Thread: Hybrid Vehicles

Originally Posted by STF

...It is true that engines are usually smaller but then i have always thought that North American cars have ridiculous engines...

Not so much the case anymore. These days the American cars are in fact ridiculously fast and powerful but can still get very competitive fuel economy.
But the crux of it really hinges on what you are after. I had an old pickup years ago that I put a 429 (7.0L) in and it would pass anything but a gas station (mid 13s to 14 in the 1/4 mile depending on the gas I used) ...unless you stayed off the secondaries (spread bore carb. The secondaries were the size of beer cans). I had it for a long time. During that time is when the kids started suping up their little piss-ant cars with the little bee hive exhaust. I used to love to embarrass the crap out of them with the big old burnt orange pickup truck. Why those guys think that beer can on a rollerskate is the baddest thing on the road I'll never know.

Back to the point though. That thing got lousy mileage if you floored it but I didn't give a fiddler's fig about that. It wasn't so bad if you kept the pedal off the carpet but where's the fun in that? It would be a little rich for my blood these days and certainly not your economy vehicle but also not a 2 door speck. If you can stomach the crappy little gutless thing to get your 40+ mpg then more power to ya. Somewhere in the middle is where I want to be.