Sports Cars Offer High Gas Mileage Cure for the SUV Blues
Fort Collins, CO (ContentDesk) May 27, 2006 -- Several sporty, high-performance automobiles such as the Chevrolet Corvette, Porsche Boxster and Lotus Elise can get 28 or 29 miles per gallon on the highway according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), making sports cars a viable choice for those seeking high gas mileage along with style, status, and fun.In contrast, the similarly-priced Hummer H2 gets at best 13 mpg, according to dealers.
A Cadillac Escalade sports utility vehicle achieves only 18 mpg on the highway per the EPA.
Even the 4Runner SUV by Toyota -- a company often associated in the minds of the public with good fuel economy -- is rated at just 22 mpg for a two-wheel drive, six-cylinder base model.But wait -- are we not comparing apples and oranges here?
A sports car versus an SUV?
These vehicles are purchased for entirely different purposes, right?
The comparison is not as far-fetched as it might initially seem, according to Felix Wong, a spokesperson for hi-mpg.org (http://hi-mpg.org)."Top reasons for purchasing sports utility vehicles include safety, style, performance, fun, a feeling of power, a status symbol," says Wong.
"What people forget or don't realize is that sports cars are just as good, or better, in all of those respects, all while being significantly friendlier to the environment and to people's pocketbooks at the gas pump."Indeed, the sleek, sensuous curves of sports cars are often distinctive and head-turning.
Their aerodynamic, no-compromise shapes -- which in addition to low weight help the vehicles achieve high fuel efficiency -- exude a mixture of youthfulness, rebellion, frivolity, and individuality.In terms of fun, sports cars offer superior handling and many of their owners delight in taking on winding country roads and hairpin corners at higher rates of speeds than they would in an SUV. Many sports cars are also available in convertible form, offering wind-in-the-hair, sun-basked adventures.
Performance-wise, there really is no comparison.
A Chevrolet Corvette and Lotus Elise can literally run circles around a sports utility vehicle, capable of accelerating from 0-60 miles per hour in less than five seconds.
Even the relatively inexpensive Mazda MX-5 roadster -- with a miserly four-cylinder engine -- can accelerate to sixty from naught in under eight.But what about safety? Space?A widespread -- but arguably mistaken -- perception is that sports utility vehicles are safer.
The conventional wisdom is that due to their larger mass, SUVs will protect occupants better in a crash.In fact, sports utility vehicles' higher weight and center of gravity can work against them.
Their braking distances are often much longer than those of the lighter-weight sports cars, and their top-heaviness make them more prone to rolling over.
It is also easy to imagine that in some situations where evasive emergency maneuvers are required, the nimbler, quicker sports cars have a marked advantage.Regarding traction, sports cars -- which are predominantly rear-wheel drive -- traditionally have been at a disadvantage in adverse weather conditions, notably snow and ice.
Nowadays, technology has mitigated this substantially with advanced tire treads, traction control, and anti-lock braking systems.
Some sports cars are even offered with all-wheel-drive such as the 250-hp Audi TT Coupe Quattro, which was afforded a respectable EPA rating of 26 miles per gallon on the highway despite the added weight and efficiency losses from the all-wheel-drive system.The most significant factor that sports utility vehicles have the upper hand is space.
But even then, according to Wong, people make that out to be a larger deal than it needs to be."For one thing, there usually are at least two vehicles in a household, especially if one is married with kids," he points out.
"Furthermore, how often do you see an SUV going down the highway with only one person in it?
I see it all the time."Indeed, according to the 2004 U.S. Census, 77 percent of workers drove alone to work nationwide while only 10 percent carpooled.
(The other 13 percent walked, biked, or took mass transit.)
In addition, in some areas of the country such as certain highways in California, two-seat sports cars with two persons can use the HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lane even in cases where three people are required in other automobiles.Cargo room is not necessarily as restricted in a sports car as one may think, too."I've seen someone open the trunk of his C5 [fifth-generation] Corvette and throw a road bike in it -- assembled," says Wong.
