The Opel Eco Speedster Says: Diesels Can Rip and Sip at the Same Time
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 02.26.07
The Opel Eco Speedster first wowed crowds at the Paris Auto Show in 2002 and has now popped up in the Discovery Channel’s FutureCar series (see below for the video link). The sleek concept car holds a distinguished place in the growing family of high-performance diesels that are breaking records, as well as people’s prejudices about what diesels can do on the road and the track. The Eco Speedster, with its surprisingly diminutive 1.3-liter ECOTECH CDTI, tops out at 155 mph and clocked an average fuel economy of 113 mpg over a 24-hour road test. A combination of low weight (660 kg/1,445 lbs), minimal drag, mid-engine design, and a 5-speed automatic transmission let the Eco Speedster rip and sip at the same time. Opel built the car to spotlight its ability to make highly-efficient, next-generation diesel cars that are a blast to drive. GM (Opel and Vauxhall’s parent company) sadly doesn’t seem particularly interested in sharing such cars with its North American customers. (more pics after the fold)
The arrival (and mandating) of significantly cleaner diesel fuel in the US is expected to open up the gates to a host of new and exciting diesel models to American customers, who are, understandably, still wary of a fuel that is more often associated with tractor trailers and black soot. But if Opel’s hot little number isn’t proof enough that diesel’s can tear it up, there are plenty of other compelling examples. Last year, an Audi TDI took first place in the opening race of the famous Le Mans series, and the biodiesel-powered Lola raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 2005. Diesel-based hybrids and plug-in hybrids are seen as a promising next step in the evolution of the internal combustion engine. People unfamiliar with the efficiency, power, and satisfying feel of a quality diesel engine under the hood should find a way to try one, and feel as their prejudices do out the window. ::Opel Eco Speedster on FutureCars (YouTube) via Hugg (Linton)
A lightweight chassis makes any powerplant more efficient. Basing the Speedster on a Lotus chassis ensures that the car will have the UK works' 'added lightness' at its essence. Good move, GM.
The problem is manufacturers can't get even the cleanest diesels past California's rigorous standards, which 5 other states have now adopted (NY and MA being two...I forget the rest but they're all major markets). There is demand but CA has basically banned the diesel passenger car.
I think CA is shooting itself in the foot with these new regulations. They want less greenhouse gasses, but the easiest way to make a MAJOR change has just been banned. Diesels have so many possibilities.
Anyone noticed all the old inventions coming back on line, like deisel, windmill [turbine] Stirling engine since peak[cheap] oil?
Yeah 113mpg....look at the weight though - 660kg!
That's lighter than pretty much anything on the roads now. Would anyone buy it?
The weight of some diesel cars and 4x4s in the UK is FOUR TIMES that. These are behemoth cars that have only been developed because the diesel gives you so much more torque, so a 2.5 ton car becomes practical to drive around. The mpg comes back down to 25-35 ish, so it looks reasonable. Even though environmentally, you are back to where you started with your 1320 kg petrol car.
It's like the rebound effect with tvs - LCD's come out, which are significantly more efficient (like diesels).....so what does everyone do? 'time to go from a 21" telly to a 36"! hey...why not a 42"!!'
Lovely, that is one gorgouse concept car. I know Vauxhall are doing a lot to help the environment lets hope they are also doing it with their Vauxhall parts companies as well as their vehicles.
If OIL IMPORTS is a NATION SECURITY issue ... there is a solution. President Bush could waive import restrictions for 24 months on any vehicles that get more than 45 mpg(US) combined average and met Euro Safety and Euro Step IV Emissions standards or the Asian equivalent.
There are a bunch of the high mpg vehicles, over 75, many by the "big 3" or companies with major marketing presence here in the US. Take a look at these 2 sites:
http://www.40mpg.org/pdfs/021407_fuel_efficient_vehicle_gap.xls
http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/search/
You know ... sadly ... there are only 2 vehicles in the USA that are rated above 40 mpg average ... the the Prius and CIVIC Hybrids as of Feb 07. And under the new fuel economy standards they'll be well below 50 mpg according to
http://www.fueleconomy.gov
There are about 2.5 million consumers in the USA wanting these 40+ mpg combined average vehicles according to 40mpg.org
http://www.40mpg.org/getinf/021407release.cfm
Just think, if during this 24 month period only 0.6 million high mpg vehicles are sold, this would be roughly the equivalent in fuel consumption and emissions of removing roughly 300,000 vehicles from the road. That could be a fuel savings in excess of 0.2 billion gallons annually. Think what that means to emissions!!
