Re: 8.75 vs 2.1

Posted by Steve203 On 2014/11/20 21:25:29

surprised to see that the V-8 got better gas mileage than the six,

You can see the same thing now. Up through 2013, you could get a VW Jetta sedan with either a 2L 4, or a 2.5L 5.

The 2 litre is an ancient 2 valve/cylinder design and woefully underpowered for the car...I know, I drove one one day.

The 2.5 is a more modern 4 valve/cylinder design and reasonably brisk on the road.

Neither is turbocharged. Both run on regular grade gas.

With a 6 speed automatic, the EPA rates the smaller engine at 23/29mpg, and the significanly more powerful 5 at 24/31mpg.

Studie machined it's V8s on a state of the art, for the 50s, automatic machining line. I wonder what the machining line for the 6 looked like as they were probably still using the original 1939 line. Yes, the V8 used about 300lbs more iron, and had more parts, but I wonder how much of that was made up for by more efficient production equipment. The cost difference may not have been as great as you would think.