American ingenuity at it again 75 mpg car.

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This is pretty amazing...

A 1989 Geo Metro XFi 4-seater hatchback converted (expertly, by the appearance of the workmanship) into a streamlined tandem 2-seater.

In addition to the extensive aero mods, according to info on the web site:

- 300 lbs total weight removed (meaning this already featherweight car
now weighs an amazing 1300 lbs + change)

- modified gear ratios

- "other modifications"

Given those changes, 75 MPG (US) is quite believable, and without
resorting to "special" driving techniques.

See: 89 Geo Metro
 
Should I remind people, that in the late 1960's sports cars were around 1600 pounds (MG-B) and get 35 MPG.

With modern engine technology, engine control technology, lubrication, tires, and 6 speed transmissions, I am pretty sure an aerodynamic car of this kind of weight could easily get high 60 MPG numbers.

A shame nobody builds one....
 
quote:
Originally posted by Mitch Alsup:
Should I remind people, that in the late 1960's sports cars were around 1600 pounds (MG-B) and get 35 MPG.

With modern engine technology, engine control technology, lubrication, tires, and 6 speed transmissions, I am pretty sure an aerodynamic car of this kind of weight could easily get high 60 MPG numbers.

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No doubt. Honda Insight is 66 MPG highway today. It's a hybrid, but if you threw out the hybrid part, the highway mileage would still be about the same. It weighs 1900 lb.

It's questionable whether that guy made the Geo's aerodynamics better or worse.
 
Bubbled out front fender skirts. That's the way to do it. Fender skirts each gave about 1.5% improvement in highway mileage on my car, but I didn't try the front, too.
 
Kinda cool and if they added some tie downs to the (formerly) passenger side you could haul ladders and 12 foot lengths of lumber.
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quote:
It's questionable whether that guy made the Geo's aerodynamics better or worse.
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Definitely better. You may lose some coefficient of drag but you dramatically reduce the surface area against the air.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Louie's gone fishing:
Two methods to get better mileage, that won't work in the US, give up weight, give up size.
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One other thing that won't work..conservation.
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Just want to say thanks for all the nice things you guys have been saying about my father’s Aero car. And please don’t forget why we made the website, contact your Senators and tell them to turn up the heat on the automotive makers. We need more cars like the Geo Metro XFi.. Thanks Rick Heffron
 
Welcome to the site, Rick. Your father's car definitely displays ingenuity and a creative spirit, even if it looks a little wierd. Kudos to him for showing what can be done to increase fuel efficiency.
 
quote:
Originally posted by blupupher:
Heck, that thing got 55mpg when new. Guy I worked with had one and fill like once a month driving about 500+ miles a month.
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my dad's '93 got 58.. until the EPA mandated MTBE reformulated gas in our area.. mileage dropped top about 42. it was a tough little car.. my dad finally retired it after it was hit for the 3rd time.. bad enought that it bent the roof. he replaced it with a '97 (in '97) that my brother wrecked a couple of years later.
 
12' lengths of lumber...

I think you have an idea. A new pickup truck design could have the seats on one side, and a very long, thin bed on the other. This would have less frontal area than a regular pickup, for better highway gas mileage.
 
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