Why do Cobras get low MPG?

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rdefino

Founding Member

Feb 6, 2001

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Mass.

Jul 5, 2004

#1

• Jul 5, 2004

• #1

The Crobras get the best maybe 24mpg and the vette gets better and the GTO gets 29mpg highway. Why can't ford do it?

 

5

54life

New Member

Jul 24, 2003

392

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Cali currently at Ft. Rucker AL

Jul 5, 2004

#2

• Jul 5, 2004

• #2

mustangers have a heavier foot?????

 

01SilverL

Founding Member

May 5, 2002

262

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Massachusetts

Jul 5, 2004

#3

• Jul 5, 2004

• #3

24? The best I have ever seen was 16, and with the kenne bell it's now under 10mpg. Back to the orginal question, Cobra's make more hp and weigh more than both the vette and gto.

 

DBMSTNG

I fantasize about it being BIG!

Founding Member

Apr 23, 2002

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56

not quite here

Jul 5, 2004

#4

• Jul 5, 2004

• #4

the Cobra has a supercharger which means it's producing drag on the engine while cruising and not getting much benefit from the supercharger. the Vette is light and aerodynamic. and with the abundent low end torque of the n/a LS1/2/6 engines, it can cruise at lower rpms.

 

BZ's_03_SVT

New Member

Jan 19, 2004

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St. Louis

Jul 5, 2004

#5

• Jul 5, 2004

• #5

if ya want the boost gauge to go up, the fuel guage must go down! i can blow a 1/4 tank in a 10 mile stretch of city driving. Best MPG on a 13.5 gallon tank has been 225 miles

 

EvilEyez

New Member

Jan 30, 2004

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Austin, Tx

Jul 5, 2004

#6

• Jul 5, 2004

• #6

Blower= more air. More air = More fuel= more power. More Power= poor MPG.

 

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Nicks98Cobra

New Member

May 30, 2004

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0

Jul 5, 2004

#7

• Jul 5, 2004

• #7

My 98 gets 20 in city with air and my lead foot. Im happy with that. And imagine how much gas you could buy with the 15k dollar difference between a new cobra and a Z06.

 

RydeOn

Licensed to Chill

Founding Member

Sep 26, 2000

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77

orange county, CA

Jul 5, 2004

#8

• Jul 5, 2004

• #8

Weight, aerodynamics and supercharger drag are the biggest factors, most likely in that order.

 

QUICK91LX

Founding Member

Dec 7, 2001

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39

New Jersey

Jul 5, 2004

#9

• Jul 5, 2004

• #9

GM seems to have perfected their tranny/rear gear combos to optimize performance and fuel economy. they have been doing it since they came out with a 6-speed. but yeah the blower on the cobra makes gas mileage take a crap

 

Emil

New Member

Mar 26, 2004

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Barrington, Illinois

Jul 6, 2004

#10

• Jul 6, 2004

• #10

For the S/C'ed Cobras the compression ratio has been lowered to 8.5:1 for detonation control at high boost, unfortunately for normal cruising it hurts efficiency. I do manage to get right around 20mpg going to work with a mix of hwy and city driving. Not bad for the performance level of the car .

 

BLK_ROUSH

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Feb 5, 2000

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Newnan, GA

Jul 6, 2004

#11

• Jul 6, 2004

• #11

Emil said:

For the S/C'ed Cobras the compression ratio has been lowered to 8.5:1 for detonation control at high boost, unfortunately for normal cruising it hurts efficiency. I do manage to get right around 20mpg going to work with a mix of hwy and city driving. Not bad for the performance level of the car .

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I agree, same here. I wouldn't lay it all on the S/C. My roots blown 98GT gets 20-23mpg so it's comparable despite the power difference.

 

Aaron 4.6

Founding Member

Apr 10, 2001

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Georgia

Jul 6, 2004

#12

• Jul 6, 2004

• #12

The GM T-56 has a 0.50 to 1 final gear. That helps a lot when you add the better aero.

