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

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:31:42 +0000

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

By: Mr Happy

Mr Happy — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:47:56 +0000

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!’).

By: Joker

Joker — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:14:52 +0000

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

By: Frenchie

Frenchie — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:22:40 +0000

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.

By: DE

DE — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:44:55 +0000

…. or the SIDI Commodore for that matter.

By: I6orNothing

I6orNothing — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:39:21 +0000

“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…..

By: DE

DE — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:11:48 +0000

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.

By: Supercujo

Supercujo — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:57:39 +0000

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.

By: Joker

Joker — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:48:50 +0000

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 ;)

By: DE

DE — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:53:46 +0000

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.

By: I6orNothing

I6orNothing — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:41:07 +0000

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.

By: DE

DE — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:12:46 +0000

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.

By: Lansing

Lansing — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:54:28 +0000

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.

By: tekkyy

tekkyy — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:26:25 +0000

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)

By: Andrew M

Andrew M — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:22:57 +0000

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

By: Andrew M

Andrew M — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:18:44 +0000

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………

By: phase3

phase3 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:11:30 +0000

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.

By: G

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:10:37 +0000

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!!

By: Andrew M

Andrew M — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:10:25 +0000

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.

By: DE

DE — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:05:34 +0000

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