Ford Fiesta ECOnetic achieves sub-3.0L/100km fuel economy

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By Matt Brogan | October 29th, 2009

Ford’s Fiesta ECOnetic has officially cracked the sub-3.0L/100km fuel economy barrier, achieving a Day Four fuel economy figure of only 2.9L/100km during the Alice Springs to Cooper Pedy leg of the Global Green Challenge.

The 2.9L/100km figure equates to a 21.28 per cent improvement over the Fiesta’s already industry-leading official fuel economy number of only 3.7L/100km.

Ford’s other team entrant, the Falcon XR6 Turbo, also continued to showcase just how easily outstanding fuel economy can be matched to outstanding performance. Day Four of the Challenge saw the Falcon achieve a 6.7L/100km result – a staggering 42.33 per cent improvement over its official (combined) ADR fuel number.

The Falcon’s cumulative number is just as impressive – recording only 6.9L/100km over the course of the entire trip so far.

“The drive from Alice Springs to Cooper Pedy was the longest of the entire Green Challenge,” said Ford Team Manager Justin Lacy. “A new mandatory rest period was appreciated by the Ford teams – particularly as it proved not to have any negative effect on the fuel economy numbers that either the ECOnetic or the XR6 Turbo achieved during the day.”

Official figures for Day Five from Cooper Pedy to Port Augusta will be available later today.

With: Ford Australia

wizzy

Thats amazing out of the fiesta and amazing for the xr6 turbo. It will be interesting how the xr6 turbo will go next year with the upgraded engine it gets mid 2010 hmmmm cant wait!
Simon

WHAT IS THE AVERAGE SPEED OF THESE CARS!?!?!?
It’s absolutely meaningless to post their fuel consumption WITHOUT their average speed. They could be driving down the highway at 60KM/H to minimize drag. With air con off, folded mirrors, over-inflated tyres.
Where are the facts surrounding these “eccono-challenges”!?!?
Until they are published and independently verified, this is no more auto news than a marketing stunt.
CA get with the program.

JML

Deep breaths, now. Deeeeep breaths. Thaaaat’s it.
Mr Happy

I think CA said at the start of the challenge it was a regular drive. No folded mirrors, speed limit, no taped up gaps etc. (Emphasis on ‘I THINK!’).

Andrew

CA, could you please put up a list of how all entries are going, just to put in perspective the fact that FORD is doing good, but both the Commodore and Maloo are doing either just a good or BETTER.

Its not a FORD story.

Show us figures from all entrants please.

DE

Did you miss the Suzuki, Mini & Kia stories.
Whoever puts out a press release gets a story – simple.

BTW just for you; the SIDI Commodore has achieved 30% improvement over claimed figures.

Average speeds are around the 80 km/h mark, based on dist travelled and time allowed. Some teams arrive within the last minute allowed (after 5 hrs of driving).

Daily results for all cars are readily available, if you look in the right place.
Andrew M

Do you want to throw your toys into the wall aswell to complete your tantrum??

CA has released figures for the rest, and this article claims that later today a better summary will be posted.

Obviously Ford is flogging to the press that they are the outright leaders.
Not CA’s fault, they can only post what info is at hand.

DE

globalgreenchallenge.com.au/assets/results/eco/20091028.Eco%20Challenge%20Data.pdf
G

No matter what happens in the world, no matter how many different brands and models exist, no matter what happens, it is always about Holden and Ford.

C’mon Andrew, open your eyes!! That’s a big world out there! There is more to life than Holden and Ford!!
phase3

andrew, you could try reading the other articles on the site – there’s one about how the mini’s are doing and one on how the suzuki alto is doing too.

generally, if the headline tells us it’s about one vehicle, that’s what the article will focus on…

but an average speed for each car would be very useful.

Andrew M

DE posted the average speeds to be around the 80kmh mark.

That sounds about right, ive always known that to be around the most economical speed.
Its usually when the top cog kicks in too

Andrew M

I would have liked to see an LPG vehicle in the ranks.