Did YOU notice there is no discussion of CAFE? Interesting isn't it?
As POGO said, "We have met the ENEMY and they are US" ... and ... maybe OUR elected officials?
Who cares if it's light weight? It got 113mpg running 140mph... Show me any car that can get over 10mpg at that speed. My 400lb motorcycle with a 600cc engine will barely hit 50mpg at 75mph.
The lightest cars in the US with similar sized engines (Geo Metros 1.0 and 1.3, older Hondas, a couple Mazdas) were lucky to get 50mpg, running at highway speeds.
This isn't a hybrid. Its all motor. I'd drive one to work everyday.
I expect to see a Loremo in the United States at some time in the future, but not the Opel Eco Speedster. Why, we get good (?) stuff like 6.0 liter gas sucking GTO's.
I don't think it got 113mpg @ 140 mph.
From what I googled it achieved the 113 mpg in standard highway driving tests, so I'd assume that was at about 56mph (100kph).
I'm not sure what the problem is with US. I live in TX, home of the diesel engine in America. I would have to say at least 1/3 of the trucks sold here are diesel. Mostly because they go in F250 size vehicles.
I won't buy another vehicle unless it is either diesel or hybrid (my goal is to put big oil OOB). Better yet, bring me the one cylinder diesel thumper, running at 250 rpm constantly charging my batteries, hybrid that would demolish any gas hybrid in efficiency. The diesel engine is 25% more efficent when comparing apples to apples. That's like giving the EPA numbers a 1/4 head start.
I drive a TDi Golf, which is great. But, why can't I upgrade to a nicer Audi or MB TDi? Auto manufacturers are missing the boat by a mile here in TX. People tend to like big trucks, and diesel engines. I have a big truck with a diesel, but I only drive it when I need to haul dirt. The same guy that likes his big diesel, will like his little car to commute, if it comes with a rattling torquebox.
Sean,
There IS clean Diesel technology that meets CA's strict emissions, it's called BlueMotion and it was developed by Mercedes. VW is licensing this technology too.
So in the U.S. you can buy a clean burning BlueMotion
Diesel Mercedes E Class or any of the VW cars
(VW will be using BlueMotion Technology on all their Diesel cars) so take your pick VW Passat, Jetta, Rabbit/Golf, New Beattle, Touareg and they're going to offer it in their new small SUV (can't think of the name)
By the way the new BlueMotion Passat is going to get 46 average MPG
The BlueMotion Jetta/Golf/Rabbit/New Beattle should get about 48 average mpg too!
The problem isn't the technology to meet California standards: european diesels can cope with them with no difficulty at all, specially with particle-filters.
The problem is that burocrats established those hign Californian standards, when the diesel fuel sold in the US is of a very very low standard...
It's difficult to combine great emissions with a lousy fuel, and that's why nobody in the US really invested in developing diesel engines.
The exception is Mercedes (of course), with it's BlueMotion Technology, which has already been licensed to other german manufacturers.
One of the problems with bringing diesels into the U.S. has been the lack up ultra-low sulphur fuels until very recently. Now that this fuel is available there should be a flood of European manufacturers bringing in the diesels which they have been selling on the continent for some time.
The particulate emissions standards seem to require filters of some sort at the present time. Even Honda has a particulate filter that will be used when they introduce their diesels in 2008. Look for the Japanese car manufacturers to catch up to the European manufacturers' diesel offerings before too long.
How about some biodiesel instead of alcohol? I have not seen any figures on the efficiency of manufacturing biodiesel versus either (pure) alcohol or blended into E85.
Something like the Eco-Speedster offered as a 2 seater or 4 seater (something like the Honda FCX's layout) would be a smash hit IMO. Just look at the sales of the Toyota Prius.
where can i get one of them and how much lol
If the U.S. made light trucks and sports cars more like this eco-speedster, I'd be happy to own them. As long as it doesn't break the bank buying it. True, it does save money in the long run, but most consumers can't afford to drop that much money at any one given time.
I want to see is a much "greener" truck that can handle off road driving and haul a respectable payload without affecting performance for under $20,000.
How do we get one of these cars or a similar car with that diesel engine here in the US?
I'd buy one of these in a heartbeat i the U.S. I do't think the oil companies want us getting almost 4 times the gas milage. That would hurt their profits event at almost $4 a gallon. It seem that model was discontinued in 2005. I wonder why?