FUEL ECONOMY IN CAR AND DRIVER MAY 2009

How unfortunate that the men and women with the most money are the ones who manage to spend the least amount of fuel per vehicle. How do they do it? Well, buying automobiles as museum pieces to park in a 10-car garage helps, for starters. Car & Driver, however, drives the cars they're given to test. While testing, C/D figures out the fuel economy of these vehicles. The results from the May/09 issue are below. For the 0-60 results of these same cars, click here. For more about Fuel, click here.

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2010 Ford Mustang GT: 15 miles per gallon

Caterham 7 Superlight R400: 15 miles per gallon

Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8: 21 miles per gallon

BMW 750Li: 16 miles per gallon

Mercedes-Benz S550: 17 miles per gallon

Nissan Cube S: 22 miles per gallon

Stop by AmericanMuscle.com and check out

their large selection of 2006 Mustang Parts

evo BOSS TRADES ZONDA FOR CATERHAM WITH EDITOR

Henry Catchpole decides to convince his boss at evo magazine, Harry Metcalfe, that every great garage needs a Caterham. Well, lookie there: Henry has a Caterham long-termer that Harry Metcalfe can try. The side-effect for Catchpole? He gets to drive Metcalfe's Pagani Zonda for the first time. The video from evo is below. Catchpole's facial expressions would make the video worth watching if the driving footage wasn't even as good as it is.

CAR PCOTY

British car magazine, CAR, whose editors proclaim on the cover that they offer the definitive view, has named their Performance Car of the Year.

If you're looking for consistently sound opinion, CAR may not be the place for you. Once known and perhaps even renowned for a magazine that centred on dynamic peformance, CAR has evolved into what seems to be a car-as-a-conversation-piece style magazine, with none other than Piers Morgan contributing.

Nevertheless, the PCOTY feature is certainly suggested reading. The Audi R8 was joined in the final three by the BMW M3 and Honda's Civic Type R. The Audi overcame some high-strung group members (Caterham 7 R400, Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, Porsche 911 GT3 RS) and the M3 and Civic didn't put up enough of a challenge.

Having already battled the Renault Clio F1 Team R27, Vauxhall Corsa VXR, and a Mini Cooper with Works package, the CTR was relegated in the final round despite obvious credentials. "A great hot hatch.... but not quite torquey or communicative enough to feel really special in this company," said the judges.

And the M3? CAR says: "Because, as good as it is, it doesn't move the M3 game on massively. Yes, it's quicker than the old car, more refined, practical and as sideways as ever, but we expect all those things from the M3."

So the R8 takes the crown. One paragraph by Chris Chilton makes very clear the overall reasoning for Audi's win. "And then I pointed the R8 home and knew we picked the right car..... The icy white markings on the dials glowed back from the dash, the Bang and Olufsen hi-fi murmured quietly, and I tried to figure out how this car costs only £76,000. It's still a lot of money in anyone's reckoning, but not for a car of this calibre. In the context of an M3 that costs £50K, a Lamborghini that shares many of the R8's parts and costs over three times as much, and a Porsche that costs £94K but can't be driven in the rain, the R8 easily cements its place as a worthy winner."

In order of their lap times around the Cadwell Park circuit (as driven by British Touring car great Matt Neal), here are CAR's candidates and a brief summary by CAR and the inevitable GoodCarBadCar take as well.

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PORSCHE 911 GT3 RS: "Even Neal thought it was too hot to handle; naturally we wanted to marry it." GCBC says: "A regular GT3 is enough 911+, the RS adds way too much cost for way too little improvement."

CATERHAM 7 R400: "Like being hardwired into the tarmac; if lapping circuits is your thing, nothing beats it." GCBC says: "Proof that a little less weight will do you good."

LAMBORGHINI SUPERLEGGERA: "Couldn't beat the GT3 on the road but was even more exciting on track." GCBC says: "Amazing that extreme examples of extreme cars can face such competition now, such as the GT3 RS, Ferrari 430 Scuderia, and 911 GT2."

