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Last weekend Pete and I did an exploratory trip to Lone Pine CA to plan for an upcoming Corvette Weekend. Pete has a 2016 M7 and I have a 2015 A8 and for the entire 1200 miles nose to tail from Sea Level to 10,000 ft we used the exact same amount of gas. We also both have the Halltech CAI. Since I've been told the automatics loose more HP then the manuals and I pay the $1300 gas guzzler tax can someone come up with an explanation for the gas use.
Last weekend Pete and I did an exploratory trip to Lone Pine CA to plan for an upcoming Corvette Weekend. Pete has a 2016 M7 and I have a 2015 A8 and for the entire 1200 miles nose to tail from Sea Level to 10,000 ft we used the exact same amount of gas. We also both have the Halltech CAI. Since I've been told the automatics loose more HP then the manuals and I pay the $1300 gas guzzler tax can someone come up with an explanation for the gas use.
who's nose was in who's tail? were you drafting him?
Judging from the picture, one is a stage 2 and 1 is a stage 1. This will cause a drastic difference in MPG. I have a buddy with a Stage 3 with ZO7 and M7. Mine was originally a Stage 1 with the A8. We did a road trip and his MPG was a lot lower than mine.
EPA mileage is also a combined fuel consumption and from you're saying the bulk of this was highway driving.
Silver car is M7, and as far as highway use, well these highways are in no way what one might call an ordinary highway. Switch backs, altitude changes combined with high acceleration episodes. Majority of trip were altitude levels between 3500 to 10,000 ft. As far as stage one vs two, well at the speeds and altitude changes we went through I find it a stretch to think one inch more spoiler would change much.
Silver car is M7, and as far as highway use, well these highways are in no way what one might call an ordinary highway. Switch backs, altitude changes combined with high acceleration episodes. Majority of trip were altitude levels between 3500 to 10,000 ft. As far as stage one vs two, well at the speeds and altitude changes we went through I find it a stretch to think one inch more spoiler would change much.
I think it matters more than you believe. That extra inch provides a lot of air drag at highway speeds. For a normal car to go 70 mph on a level highway it takes about 30 HP no matter what type of engine is used. The only thing that counts is frontal area and coefficient of drag. The extra inch on the rear spoiler doesn't affect frontal area but it sure does affect coefficient of drag.
I bet if you removed even your limited rear spoiler you would see a measurable difference in fuel economy.
I think it matters more than you believe. That extra inch provides a lot of air drag at highway speeds. For a normal car to go 70 mph on a level highway it takes about 30 HP no matter what type of engine is used. The only thing that counts is frontal area and coefficient of drag. The extra inch on the rear spoiler doesn't affect frontal area but it sure does affect coefficient of drag.
I bet if you removed even your limited rear spoiler you would see a measurable difference in fuel economy.
Bill
Maybe at sea level but not so much when you're up nearly two miles in altitude.
Also he didn't have the center piece installed.
You didn't drive the EPA drive loop, so it's not relevant. That's all that matters for testing and certification, not Lone Pine. They try to make it representative of a typical commute loop. If they made it for climbing mountains, we'd have lighter cars (literally, it would change what makes a CAFE compliant vehicle).
Everyone opining about aero should just do the math - look up the Cd and multiply by distance travelled at whatever average speed, there must be a calculator on the web for it, even if you make a few assumptions.
The Stage I guys tell it like we're dragging around the anchor from a Skipper's restaurant.
You didn't drive the EPA drive loop, so it's not relevant. That's all that matters for testing and certification, not Lone Pine. They try to make it representative of a typical commute loop. If they made it for climbing mountains, we'd have lighter cars (literally, it would change what makes a CAFE compliant vehicle).
Everyone opining about aero should just do the math - look up the Cd and multiply by distance travelled at whatever average speed, there must be a calculator on the web for it, even if you make a few assumptions.
The Stage I guys tell it like we're dragging around the anchor from a Skipper's restaurant.
Was just asking a question more in relation to the M7 vs A8, also as far as what's relevant, we spent the same amount of money on gas.
I'm Pete, The Phantom's owner. I's a M7 with Stage-2, Halltech CAI, Corsa Helixx + Xtreme, and catch can.
The MPG was a steady 21.5 MPG. This Vette is the first car that the computer is right on with the gas pump. My C4s, and my C5Z06's MPG's gauge is way off from reality.
We drove on the 395, up & down mountain roads, city, no racing.
One thing for sure; many of you were/are right about this shifter. This shifter sucks. I have a B&M in my C4, and a MGW in my C5, and they are better shifter than this one. It was great when brand new, but now with 2,200 miles on the clock it's beginning to show it's future, and I don't foresee that within my household. I've done lots of research, and the MGW looks like the best choice. Many of you have posted about the others one out there vibrate or make noise, and thats a no-no for me.
On the way back to SoCal I did The Mojave Mile for free.
I didn't buy this Z06 to save gas, besides that's the reason gas stations exist.
In the case of the two cars in question, the one with the A8 does have more driveline loss and also has lower overall gearing in it's final gear(8) of 1.57:1. The car with the M7 does have lower driveline loss and also has higher final gearing(1.54:1). Those two elements favor the M7 for best gas mileage.
That means the car with the M7 should have better gas mileage at highway speeds. BUT, the M7 in question is not as aerodynamic at highway speeds with it's add-on devices thus uses more gasoline.
I believe that the M7's aero is what drug it down to the A8's fuel consumption. Aero in play. If both cars had had the same transmission, then the one with the stage 1 aero, would have produced the best fuel economy.
Puzzled
