Dave, can you provide info on the high mileage 818?

[NicksPapaw]

3. a high-mileage model that will lead in radical design but deliver upwards of 65 mpg (our mule GTM powered by the same technology and built by West Philly team is already above 70 mpg).

In the project update you alluded to the high mileage model. I understand design differences such as Low COD, but what kind of power technology are we talking about here? Will this be a different powerplant? Use a different donor? Will it have any power, or must we pedal it around? Just want a little glimpse into what this car will be. Thanks

[thebeerbaron]

I am not Dave, but to sum up what I've seen hear and heard at the Open House:

Donor would (likely) be the same except for the motor/transmission/driveshafts. Because of FFR's relationship with Ford, there is serious potential there for powerplants from Ford's super-efficient lineup (I believe they recently released a 3-cylinder high-mileage motor).

My impression is that this would be more "roll your own" than the other offerings: FFR provides the body and chassis and shows you how to use the Impreza donor bits. You figure out how to put your favorite high-mileage motor in it.

This is what I've gotten from spending way too much time listening around here. Hopefully that'll sate you until Dave can step in and explain how I'm completely wrong :)

[PhyrraM]

Subaru also has it's own H4 turbo diesel in the Outback and Forester models in Europe and Asia.

There is no official word if it will make it to North America, but I'm sure they will hit the motor importer soon enough.

[D2W]

I believe the high mileage 818 will use the VW TDI motor. At least that is what the West Philly team used. I didn't know subaru had a boxer diesel. I wonder how hard it will be to get one of those?

[bromikl]

Not that I have any influence, but I'm hoping for an electric drive with a small battery on board (enough to go 5-10 miles) - recharged by the TDI or a 120v outlet. Plug-in series hybrid.

[Oppenheimer]

This is what I've gotten from spending way too much time listening around here. Hopefully that'll sate you until Dave can step in and explain how I'm completely wrong :)

No need to wait for Dave, you're completly wrong :p

I understood Dave to say the 'HF' (my term I'm lobbying for) version of the 818 would use VW TDI power with West Philly High Green Grand PRix winning secret formula mpg tweaks. The rest of the chassis would still be Subie stuff.

Of course, builders could cobble in their own powertrain, hybrid, battery, whatever they like.

[Flashburn]

I'd put a DC motor in this baby.

[BipDBo]

I also remember a statement that this model will be a coupe, not a roadster. This is obviously an aerodynamic issue. I suspect it may also have an underbody panel and more narrow wheels, maybe even covered rear wheel wells. I suspect that the body will not come from the design competition, but from a university design project. As for the drivetrain, the first models may be copies of the West Philly car with a VW TDI, but I suspect green groups and back yard engineers from everywhere will use this as an inexpensive, lightweight, versatile backbone for all kinds of concepts.

[Dave Smith]

The long term goals of the 818 involves developing an all-new concept in the "build-it-yourself" category. The chassis is capable and with body/design costs changing so fast and software abilities growing so quickly, I thought that we could design a platform that could serve more than one specific goal. People who say that FFR is only a performance or race car company forget that we've got cars that are amazing street cars and some with huge miles on the clocks. When we did the design contest I kept the parameters fairly open to see what people wanted and valued in an all-new car. We set the goals of cost and the running gear was fairly set due to the export capable requirements... Still, the community split along the three lines I was hoping (with many subsets). Most guys wanted an affordable, sexy, high performance roadster (with soft top) variant of the 818. A good number wanted the sleek lines and aero of a Coupe or removable hard top, and the track contingent sees the chassis rigidity and weight of the car and says, give me a giant slayer track car.

I am working on the website for the 818 and the "build-your-own" high mileage commuter is one of the three variants that the car was intended for. In 2007 I developed the concept for a high-mpg capable kit car and that concept was shelved for the hot rod project. I had to have the patience to work the project into a larger plan while West Philly proved the powertrain technology in our GTM, I knew we were on the right path. One of the three variants of the 818 will be this 65+ mpg car, but first to the body designs and I can expound on the running gear (TDi or other) later. I have weldng crew and end of week duties here to close on... more tomorrow.

[Oppenheimer]

Awesome update. Can you tell us more about the WPH (West Philly High) TDI powertrain? How fast is their GTM? I understand it was built for mpg, not speed, and it probably hasn't had much performance tests run on it, but there must be seat o' pants reports on how much oomph its got.

The 818 will be lighter, so you'd expect its acceleration to be even better with the same powertrain.