The seven worst “gas guzzlers” for model year 2007 (‘personal vehicle’ types) are described below.
Note that new methods of measuring and rating MPG are currently being phased in and are standard beginning with 2008 models. Therefore, I’ve chosen to include them here, for clarity and completeness. I have also included engine specifications and other information for each model, for comparison purposes.
This research extols some fairly ironic platitudes with regard to fuel economy as it relates to sticker-price. Indeed, it is clear that when money is “no object”, neither is fuel economy.
Lowest of the low: 11 MPG (“old” method-combined Hwy/City)
(1) 2007 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Roadster 11 MPG
MSR Price: $345,000
Old Gas Mileage:
|
9 |
14 |
11 |
Revised Gas Mileage:
|
8 |
13 |
Engine:
* Oil Cooler
* 6.5-Liter, 60-Degree V12, 48-Valve, DOHC, SEFI Engine, Mid/Longitudinal Mounted With Horsepower Of 640@8000 and Torque Of 487@6000, Alloy Block and Alloy Cylinder Heads
Seats: 2
Fuel Type: Gas
To think of a $345,000 Lamborghini as the “worst gas-guzzler” is somehow paradoxical! On the one hand, it is unlikely that anyone who can afford to purchase one of these would have any concern whatsoever about the cost of operating it! Yet, on the other hand, one would expect that such a high-priced, high-tech road machine would be so precisely constructed and so finely tuned that it would surely be able to drive more than eleven miles on a gallon of gas!
Four vehicle models share the 12 MPG slot (“old” method-combined Hwy/City)
(2) 2007 Bentley Azure Convertible 12 MPG
MSR Price: $329,990
Old Gas Mileage:
|
11 |
16 |
12 |
Revised Gas Mileage:
|
10 |
15 |
Engine:
* Twin-Turbocharger
* Free Scheduled Maintenance For 36 Months or 30000 Miles
* Twin-Turbocharged 6.75-Liter, 90-Degree V8, 16-Valve, OHV, EFI Engine; Front Mounted With Horsepower Of 450@4100, Torque Of 645@1800, Alloy Block and Alloy Cylinder Heads
Seats: 5
Fuel Type: Gas
Again, we have the paradox of the expensive automobile without the best technology for fuel economy. And, again, we can see that when it costs as much as this one does to own, fuel economy might not be a factor at all. In fact, I’m beginning to wonder if fuel economy may even be a factor in the opposite direction, if you know what I mean!
(3) 2007 Bentley Arnage RL 12 MPG
MSR Price: $263,990
Old Gas Mileage:
|
10 |
15 |
12 |
Revised Gas Mileage:
|
9 |
14 |
Engine:
* Twin-Turbocharger
* Free Scheduled Maintenance For 36 Months or 30000 Miles
* Twin-Turbocharged 6.75-Liter, 90-Degree V8, 16-Valve, OHV, EFI Engine; Front Mounted With Horsepower Of 450@4100, Torque Of 645@1800, Alloy Block and Alloy Cylinder Heads
Seats: 4
Fuel Type: Gas
Once again, it is an expensive vehicle with a poor fuel economy. It is now beginning to get more than “ironic” or “coincidental” that we have this same paradox in this genre of vehicle. Perhaps those who can truly afford to shell out these price-tags really DO want to also be known for their ability to waste…beyond the purchase…and into perpetuity!?
(4) 2007 Bentley Arnage T 12 MPG
MSR Price: $242,990
Old Gas Mileage:
|
11 |
16 |
12 |
Revised Gas Mileage:
|
10 |
15 |
Engine:
* Twin-Turbocharger
* Free Scheduled Maintenance For 36 Months or 30000 Miles
* Twin-Turbocharged 6.75-Liter, 90-Degree V8, 16-Valve, OHV, EFI Engine; Front Mounted With Horsepower Of 500@4200, Torque Of 738@3200, Alloy Block and Alloy Cylinder Heads
Seats: 5
Fuel Type: Gas
I no longer doubt that it really is about being able to show the world that fuel economy is only a topic of the poor…and does not even enter the thoughts of those who can choose to spend the funds these vehicles demand. In a twisted sort of way, it makes perfect sense. After all, why should anyone with enough money to drive such a vehicle be concerned about spending a few hundred dollars to go for a Sunday drive?