 

A

az_r2d1

New Member

Jun 12, 2004

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Jul 7, 2004

#13

• Jul 7, 2004

• #13

The vette's 6th gear is a huge overdrive. I've driven oen and at 100mph it is barely over 2000 rpm.
It's also lighter than the Cobra.
The aerodynamics are probably better.

I did notice on the 03 cobra that you get pretty good mileage going in 6th doing 90mph or so. Drove it for quite a while and defintely got 20+mpg (probably close to 22)
Normal daily driving, trying to keep the rpm's low doesn't seem to matter much in it's thirst.

 

T

tistan2

New Member

Feb 29, 2004

128

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Jul 8, 2004

#14

• Jul 8, 2004

• #14

Sounds like someone can't keep their foot off the gas. I have a 04 lightning and I get 14 mpg with me getting on it quit a bit. The best I have got is 17mpg and that is city driving.

 

M

mijon61

New Member

Jun 11, 2002

46

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Toledo Ohio

Jul 13, 2004

#15

• Jul 13, 2004

• #15

I just drove to and from St Louis at about 75 mph average with the A/C on. Averaged 26 mpg. Prior to all my mods (stock) I did the same trip and averaged 23 mpg. Mod it right, tune it, and gas mileage will increase.

 

P

PoorYuppie

Founding Member

Sep 3, 2002

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Jul 13, 2004

#16

• Jul 13, 2004

• #16

I've gotten 26mpg with almost all freeway driving and my last mod gave me ~ +1 mpg (didn't expect that). But the #1 reason the vette gets better mpg is it's aerodynamics. Compare the drag on the vette vs. the mustang chassis(just look at the bland styling of ALL econo-boxes, bland jellybean = aerodynamic). The faster you go the more it becomes obvious that the vette is much more efficient. Pushing a wall of air at 60+mph is not easy, but moving to the side as you pass by is. I'd say that is the same reason the gto gets better mpg(the ls1 jelly bean). Now why is the mustang so bad in this area? Old platform + 4v heads for the cobra on a mod motor and it gets tall in a hurry, add the requirement of some style and voila, mpg sacrifice.
Also consider that the modular motor idea isn't quite as dialed in as the chevy's (it's newer). The next two things that effect the mpg of these cars is the efficiency of the drive train, more $$ on a tranny gets you more efficiency(via gear materials, bearings etc.).
Weight has little effect on the freeway(assuming constant speed), other than making the wheel bearing friction losses greater (not much). Weight does effect mpg while accelerating though.

 

K

kystang1889

New Member

Dec 29, 2002

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ky

Jul 14, 2004

#17

• Jul 14, 2004

• #17

WHO GIVES A **** its a god damn chebby piece of **** if u actually think about buying a goddamn piece of **** new GTO over a goddamn sweet ass 03 04 cobra just because it gets a little better gas mileage then u don't deserce to operate one of theasde machines u don't drive a cobra if u are worried about ga milage u drive a goddamn pice of **** civic or camary not a ****ing cobra ITS a goddamn beast and beasts don't get good gas milage

 

oilmota

New Member

Jul 8, 2004

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Jul 14, 2004

#18

• Jul 14, 2004

• #18

kystang1889 said:

WHO GIVES if u are worried about ga milage u drive a goddamn pice of **** civic or camary not a ****ing cobra ITS a goddamn beast and beasts don't get good gas milage

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There are beasts that get good gas milage... ZO6's Supra's...

 

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onrailz

New Member

May 18, 2004

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Jul 14, 2004

#19

• Jul 14, 2004

• #19

My '88 and '94 GT's both AVERAGED 13mpg so I don't know what your definition of low is.

 

K

kystang1889

New Member

Dec 29, 2002

199

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ky

Jul 14, 2004

#20

• Jul 14, 2004

• #20

oilmota said:

There are beasts that get good gas milage... ZO6's Supra's...

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lol my bad i was drunker than **** when i wrote that, yea beast supras get good gas mi i read about one that got a mile to the gallon!!!!! thats great gas mi