"Porsche Boxster owners will often tell you their cars can hold a lot of stuff because in their mid-engine cars, there are two trunks -- one in the front and one in the rear.
An Audi TT coupe is particularly cavernous with the rear seat folded down, since it's a hatchback.""Also, there are a vast number of aftermarket options for smaller vehicles, including hitch- and trunk-mounted bicycle racks, roof storage boxes, trailers, etc."As it turns out, sports cars can be not only fun, but functional and frugal with fuel as well.About hi-mpg.org:Launched in September 2004, the hi-mpg.org web site (http://hi-mpg.org) identifies and rates vehicles offering high style, performance, and fun while delivering high gas mileage.
Selected automobiles include sports cars, convertibles, coupes, sedans, hybrids, and retro-vehicles from the last 20 years.
The web site also offers news relating to gasoline supply issues and pricing along with advanced gas mileage tips.
hi-mpg.org is not affiliated in any way with the manufacturers of any vehicle or fuel-efficiency technology.Contact:Felix Wonghi-mpg.org970-484-8486http://hi-mpg.org.
Mazda Combines Sporty And Space In The CX-7 SUV
Mazda has certainly made sure that they would be able to create a vehicle that would not only catch the attention of all prospective buyers and everybody else in the market for a vehicle but would also be able to provide enough, if not more than enough, room and space for passengers and for cargo. And it has been made a reality in the 2007 Mazda CX-7.
This new vehicle is a successor for the Mazda MPV and it has been built as a wagon with four doors. It entered the market with competition like the Hyundai Santa Fe, Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota Highlander, Dodge Nitro, Mitsubishi Endeavor, and Subaru B9 Tribeca as competition in the midsize crossover sport utility vehicle class. For power, it relies on the 2.3 liter MZR turbocharged I4 engine coupled up with the six speed automatic overdrive transmission system.
The company claims that maintaining the Mazda CX-7 would not be very difficult. Sources of Mazda...
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PRO-SUV WEB SITE DEBUTS AS PRO-SUV MEDIA SOURCE
PRESS RELEASEContact: Stan Bishop????
(404) 593-8725e-mail protected from spam botshttp://SUVlove.comFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEPRO-SUV WEB SITE DEBUTS AS PRO-SUV MEDIA SOURCE Stanley Bishop, of SUVlove.com, launched a web site to serve as a single source of pro-SUV sentiment for journalists that wish to balance their reporting when covering news related to SUVs and legislators that wish to see the pro-SUV argument in the words of SUV owners.
SUVlove.com includes links to published news articles that inappropriately highlight SUVs when the story context is unrelated, are unnecessarily salacious, and generally focus on the anti-SUV movement. The site features an area for SUV owners to cast their own opinion about SUVs ostensibly for journalists and legislators to view the pro-SUV side of the issue.
Bishop opines that the anti-SUV movement is exclusively a class-warfare issue and debunks the safety and pollution arguments...
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Automakers Of Large Pickups and SUVs Hail Gas Price Drop
Power Information Network (PIN), an affiliate of J.D. Power and Associates, earlier announced its real-time retail transaction data analysis regarding the decline in gas prices. Said company stressed that because of the decline an increase in owner loyalty rates for pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles is observed.
PIN earlier reported that in the past few months soaring fuel prices have adversely affected the loyalty rate for pickups and SUVs. PIN observed that the owner retention rates for huge pickup trucks, large utility and midsize utility vehicles significantly rose in the seven-week period from mid-August to early October this year. Said increase was attributed to the same period when gas prices steadily dropped and averaged $2.66 per gallon as compared to the seven weeks when gas prices averaged $3.04.
According to the data gathered by the company, four out of six large pickup models, four out of five large utilities and seven...