AUDI R8: As happy chasing Lambo's on the track as tailing eVextra's on the M25. Brilliant." GCBC says: "Audi now has more than power, looks, and Quattro on its side; the R8 is a pure driving experience."

BMW M3: "We still don't like the steering but what fun - and what an engine!" GCBC says: "The original M3 had a four fewer cylinders and a lot less luxury....."

SUBARU IMPREZA RB320: "Last of the saloon Impreza's divided opinion. Mighty fast but hard work." GCBC says: "Showcasing passion that may never be revealed on the new WRX's or STi's."

NISSAN 350Z: "Quick, but far from the sideways here at Cadwell its roundabout antics suggest." GCBC says: "The Z, as usual, laps with the big dogs for a substantially smaller cash outlay and looks good doing it."

AUDI S5: "Old style Audi - safe and competent but not fun on track; A5 TDI better on road." GCBC says: "Not fun on track, true. But stinking fast and heart-wrenchingly beautiful."

VAUXHALL VXR8: "Bargain V8 saloon better on road than on track." GCBC says: "What was CAR expecting? I'm expecting the Pontiac G8 to be very good indeed."


HONDA CIVIC TYPE R: "Almost racer-like in its responses but amazing VTEC engine needs another 40 bhp." GCBC says: "Needs a communicative chassis and steering before it needs another 40 horsepower, but it looks sweet."

RENAULT CLIO 197 F1 TEAM R27: "A proper oldschool hot hatch and great at Cadwell; but hardwork on the road." GCBC says: "If the weight remained equal to that of the old Clio, then the long-titled new Clio would be in with a shout."

MINI COOPER S WORKS: "Great to look at but minimal power increase from Works kit and poor under braking." GCBC says: "Pray the Mini brand doesn't go soft. It hasn't... yet."

VAUXHALL CORSA VXR: "Torquey engine and smooth ride great on road but VXR outclassed on circuit." GCBC says: "Have you seen this little sucker go 'round the Nurburgring?"

EXTREME SPORTS CARS YOU MAY NEVER SEE.....

In this world of ever-tightening regulations, ever-dwindling derestricted highways, ever-increasing traffic, and ever-decreasing oil reserves - there's little room for massive conveyors of speed. They chug back gasoline and bottom out on every parking garage entrance in New York City.

But the market for superhyperexoticars is growing. Sales of Lamborghinis, Aston Martins, Ferraris, Bentleys and their ilk are at an all time high. Sure, but even so, these cars are no longer driveable in the way they're meant to be driven. At least that's what we say; we who aren't able to afford a banged-up Ferrari with no engine. They've a place in this world, we'd all agree.

Picture this, though. A small car that can keep pace with most supercars on a track, cope admirably with city life, without the alarming price tag. Sounds good? Sure it does - I haven't told you the bad news yet. Cars in this category, frequently labeled as track cars, are something of a compromise. You may find yourself exposed to the elements in a way only motorcyclists can understand. You will almost definitely be forced to skip the luxury features or any creature comfort, really. You may not be legally entitled to import the car into your home country. (That could be a serious one, eh?) And, to successfully import the car, you may be asked - by the manufacturer and local Customs officials - to participate in the build process.

Oh, nothing much, just locate an engine and pop it down in the, er... engine bay. You're up for it. You earn middle-class money rather than millions of $ per year. You have a garage to store the car away from the harsh elements. When you were younger you pumped gas at the local Shell station, so that must mean mechanical skills are a part of your inbred repertoire. And you were never big on air-conditioning (runny nose? Me too.) or power windows (rolling down windows at the toll booth became your only arm exercises for the week? Me too.) or keyless entry (your wife gets ticked off when you constantly lock the car just to keep the horn honking until you enter the grocery store? Umm... oh, maybe that's just me.)

So, here're your options. British-owned Caterham builds the CSR you see above. Caterham bought the rights to the Lotus Seven from Colin Chapman decades ago and has building Sevenalikes ever since. There've been Superlights; Roadsports; and Classics, or Seven's with a bit of added space to hold in all your extra North American girth. The CSR is the farthest-reaching example of Caterham's performance potential - at least at this point. While the car still looks like it came straight off the pitlane of Brands Hatch in the 1970's, its performance is unbelievable. Considering its 260 horses reside in a car which weighs only 550kg, performance is quite believable. Caterham USA would charge you $44,000 for a CSR without the engine and transmission.

