Sunday, August 23, 2009
With Obama pushing 35 MPG by 2016 for cars, many enthusiasts are worried about their next-gen supercars being limited to only 100 MPH to meet the standards. Of course, there is merit in that thought, as we all know from the late seventies. But I know that there are ways to meet and beat these standards while keeping our cars muscular and quick, ways that weren't even a forming idea in an engineer's head during the malaise era. Here are some ideas to get us through the CAFE standards fast: I mean seriously fast, not to mention in style.
1: My first idea to get us through CAFE with a bang is a system already used on a car from a startup Texas-Based supercar manufacturer named Ronn Motor Company, which uses it to get 40 MPG out of its Scorpion supercar. This system, which Ronn Motor Company calls H2-Go, is made up of hydrogen fuel injection to optimize economy. If this technology was used in the mainstream auto industry on such cars as the Mustang or Corvette, it could launch us into CAFE with ease.
2: This one I call the Lotus Formula because it is a hallmark of all of the cars from Colin Chapman's company since the Lotus Six was conceived. This strategy pairs light weight with power and torque that is not too over-the top to create a quick car that is nimble around corners, accelerates in only a few seconds, and above all is economical for today's standards. You could also tweak this and create a monster by putting in a vintage 600-horsepower 1-liter Ferrari racing motor or a similar, but cheaper design in a lightweight car such as the Ariel Atom or a Lotus Elise.
3: There is another option for all of you who were reading this and thinking the entire time that I'm betraying real brute performance, and you'll be glad to hear it. Just pay your gas-guzzler tax on your Lamborghini. I mean, if you have a Murcielago you're already paying a fortune for it, so you probably don't care all that much about a couple extra grand tacked on to legally enjoy it without hybrid whirring or a light feel. If you love to feel the road in your steering and feel connected through weight with a real burbling high-octane fuel V-8 in front of you, this is your favorite option.
So ignore your fears; There is hope.
