You don't usually think of a BMW 750i as some kind of an mpg solution, but a trip to Phoenix and back reminded me that it's brilliant for long distance cruising. You just sail right by gas stations, laughing all the way.
This is what happens when you're driving a car with a fuel tank that holds 21.7 gallons. You might not have mpg, but a least you've got cruising range. Of course, there were times when I felt like the wacky Dennis Hopper character in the post-apocalyptic Waterworld, hoarding fuel oil in the Exxon Valdez, the world's last supertanker. (It's since renamed many times in the wake of its notorious oil spill in 1989 and is now doing business as the Dong Fang Ocean).
Did the 425.4 miles on the way over on one tank and then did the 423.4 miles on the way back on one tank. Just drove with traffic, which was 80 mph depending on the location of the photo radar setups in Arizona. Got 24.7 mpg, which is not so bad (actually a record in this car, which invites exhibitions of speed every second). If you program your destination into the navigation system, the graphic at the bottom of the instrument binnacle that shows your cruising range will also plot your destination mileage, so you know if you'll have to stop for gas before you get there.
Of course, any sane person would stop at least once during such a distance anyway, but the BMW keeps you from being tethered to all the usual Interstate off-ramps where drivers are searching for fuel. I've made the Phoenix trip on holiday weekends and getting stuck in some bad gas station in Blythe for 25 minutes is not fun.
When you're driving this car, you'll never having to eat again at some franchise fast-food place in back of the gas station. Instead you can risk being poisoned at Farmer Jack's Bar-B-Q and Methane Gas Emporium, and who wouldn't want that?
Michael Jordan, Executive Editor @ 26,000 miles
iancar says:
11:12 AM, 03/19/10
The king of range in the US is S400 Hybrid, 26 hwy * (23.8 + 2.9 gal) = theoretical range of 689 miles per tank. No other car has such range.
misterfusion says:
11:18 AM, 03/19/10
Huh-huh...huh-huh..."Dong Fang".
Sorry, Beavis & Butthead flashback...
hunter312 says:
11:33 AM, 03/19/10
@iancar
No doubt that is one of the top contenders, but I think mine trumps it.
My dad's '08 ML320 CDI
25.1mpg tank and diesel. On long trips he gets around 28mpg on average and an all-time high of 32mpg. His range is usually indicated between 600 and 800 miles depending on how he steps on it, but he's usually going around 65-75mph.
stovt001 says:
11:54 AM, 03/19/10
When I bought my 1970 Olds Cutlass, I wanted to get license plates that read XONVLDZ due to the substantial fluid leaks. However, I figured most people wouldn't get the reference, it would make eventually selling the car harder (unless I found a buyer with the right sense of humor) and I eventually got most of the leaks found and fixed anyway.
wizard8873 says:
12:26 PM, 03/19/10
Very impressive for that size of an engine. My personal best was on my old car, 06 Altima 3.5SE. was driving to Wisconsin with friends for a vacation. Made it there and back on one tank of gas with plenty to spare. Looked at the read out and got 37.xmpg. was going about 70-75 with all windows closed and didn't hit traffic at all. Maybe a one time fluke but was impressive. With the 20 gallon tanks, could have gone some 740 miles on it. this was at the time where gas was close to $5 and I really drove carefully. Managed close to 30mpg city with around 32mpg city several times
aspade says:
12:32 PM, 03/19/10
The plain old 4 cylinder Altima is theoretically good for 640 miles. No diesel, no hybrid, just a generous fuel tank.
iancar says:
12:50 PM, 03/19/10
Can Edmund researchers really dig deep regarding this question: without hybrid, diesel, or EV, which car on sale in the US now has the longest possible range?
DLu says:
01:09 PM, 03/19/10
I love this post. On the one hand, I like to think of myself as pretty liberal when it comes to the environment. But dang it, I can never keep myself from "crushing the egg" with my right foot. Anyway, I really like a big gas tank and decent enough fuel economy to get a good (>400) crusing range.
