In today’s climate, where petrol can cost almost 110p per litre (of which about 70p would go to the government), it is important to consider fuel economy. I’m not talking about the environment; I really see that as a separate issue. I’m purely considering your wallet here, and how to be less of a cash cow both for the government and to aid your own finances.
I may have said this before, but I’m a fan of driving. I like to drive my car – obviously not in rush hour along major routes – but I certainly enjoy having a ‘bit of fun’ on B-roads. The sportier your car though, the more fuel it will consume. Some cars are just made that way. Nonetheless, every car can be helped to increase the amount of miles you get per gallon on fuel. Here are a few things to consider when trying to get the best MPG out of your vehicle:
Speed
It’s no secret that at the top end, the Bugatti Veyron needs all of that power to combat the forces of nature that work upon it. The quicker you go, the greater drag coefficient operating on your car. Following this simple logic, slow down. The faster you go, the harder your car has to work. If you’re driving a 1.2 litre Renault Clio (nothing wrong with one of these mind), it won’t be too happy at 80mph – and the fuel returns will show it. Similarly, ragging it hard from the lights will do nothing to help you save money.
Planning
Smooth driving saves fuel. Look far ahead to try and read the road conditions. Are the lights going to change soon? If so, bear that in mind and try to coast up. Modern engines won’t use fuel as they do so.
Controls
Similar to the point above, the more you can tell; the better you can control the car. Don’t push hard on the gas – or the brake. Engine braking is a magical thing people, whilst your car will use fuel to idle in neutral; it won’t if you coast up to the lights in gear. As an added point to this section, the fastest racing drivers aren’t those who are always screeching the tires – the smoothest drivers are. Just look at Giovanardi’s performance in the BTCC.
Weight and aerodynamics
Don’t carry tonnes of extra stuff – this will make the engine work harder and you’ll use more fuel for the same distance. Similarly, having roof boxes, the windows open, odd vehicle adornments – these will all increase the drag and worsen the flow of air around/over your car.
Maintenance
These days, there’s no excuse for being able to take some simple car of your car. This can be just checking the oil, windscreen wiper fluid, tyre pressure and so forth. All of these are important for smooth and save running.
Electrics
There’s still some discussion out there on this one. Will modern cars really burn more fuel when operating things like the windscreen demister or the air-con? I’m not sure I’m 100% convinced about this. I am, however, convinced that it has an impact on older cars. So bear that in mind when you’ve got the blowers on full.
Idling and other
Running the engine in a traffic jam is a sure fire way to increase your fuel consumption. Carrying tonnes of people will too – unless you’re running a bigger engined vehicle that’ll be less stressed from this load bearing.
The last word
There’s no doubt that some cars will feel completely rubbish if you try to drive them economically – my potential next car (I’ll write about it soon) the Mazda RX-8 is like that. It can rev up to 9,000RPM – so you’ll want to put your foot down in it. The RenaultSport Clio will be another vehicle that won’t be happy. However, the overall point is, whatever your vehicle, it can be made more fuel-efficient. In today’s climate of 105p per litre, this can never be a bad idea now can it? Why not save the speeding for the track day. In the meantime, if you can afford a DBS (pictured), then the chances are you don’t have to worry about fuel economy anyway…
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