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YOU BOUGHT A PRIUS?  SERIOUSLY…....?  BUT, A BEEMER GETS BETTER MILEAGE!!

Well…...let’s be honest—a “particular” BMW, in a real-world test of driving as we all do it, got over 50 mpg to the Prius’ 48.1.  On top of that, the Beemer had the air-conditioning on, and (surprise, surprise) left the Prius in the DUST unless it was on the downhills. 

This is not some super-secret research vehicle, either—it’s the BMW 520D.  There ARE some disadvantages to the BMW, of course:

The BMW doesn’t have the external look of a green car and you don’t get the same self-righteous glow when you are driving it. There’s no hybrid badge on the back; in fact, because it’s the entry level car of the 5-series many buyers opt for “badge delete” so they don’t show other motorists they went for the cheapest option at £27,190.

That’s somewhere around $55,000.00 US, which is almost certainly more than the Prius costs…..but hey!  Aren’t you willing to sacrifice for the environment?  grin 
This really is a triumph of “fine European engineering”, folks:

Efficient Dynamics, as BMW refers to its fuel-saving technology, is a term coined by Bavarian marketing men for refinements that taken on their own are nothing spectacular but together improve fuel economy. Rather than Toyota’s big idea – a radically different system of powering a car using a petrol-electric drivetrain – BMW has sunk its research effort into lots of less radical things.

The most important of these is the new four-cylinder engine. It’s available in the 3-series but here it’s perfectly at home in the bigger 5-series saloon where it generates a surprising 177bhp. Surprising because it’s only 1995cc and it sips fuel. Combined fuel consumption is – officially – 55.4mpg and emissions are 136g/km, which puts it into tax band C.

Of course, improving the eeeeeevil internal combustion engine isn’t going to light the fire of ANY true greenie…..so don’t expect the 520D to overtake the Prius in sales….remember that righteous glow?  The driver of a Prius (AND the environment, I remind you) will pay a LOT for that…..

Here is the commentary of the Prius driver as he approaches the finish line and ends the “race”:

The next day it became clear my Prius did not like motorways, at least not at 75mph into a headwind. My trip meter informed me I was now averaging about 45mpg; the Prius was not going to make it to Geneva on just one tank.

I took the precaution of buying a 10-litre can and filling it with petrol. Sure enough, the dashboard soon informed me the fuel tank was empty, the petrol engine stopped and for two surreal miles I coasted along on battery power. Only when I approached a long steep uphill stretch did I finally drift to a halt. As I filled the tank I consoled myself with my last chocolate bar.

Coasting down the mountain into Geneva my Prius averaged 99.9mpg for a full 10 minutes. It was the highlight of my journey and improved my overall average fuel economy by a full 2mpg. But it was not enough. For all my defensive driving, slippery bodywork and hybrid technology, my average fuel consumption was 48.1mpg. I’d lost to a Beemer and I was disappointed; I had never driven so slowly or carefully for so long in my life. I’m considering buying a V8 Range Rover and opening my own oil well in protest.

READ THE WHOLE THING

 

Posted by on 03/27 at 02:49 PM

  1. I don’t think these cars are any where close to being in the same league. Someone that’s considering to save money on gas most likely will not opt out to paying their other bills to buy a beemer.

    Posted by Xenon Headlight Bulbs  on  07/26  at  08:50 AM

  2. Check it out, my friend…..

    http://www.carpages.co.uk/guide/toyota/toyota-prius-guide.asp

    Cheapest Prius is about 18K in pounds

    while the cheapest BMX with the diesel engine is just about 19K

    http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/modelselector/0,,1156___sit-bmwuk,00.html

    People are buying the Prius for aesthetic reasons, and because they want to impress others with their “green-ness”.

    Posted by Earl  on  07/26  at  12:10 PM

  3. Thanks for your nice article.Nice comment on cars.

    Posted by war gold  on  09/19  at  11:47 PM

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