Auto Express gets 50 mpg from John Cooper Works MINI
Click above for more pictures of the 2008 John Cooper Works MINI
If a Corvette Z06 with its monstrous 7.0-liter eight cylinder engine was able to achieve nearly 31 miles per gallon at the MPG Marathon, what were some other performance cars able to manage? BMW's MINI can be both an economy car or a serious sporting contender depending on what engine option resides under its short little bonnet, and the highest of all performing Coopers features a force-fed 1.6-liter engine that's included as part of the John Cooper Works package. One such JCW MINI took part in the aforementioned mileage challenge and after the first day of 411 total miles of various roads, the team of auto scribes from Auto Express managed an impressive 53.3 mpg. That equates to an improvement of over 25-percent when compared to the JCW's combined European rating. To get that high mileage, the drivers of the car shifted early, usually under 2,000 RPM, kept a light foot on the throttle and didn't pass 40 miles per hour. For a more accurate portrayal of the kind of mileage you might manage from a JCW MINI just by driving the speed limit and with a reasonable amount of restraint, the team adjusted their driving habits for the second day of testing and drove the 60 mph speed limit. The results? Not bad at all, with the tally coming in at 49.4 mpg after the second day had ended. A spokesperson for MINI U.K. was impressed, saying, "You've proved this model is the UK's greenest hot hatch. We believe this makes the JCW ideal for drivers who want to downsize, reduce fuel costs and environmental impact, but still own a sporting car." High praise indeed, though it came from a person with a vested interest to believe his own words. Still, despite the fact that it didn't win any records, it was a fine effort.
Gallery: 2008 John Cooper Works Mini
[Source: Auto Express]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
John 6:09PM (10/26/2008)
Imperial or US gallons? You keep making the same mistake when commenting on UK articles.
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John 4:15PM (10/26/2008)
Yep, it was Imperial gallons. In US figures, 41mpg. Not bad, but not newsworthy.
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Atul 10:16PM (10/26/2008)
GM doesn't get enough credit for the amazing combination of performance and fuel efficiency that the Corvettes get. The regular Vette is even more efficient. No other company can match them.
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tankd0g 11:38PM (10/26/2008)
You're going to have to explain that yard stick you're using.
UH2L 11:51PM (10/26/2008)
The yardstick is obviously fuel economy relative to other exotic sports cars. Even outside the segment the Corvette is more fuel efficient than many other cars. Euro sports cars like the BMW M series or Audi S series can't even come close. Even plain Subarus use more fuel.
I always thought it would be kind of cool to buy a Corvette, take some weight out, put less sticky narrower tires to see what kind of fuel economy could be achieved. Mid-30's mpg shouldn't be a problem
George 10:45AM (10/27/2008)
I love to see better gas mileage on cars and so do many others. Hopefully the mileage can be improved to a point where very little gas has to be used to run cars because gas is a problem and everyone knows it...
http://gas2electric.net
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