction.

The front fenders are relatively high and it looks like they divide the air either to the center of the hood or to the sides. then they drop back down just in time for the high pressure off the windshield to fill that void. so abnormal high pressure on the fwd hood makes the air stay laminar, but then there ducts further back on the hood and it looks like maybe they are intake.
air dam has intake in the center low which is what we have been saying.
airdam slopes back at the top, fwd at the bottom. bringing the air up away from the bottom edge so it can't spill off and go below. the outside ends of the air dam are sharper than normal . why? does this divert air around the fornt wheel well? canopy starts out much narrower than the body and then starts getting even narrower right away. need different views, what else can we glean from their design?

Those vents on the hood are radiator outlets. This car uses one of the most efficient cooling layouts I know of. The air dam intake is exactly in a region of high pressure, stagnated air. Intake air is probably expanded in a duct to slightly slow it down and increase its pressure further, where it is then fed through a thick radiator. Afterwords, the duct probably narrows to increase air velocity and decrease pressure to a point just above static pressure on the hood. The hot air is then vented over the hood to destroy any lift being generated.

It's not the way I would intuitively build a cooling system, but Hucho likes it...and he's a lot smarter then me...:D

This is a little off topic, but the Opel Speedster reminds me of the Oldsmobile Aerotech: a high-speed, endurance, record-setter.

Oldsmobile Aerotech
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/i.../aerotech3.jpg

- LostCause

On a bump note....

Anyone ever consider doing some lightening and aero work on a mk1 mr2 and dropping in a 1.8 c2 turbo diesel from a camry? Seems you would get comparable results.

Car is only 2500lb fully loaded with driver engine weights are comparable and the stock body leaves LOTS of room for aero improvements.

Seems like a mean DD imo, mk1 ones with blown motors are given away and I have seen c2 for as low as 500. Free with some work to them like blown turbos, perfect excuse for a holset lol.

I like the TINY mirrors on the Opal!