Buy It Now: The 376 MPG 1959 Opel
We learn something new every day, most of the time regarding a vehicle (or some piece of one), and often courtesy of the wealth of information contained within the virtual domain of eBay Motors.
Today our lesson was about the most fuel efficient gasoline-powered vehicle in recorded history, at least if this seller’s information is correct, the 1959 Opel P1/T1. The shockingly frugal Opel has owned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the last 35-years, after traveling just over 376 miles on one gallon of gasoline at an airfield test track in Wood River, Illinois in 1973. The amazing Opel was designed by a team from the Shell Oil Company, and has spent the intervening three decades since its world record run as a permanent member of the Talladega Super Speedway Motorsports Hall of Fame.
The car was built around a 1959 Opel CaraVan, though the bodywork was hugely modified in addition to major changes performed on its four-cylinder push-rod engine. The seller is either unclear or unsure of the reasons behind the car’s superb consumption performance, but he’s much more confident regarding the Opel’s value. A $500,000 Buy It Now price may be a little steep for the casual hypermiler, but we’d hope that a more reasonable sum with find a good home for this historic piece.
Comments
Scratch
Pfft. Why bother when I can get a Volt for 10 grand less than the starting price.
Anonymous
Sucks that Shell engineers can get 376 miles per gallon in 1959 and i can't average more than 15 mpg in my v6 accord today.
Anonymous
I remember reading an article about this just after they did it, I had a 59 Opel at the time (1973) and it got about 30 mpg. To get this mileage, they : a)modified carb, taking out accelerator pump, b) tires up to 200 psi, c) took off every non essential component - starter - alternator -etc. d) then driving technique-- jam foot to floor (supposedly without accelerator pump, it would accelerate very slowly, but not waste any fuel), when going 60-70, jam in the clutch, turn off engine - coast till going about 10mph, put in 2nd, let out on clutch, jam foot to floor - repeat until 1 gallon is gone. - 376 miles!
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