theoretical question

[Dublove]

What would be more environmental?

Car A:

1.6 petrol Zetec Focus, 1277kg, 42mpg & 100bhp.

Car B:

2.5 v6 Omega, 1450kg, 30mpg & 180bhp.


Obviously the focus, but what about if both cars are loaded up with 5 people and a boot full of luggage, travelling 200 miles through hilly terrain? Both cars take the same time to complete the distance.

Now surely in this case the Zetec would have to have it's nuts ragged off to keep pace with the v6. What will kick out more emissions overall? The small engine struggling all the way or the lazy v6 hardly breaking a sweat?

 

[ethos]

Neither would cause enough to make any difference whatsoever.

 

[lordrobs]

The only way to tell is to cable tie a small budgie as close as possible to the exhaust.

Drive both cars fully loaded, stopping every 5 miles to check to see if the budgie is still breathing. Which ever one has the dead budgie first is the most environ mentalistic car.

HTH

 

[Jonny69]

It's a totally valid point of view but difficult to prove unless you did a real life test. A lot of people do find their larger engined cars get better mpg than the smaller engine variant and it's simply that - if you're driving at a constant speed on the flat, yes the smaller engine will probably be more efficient but as soon as you put hills and traffic and stop/start into the equation often by not ragging the larger engine it will go further on the juice.