My dad always gets the EPA highway mpg driving local. He's like a natural-born hypermiler. I know he cares more about mpg's than range. What about you guys? If you had to pick, range or mpg's?
blueguydotcom says:
02:22 PM, 03/19/10
@hunter, looking at the range and mileage of the diesel ML especially compared to the gas engine, it's a shock anyone buys the gas ML.
tenta20 says:
02:33 PM, 03/19/10
I heard that Mercedes' E320 Bluetec (W211) can get up to 750+ miles on one tank. Good stuff.
old_volvo says:
02:36 PM, 03/19/10
I know its not a car but I think the new Ford Diesel super duty trucks may have the longest range.
Some testers have reported up to 30 mpg, but taking a more conservative approach and saying 24mpg highway...with a 38 gallon tank = 950 miles. Get a tail wind and your looking at 1/3rd of the way across the US before you have to fill up.
ed124c says:
03:37 PM, 03/19/10
My goodness, the 750i gets mpg almost as good as my 4cyl Outback with a stick. Of course, the BMW is probably cruising at 2200 Rpm, while my car would be closer to 3500.
jacarig says:
05:41 PM, 03/19/10
I have an Altima as well and the 20gal fuel tank does come in handy on the highway. Most of my driving is in the city though so i rarely get to benefit (boy does it suck to ~$60 of premium disappear into that gas tank). But its nice to have that range when i need it.
aurakr says:
05:47 PM, 03/19/10
24.7 mpg is impressive. However, how much of the time were you at 80 mph and how much at 55 or 65 with the cameras?
Having driven through the Phoenix area last summer, I can tell you the cameras do slow you down quite a bit, but conversely help the mileage. I got over 30 mpg in each tank in my 07 Aura XR, with the air on in 113 degree weather. I am curious, what rpm were you turning at 80? The Aura is around 2100 rpm.
My dad had a 1977 Suburban with the towing package. 350 4 barrel, automatic, 40 gallon tank. He once got nearly 700 miles on a tankful driving across country. He could get over 17 mpg on the highway running 65 mph.
hybris says:
08:34 PM, 03/19/10
Just as for power nothing can beat displacement you can't beat raw fuel capacity.
mercedesfan says:
09:57 PM, 03/19/10
About a year ago I made my usual San Jose to LA business trip and decided to do something different. I set the adaptive cruise control to 65mph and just cruised the whole way down the 101 (it was mid-day on a Sunday so traffic was never an issue). It was incredibly difficult because most people cruise around 90 through the grapevine, but I stuck to it. I drove all the way there, parked at the hotel and then didn't use my car again (my client drove me around). I got back in the car a few days later and headed home without filling up using the same 65mph methodology. After all was said and done I had averaged 29mpg and gone 682 miles on a single tank of gas (my car has a 23.8 gallon tank). Large gas tanks and a tall 7th gear are wonderful.
cr_driver says:
09:22 AM, 03/20/10
A big car with:
Over 4500lbs of weight
4.4L V8
400 horses
450 lb-ft of torque
Driving at 80 mph
With only a 6 speed auto
And you get almost 25 mpg?
Is this what they call BMW Efficient Dynamics? Standard in every car.....wow.
aurakr says:
09:49 AM, 03/20/10
cr_driver
Mr. Jordan has not answered the question, how much time he was at 80 and how much time he was at 55 and 65.
You can not drive 80 mph around the cameras, and there are lots of them, without getting a ticket. He may hit 80 mph after leaving the Phoenix area, but if he was like the traffic I encountered, most ran between 55-65 until the speed limit went up to 70 or 75.
In addition to the cameras, Arizona has their version of the highway patrol and roving cameras like outside Yuma for little surprises. This also helps keep speed down.
I have no idea how the BMW is geared, but with my little 3.6 6 speed auto combination, I am turning 2100 rpm at 80mph. Factor in the fact he was also driving 65 at least part of the time, and you have the potential to get good mileage.
The same reasons are why the Corvette gets very good mileage at cruise, with even more horsepower, in a much lighter car.
jm1212 says:
10:47 AM, 03/20/10
just think how much more mpg's you guys would have gotten if you would have gone 70 or 65...or even 55 where peak efficiency is.
you guys should really try a comparo of mpg at 55, 65, 75, and 80.