VW Lupo 3L --> 2L

[Vekke]

Teardrop mirrors are vacuum formed over cnc milled tool. They will come on sale if they work in tuft testing. Realease date still unclear.

Same windscreen will still work.

If you start the boattail after the front doors the car will be about half meter longer to get the same results. In small car that is pretty big difference. You could leave the doors intact and just made the roof lower, but that aint easy task either. Also the frontal are will be the same.

My lupos frontal area have been 2.00 m2. I have lowered it with roof 0,0938m2. lowering the suspension 0,015m2 and with my future mirrors 0,0149m2 so total 0,1228m2 smaller frontal area. That means 6,1 % smaller total drag. The Cd value was 0.29 in Lupo 3L That will be around 0.2 at next summer so that is 31% smaller. So total drag Cd*A will be 0,375. Starting point was 0,58 so total drag is about 35% lower. So I will need about 35% less power (energy) to travel at 100 km/h speed. I would need also about 35% taller gear ratios to get the most of the aerodynamic mods but that aint gonna happen.

Remember also that car is also about 10% lighter and bearing frictions are also optimised, I can easily push the car with one finger.

[Vekke]

Go give a vote to my Lupo project:

Knovel 2013

So roof is already going back together after losing about 70mm of height.
Learned that when you cut off c-pillars its wise to cut them at correct lengt at once so you dont have to make two joints.

Full roll gage will also come. I have also started to see some black tarmac here and there so summer is coming and garage waits for me on the weekend. Target for next weekend is to finish the roof and pillars and front doors start the trunck modifications.

Trunk will become longer and because lupo truck is aluminiun I have to use the one in my spare part polo

[lowglider]

Voted, but it`s weird because you can click it many times, so I did.

Quick question. Why no taller gears, isn`t friction a big factor when you improve the weight and aerodynamics so much?

[HypermilerAX]

Originally Posted by Vekke

I would need also about 35% taller gear ratios to get the most of the aerodynamic mods but that aint gonna happen.

Because you don't want or because the parts don't exist ?

How big is the OEM 5th gear with original tires ? 47 km/h at 1000 rpm ?

[Viturro]

i think that the gearbox should be proper for an eco drive, i mean, oem gearbox was made for an eco car with low consumption it should be pretty long gear, now, if you want to go faster than the engineers thought, maybe you will need other gearbox, but fast, isn't eco.

[Vekke]

My drag is about 35% lower so basically I would need 35% taller gearing. At the moment 100 km/h or 62 mph is 1950 rpm. If I am lucky I will get custom main gear price >1000€. My tires are 7% taller and there are no taller gears available for this gearbox.

If I have to use current gearbox I have to do more P&G driving to get better engine efficiency.

[Viturro]

Then the only thing that you can do if you want less rpm at same speed is taller tires again
Waiting for news! great job!

[Fionn]

Have you considered adding an electric water pump and/or removing the alternator?

[ik04]

My1.7L four cylinder non-turbo SDI Lupo averaged 3.14L/100KM for the entire six months I owned it. That's 75 US MPG! I got it up to over 80 MPG by Hypermiling, but 75MPG was easy, even driving it like a crazy German! I loved that car! I wish I could have it here in Texas...

[Vekke]

Smaller altenator is coming. One swedish 1.2 tdi owner is building altenator to the end of the crankhaft. He took the parts from some motorcycle. He is using the 1.2 in his airplane where weight and space is also a enemy.

Electric water pump is under though at the moment.

its totally possibly to get 3 liter figures with stock TDI or SDI engines in VAG cars, you just need to drive efficiently with them.



Now starting to build the trunk from scratch. Again wont be easy task, but it takes some sweat to get 117 MPG at 62 MPH speed.