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The View From The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
Are you excited to see the newest updates on the new model of the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport? If you are, then you only have a couple of weeks to wait for it to come out. And you better head out to the 2006 Paris Motor Show. Mitsubishi Motors would be using the mentioned motor show to show off the upgrades for its all new sport utility vehicle destined for the European auto market.
And if you find the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport to be just your kind of vehicle, you should now know that come February next year, it would then be on sale. According to the company, they claim that this new European SUV would be bringing owners, drivers, and passengers utmost comfort once inside the vehicle.
And yes, everybody would surely be gawking at the style that this sport utility vehicle has to offer. With a little sprucing up with Mitsubishi auto accessories, any Mitsubishi Outlander Sport would look like it...
The View From The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
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SUV Parts
SUV (Sport Utility Vehicles) are a type of passenger vehicle mainly designed for off-road travel. They can accommodate a number of passengers and are one of the fastest selling vehicles on the automobile market. A number of manufactures provide SUV parts at different price levels. SUV parts are classified as exterior, interior, performance, and universal.
Exterior parts include air deflectors, covers, driving lights, fuel door covers, billet grilles, headlight covers, headlight accents, rear back-up cameras, sunroof deflectors, and vent shades. Air deflectors keep the rear window clear and thus enabling a clear vision.
Fuel door covers gives a customized look to the vehicle. Headlight accents and taillight covers are designed to improve the appearance. Vent Shades offers a smooth design and reduces noise and wind. Brush guards and grille guards, hood protectors, mud guards, fender flares, bumper guards, front masks are other SUV parts used for the protection of the...
SUV Parts
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Retirement Savings Basics For a Secure Financial Future
The difference between an IRA and an ordinary investment account is that there are special tax advantages, but restrictions on the account apply. Individuals can only contribute up to $3000 per year to their IRA, or $3500 for people over fifty who want to jump start their retirement savings program. These limits are set to rise over the next few years, to $5000 in 2008, or $6000 for people over fifty. The contributions must be made from money which has been earned in the year the contribution...
Retirement Savings Basics For a Secure Financial Future Suv Sports Cars Offer High Gas Mileage Cure for the SUV Blues
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Internet Astronomy
For many generations various human cultures have had great knowledge about the star constellations. However, these days most of the so-called modernized breed of human can't tell you much about what's around us in the infinite Universe. The funny thing is, technically we now know more about what's there than ever before, we've even got photos. With the Hubble Telescope we now have access to the most unbelievable pictures imaginable: galaxies, nebulae and millions of stars close up. You don't need...
Internet Astronomy
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Five Ready Signs To Start Potty Training
Starting new things for your child sometime difficult, but you still have to do it. Potty training is one phase that your child has to go through. So, find out when is your child ready for potty training. Here are those five ready signs:1. Takes Off Own ClothesLet's face it.
The first step to becoming dry begins with your toddler's ability to recognize he has to go to the bathroom. The second step is his ability to pull down his pants, or lift up her dress. The third step is actually going...
Suv Sports Cars Offer High Gas Mileage Cure for the SUV Blues Five Ready Signs To Start Potty Training potty training
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Exercise Fun
Do you consider exercise fun? Everyone wants to be fit and look good but what separates those that stick with it from the ones who call it quits within a month? If you think of exercise as fun or an enjoyable experience you are more likely to make a commitment to make exercise a habit. People who exercise regularly also know the health benefits of being fit and that becomes a big motivating factor.Exercise is what you perceive it to be and if you think of it as boring and a chore you won't...
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Toilet Terrors and Other Potty Training Fears
Potty training fears, often called toilet terrors, are common among toddlers and small children. Look at things from your child's perspective. He is giving up the security of a diaper for a big, cold thing with a giant hole that might swallow him. Up until this point, your child has been able to go in his diaper. He didn't have to control himself until a potty was available.
He could go anytime and anywhere, knowing that someone would always be there to change his diaper. The idea of having...
Suv Sports Cars Offer High Gas Mileage Cure for the SUV Blues Toilet Terrors and Other Potty Training Fears potty training
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