LPG really excells on the HWY in terms of consumption.
I thought the LPI Cerato was meant to be entering in this????
Maybe next year Ford will enter its updated E-Gas………
tekkyy

wait a minute
why is the % improvement against the ADR combined figure?

it should be against the ADR extra-urban figure
(I would be worried if the road trip wasn’t massively better than the combined figure)

Frenchie

I agree with you tekkyy. The Extra-Urban or highway consuption figure is on the windscreen of new car aswell as the combined and urban figures.
Also the greenvehicleguide.gov.au will tell you.

Lansing

Gee this is mighty impressive for the Falcon, is this the same engine which does 0-100 in 5 secs? Im suprised they used a car with wide tyres and spoilers as that couldnt help drag. I think the FG Falcons are pretty good on fuel, my doctor has a G6E and he is averaging around 9.3 litres over 30,000km! He even says it uses a lot less fuel than the 4 cylinder BMW he had before it.

DE

The reason that Ford chose the turbo is the same reason there’s a HSV Maloo ute: As performance cars they are not too economical in the official testing for the govt figures. Yet they both excell in highway cruising, so the opportunity to achieve a bigger percentage gain is high. It’s called playing to the rules.

Now the Econetic Fiesta and the 3.0L SIDI Commodore are in there for the obvious advertising bonus to flog their “green” credentials.

I bet BMW are cursing Ford for putting the Fiesta in beating them for outright most economical.

tekky, there are several “urban” cycles throughout the event, but yes by it’s nature it is mostly exta-urban driving. Just have to set the bar somewhere.

I6orNothing

As for the 3.0L SIDI commodore flogging it’s green credentials…the fact the XR6 Turbo is doing as well as it is must be a real headache. Who’d have picked that…sub 7′s…amazing even if it is a pure ‘economy’ run.

DE

The Commodore wagon is doing 6.4 l/100km which is pretty repectable for a large wagon, but it is only a 3.0L, and it’s not a performance car.
Shhh….don’t let the Holden boys hear that.

Joker

I guess the place that the 3.0SIDI will shine is in the city where the XR6T will more likely get 11-12L/100Km.
Having said that, The 3.0SIDI will probably use 10-10.5…11 under some situations. Heres the other thing….We’re looking the difference in cost between an XR6T and a Berlina…heck the Omega Wagon is 40K i think! It’s not that much difference and I question how much the owner of a 3.0 SIDI would actually save compared to say a G6 or XR6T. That would be true justification for buying a Commodore running the 3.0 SIDI. Still, I know which one I’d be taking…the one that provides 533NM when I want or need it

http://navelcontemplation.blogspot.com Supercujo

If the Maloo gets crowned as the winner of this event, all credibility will be lost.

They need to alter the scoring system so that the cars are tested against the extra-urban consumption figures on the open road and urban figures in the city. Comparing performance cars against their combined figure in open road driving will always skew the result.

DE

It would not be practical to test the cycles individually as the town loops are mixed in with the days driving, but agreed the “scoring system” is far too simplistic and needs some work.
However, not matter what the scoring system was, somebody would find a car to exploit it.

When (not IF) the Maloo wins, its a bit like the fattest contestant being the biggest loser. Doesn’t matter that it has guzzled more fuel than anything else other than the Tesla re-charge truck.

I6orNothing

“Still, I know which one I’d be taking…the one that provides 533NM when I want or need it ”

Spot on…..and most times it’d probably be when you want it.

All said and done though, the Maloo’s figures are pretty impressive also. When it comes to open highway cruising, the large cars are quite handy..and when you are coming up to a 50m road train I think I’d rather be in the Turbo or Maloo as apposed to the Econetic or Mini…..

DE

…. or the SIDI Commodore for that matter.

Joker

It’s impossible,
It’s carbon output is very high compared to the competiton
XR6T vs. 3.0SIDI is much closer…i think its like 10 Grams more than the SIDI
Matt

I believe they have a certain time to complete each stage, if they arrive after the finish time then penalties are imposed. I read somewhere the Maloo and XR6T are usually doing around 75km/hr, everyones doing things like air-con off – hardly what you could call a real world test…

Normal along those roads would be an extra 50+, stereo cranked up, air con blasting