(5) 2007 Bentley Arnage R 12 MPG
MSR Price: $221,990
Old Gas Mileage:
|
11 |
16 |
12 |
Revised Gas Mileage:
|
10 |
15 |
Engine:
* Twin-Turbocharger
* Free Scheduled Maintenance For 36 Months or 30000 Miles
* Twin-Turbocharged 6.75-Liter, 90-Degree V8, 16-Valve, OHV, EFI Engine; Front Mounted With Horsepower Of 450@4100, Torque Of 645@1800, Alloy Block and Alloy Cylinder Heads
Seats: 5
Fuel Type: Gas
Nothing has changed…still the expensive ride with fuel economy from the 1960’s muscle-car era.
I remember one of my first cars was a 1961 Dodge Polara convertible. It had a 383 cubic inch V-8 with dual four-barrel carburetors and ram-induction. The car was fast, but averaged only 8 MPG (at least the way I drove it). Of course, at that time, gas was only about 20 cents a gallon or so.
Fourteen vehicles share the 13 MPG slot (“old” method-combined Hwy/City)—however, I only include two with complete details, which makes the seven we started out looking for.
(6) 2007 Chev. Truck Avalanche LTZ 4WD 13 MPG
MSR Price: $42,895
Old Gas Mileage:
|
11 |
15 |
13 |
Revised Gas Mileage:
|
10 |
14 |
Engine:
* Active Fuel Management Displacement On Demand
* Flexible Fuel 5.3-Liter, V8, 16-Valve, OHV, SEFI Engine; Front Mounted With Horsepower Of 310@5200, Torque Of 335@4400, Alloy Block and Alloy Cylinder Heads
* Emergency Reduced Engine Power
Fuel Type: FFV
OK…now we are beginning to get into the “everyday person” vehicles (although $43K is still nothing to ‘sneeze’ at!); Some of these Heavy Duty, oversized trucks suck down some fuel. I’m sure these are great if you need that kind of “work-horse-power”, but feeding them will drain the cash silo in a hurry!
(7) 2007 Chevrolet Truck Avalanche LS 4WD 13 MPG
MSR Price: $35,460
Old Gas Mileage:
|
11 |
15 |
13 |
Revised Gas Mileage:
|
10 |
14 |
Engine:
* Active Fuel Management Displacement On Demand
* Flexible Fuel 5.3-Liter, V8, 16-Valve, OHV, SEFI Engine; Front Mounted With Horsepower Of 310@5200, Torque Of 335@4400, Alloy Block and Alloy Cylinder Heads
* Emergency Reduced Engine Power
Seats: 6
Fuel Type: FFV
Dittoes from above on this one…again, power is not cheap! This “guzzler”, like the others, will cost about 23 cents in fuel for each mile driven (at $3.00/gal.). Almost like throwing a quarter out the window every mile!
I won’t go into the rest of these; I think the first seven have pretty much told the story of the “worst of the worse” regarding personal vehicle fuel economy. You will note that the next three are similar trucks as #5 and #6, then we get into some more of the foreign “exotics” again, then we end up with the good old Jeep!
This concludes the 2007 worst personal vehicle gas-guzzler research and report.
Others included in the 13 MPG category, not detailed.
2007 Chevrolet Truck Avalanche LT3 4WD 13 MPG
2007 Chevrolet Truck Avalanche LT2 4WD 13 MPG
2007 Chevrolet Truck Avalanche LT1 4WD 13 MPG
2007 Maybach 62 S Sedan 13
2007 Maybach 62 Sedan 13
2007 Maybach 57 S Sedan 13
2007 Maybach 57 Sedan 13
2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class R63 AMG 13
2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class ML63 AMG 13
2007 Mercedes-Benz G-Class G55 AMG 13
2007 Mercedes-Benz G-Class G500 13
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 13
Sources: http://www.theautochannel.com/