The Ariel Atom has been mentioned on GoodCarBadCar before. An Atom engine is typically a 220bhp Honda mill which propels this 456kg car to insane speeds in a hurry. (Remember, a typical Toyota Camry weighs approximately four times as much.) Supercharging the Ariel to 300 horsepower produces a consequent lap time equivalent to the Caterham CSR Superlight at the Bedford Autodrome's West Circuit. That would be a tenth ahead of Porsche's Carrera GT and about 1.5 seconds faster than a Ferrari Enzo or MacLaren F1. To say nothing of the BMW M5, ten seconds back.

Option number three on our list is the third British contestant. Admittedly, Lotus is Malaysian-owned, but there's little that could represent the British sports car market as quintessentially as Lotus. The 2-Eleven is yet another derivative of the Elise, one of the preeminent handlers in the world. Beyond the already exteme-for-most-buyers Elise, Exige, and Europa, the 2-Eleven carries on the principles of 'adding lightness' but takes the whole ethos further. I mean, just look at it. Lotus claims the power-to-weight ratio seen - or felt - in the 2-Eleven is equivalent to that of a 1960's Formula 1 Car. 252 horsepower - meet 745 kg. Let forward motion ensue.... now. Although Lotus has always made its cars to be quick in a straight line, it has rarely completed that task by constant power updates. Rather, constant weight loss has been the name of the game. And weight loss always aids agility, and therefore cornering. The 2-Eleven's front end eats up corners, twists, and bends and spits them out the rear, suggesting to the following car, "Try that and you'll be in the hedge."


Radical has been building a Le Mans-style track car (potentially legal on the road) for quite a few years now. Seen here in evo livery, the Radical can be specced in a variety of formats. There's even been a V8. evo magazine has never tested a car quicker than the Radical SR3 1300 around the Bedford Autodrome. Both the SR3 and SR4 are powered by superbike engines, a telling fact in regards to the weight of this automobile. Here are Radical's words: "For road use, the SR3's suspension can be raised to miss even the most aggressive speed hump. A type-approval kit provides lighting, hand brake, front luggage compartment, catalytic converter and road tyres. In road trim, the SR3 is the ultimate fun sportscar, with surprising levels of comfort and practicality.Track users will be reassured by the SR3's integral safety structure and high-strength front foot protection, which exceeds the requirements laid down in the latest UK and US regulations."




Elfin is linked to GM-owned, Australian-based Holden. That's good news for a list that was otherwise turning into a tribute to the Union Jack. Elfin built sports cars 50 years ago and won numerous racing championships down under. Now, under the leadership of two historic racing enthusiasts and the ownership of Walkinshaw Performance, Elfin builds two similarly engineered cars (completely different styling, btw) with Chevrolet V8's. Vroom Vroom. The MS8 Streamliner is cool, the MS8 Clubman cooler still.


There are others; too many to touch on, in fact. Noble has had a fair bit of success with the M10 and M12 and may yet see more with the M15. Priced in a higher bracket where sports car makers must compete with cars like the Porsche Boxster, Nobles emphasize performance above all else. Noble creator, Lee Noble, was also responsible for the Ultima. The Ultima GTR is pure speed and.... not so pretty.


Toniq builds tidy little sportsters powered by either a Honda Fireblade bike engine or a tuned Ford 4-cylinder. Looking like it belongs in the Caterham sector, the Toniq started out as a two-student project at the University of Huddersfield with the hopes of making a Seven for the 21st century. Westfield is yet another British track car maker competing in the Seven segment. They've also got a car similar in theory to the Radical and have begun rebuilding the car that brought them their original success. The Lotus Eleven became the Westfield XI and is built using parts from an MG Midget. It ain't fast but it sure is cool.

There you have it. Weigh up your options. Talk to those close to you who may have sway over your finances. Your driveway will be the most popular on the street.