Miles/gallon: Newer vs Older Cars

g413 said
Model: 2016 Dodge Charger
MSRP: $39,995
MPG: 15 city / 25 highway
Horsepower: 485 hp @ 6,100 rpm
Towing capacity: 1,000 lbs
Engine: 6.4 L V8
Curb weight: 4,400 lbs

This is what I mean.
Copied this from a website. Pretty impressive mileage for a 4400 lb car with this power.
I'll bet it feels pretty good when you floor it. No doubt some of you know that.

I drove a 2016 Charger R/T (5.7 Hemi) that we somehow got as a rental when visiting my grandparents. I agree for the most part that a lot of this newer technology isn't very necessary but DAMN that 8-speed transmission is a thing of beauty (I want one for my Duster!!! LOL). Driving around rural southeastern PA (mostly back country roads and 50 mph highways with lots of hills) I was able to average 18-20 MPG while hauling around my mom and 2 teenage brothers with the A/C on. And it was pretty darn fast as well, WAYYY more fun to drive than any other full-size sedan you can rent. I could even do small burnouts if I turned off traction control heh heh...

This is why I love new engine/trans swaps in old cars though, just removing the emissions equipment and 'tune' from the ECU gives back about 5% of power, then putting it in a vehicle that ways 1000+ lbs less than what it's used to pushing around... the performance AND fuel economy is phenomenal. I don't think it's possible to build an old LA small block that would make the same kind of power AND fuel economy/emissions as a new 5.7L Hemi for instance. That's why it's always a trade-off, you see people having to build our "classic" V8s for either good economy (low-end torque) and mediocre power or lots of power and sh** fuel economy; it's really a balancing act on these older engines to manage both. That's where the technology from better materials/reduced friction, better combustion efficiency, precise fuel metering (EFI), ports and manifolds designed with modern computer-aided flow modeling etc. etc. comes into play.