BDx13
|
|
diesel BMW bests Prius in MPG
http://www.technoride.com/2008/03/bmw_diesel_beats_prius_in_...
Is this a case of man bites dog? A mid-size BMW sedan equipped with a diesel engine returned better fuel economy on a 545-mile, London-to-Geneva, run
than a gasoline-powered Toyota Prius. A BMW 520d with a 2.0-liter diesel engine and regenerative braking (but no heavy duty hybrid features) got 41.9
mpg while the full-hybrid Prius, 500 pounds lighter, got 40.1 mpg.
Two writers for the Sunday Times (London) wondered if official mpg ratings were accurate after hearing from their readers who said the Prius ratings
were high by 15 (U.K.) mpg. "If our readers are right and the official figure is wrong it has important implications, not least of which is that
people driving frugal diesels are getting a raw deal," the paper said, since hybrids get some tax and roadway access benefits in Europe as they do in
the U.S. To find out, they drove BMW's midsize 5 Series sedan and the Prius London-to-Geneva, adding 100 miles to the route "to give the Prius the
advantage of running in urban conditions where its petrol-electric drivetrain comes into its own."
Whilst the BMW "doesn't have the external look of a green car and you don't get the same self-righteous glow when you are driving it," it does have a
series of energy-saving features BMW calls EfficientDynamics: battery recharge when braking, good aerodynamics, low rolling resistance, a continuous
fuel consumption gauge on the dashboard, and a six-speed manual transmission that is rated as improving fuel economy by about 10%. Testers found the
520d "not startlingly quick ... [but] it cruised happily at the French autoroute limit (dry conditions) of 78mph towards the champagne region." When
the trip was done, the BMW still had a third of its tank in reserve.
The Prius, in comparison, ran out of gas. Not because of lousy mileage but because the tank is smaller (and the testers had a spare can of gas
aboard). Acceleration was "hardly dragstrip quick and slower than the BMW, but still respectable." The Prius weighed 573 pounds less and had an
aerodynamic shape "as slippery as a campaign manager discussing political donations," leading the testers to believe "the Prius should take less
energy than the BMW to maintain a constant cruising speed." Not so. As many people know, the advantage of hybrids lies in urban driving where the
stop-and-go recaptures the car's energy. On the highway, it's one more four-cylinder car pushing throught the wind.
The full story is on the website of the Sunday Times (London): "Toyota Prius proves a gas guzzler in a race with the BMW 520d: The Toyota hybrid is
hailed as an eco-paragon, so how does it fare against a big BMW? To find out our correspondents go on a run to Geneva." An Imperial gallon is 1.2 U.S.
gallons, or a U.S. gallon is 0.83 Imperial gallons. Roughly speaking, discount the Times numbers by one-fifth: a 50 mpg vehicle to them is a 40 mpg
vehicle to us Yanks. Another reason we should all go metric.
If I fail math, there goes my chance at a good job and a happy life full of hard work.
|
|
|
XHonusWagnerX
Moderator
Posts: 12509
Registered: 7-14-2005
Location: pawtucket
Member Is Offline
Mood: hadDCore
|
|
Wow.... only downside is that Diesel is like a buck more than regular, right now at least.
| Quote: | Originally posted by REV.PAULIE
HONUS-as much as i can't stand a great deal of what you really like (for my own reasons that i would never hold,nor impose,against you),YOU FUCKING
RULE!
YOU,HONUS,IS WHAT MAKES THE "EDGE" COOL.
YOUR FRIEND,
PAULIE |
check out my post contributions at www.VinylNoize.com
|
|
|
JawnDiablo
Posting Freak
Posts: 12139
Registered: 4-21-2005
Location: 1902666
Member Is Offline
|
|
I'd love to have a BMW.
Honus didn't you have one?
|
|
|
XHonusWagnerX
Moderator
Posts: 12509
Registered: 7-14-2005
Location: pawtucket
Member Is Offline
Mood: hadDCore
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by juandiablo
I'd love to have a BMW.
Honus didn't you have one? |
yeah I did. I had a 2004 325i and then a 2006 325i. I had bought the first one, but when the waranty was up I traded it in a lease of the 06. When
that lease was up I could have gotten another one, but I just found that the Mazda had so many of the options I loved in the BMW and it was like
$14,000 cheaper so I went with the Mazda 3. Its obviously not the same as driving a BMW, but I like it.
| Quote: | Originally posted by REV.PAULIE
HONUS-as much as i can't stand a great deal of what you really like (for my own reasons that i would never hold,nor impose,against you),YOU FUCKING
RULE!
YOU,HONUS,IS WHAT MAKES THE "EDGE" COOL.
YOUR FRIEND,
PAULIE |
check out my post contributions at www.VinylNoize.com
|
|
|
JawnDiablo
Posting Freak
Posts: 12139
Registered: 4-21-2005
Location: 1902666
Member Is Offline
|
|
MAzda makes some very nice cars.
the mazda 3 is one id be interested in if i was looking for a new ride.
|
|
|
Dave
Posting Freak
Posts: 3281
Registered: 4-6-2003
Location: Halifax
Member Is Offline
Mood: .......
|
|
i'm going for the new Rabbit, whenever i get a new car, i'd get a GTI except it's like 10,000$ more, in canada.
|
|
|
|
![[*]](images/thorp/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
