Fuel Efficiency Essay, Research Paper

Many years have passed since the first automobile has been created and since that time, the car manufacturers has made drastic changes to improve in its over all performance and ability. The production of making a highly tuned car for higher class all have one common goal: Fuel Efficiency. A higher fuel efficiency level is achieved with the finer cars that are produced in the masses each year. The materials used overall weight, aerodynamic design, and greater known information about fuel tanks all make up the higher fuel efficiency of a car of the modern day. (Kennedy 13)

The Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham of 1996, has come from a long line of ancestors. It is the longest production car sold in the U. S. today. Yet, modern engineering assures that the Fleetwood Brougham is far more fuel-efficient than its predecessors, and has much better handling, while being one of the safest of all cars. The Fleetwood s body and platform provides a basis for limousine and funeral coach style. This style however is slowly changing from what was America s taste in modeled cars. The aerodynamic design of the car is considered very much like a giant box (Jay 67). The Fleetwood has the classic style of the bulky Cadillac. With being nearly nineteen feet long and six-and-a-half feet wide, it s body design has remained true to the original design. Cars of today are desired to be much more elegant and sleek. Even though it has a high fuel efficiency level, the car s popularity has died down making 1996 the last year of the car s production. With General Motors’ 5.7-liter V8 under the hood, the Fleetwood Brougham is not underpowered. It provides a high fuel efficiency, giving the car many more miles out of a regular gallon of gas. It has a 260-horsepower engine and is as venerable and classic as the Fleetwood itself. The popular engine is also used in many other cars such as ones found in the Chevrolet Corvette. (Johnstone 127) This fierce engine is powerful for hills, passing, merging, or full loads, all while having great fuel capability. While weighing 4470 pounds, it weighs much less then the it s ancestors. With less weight for it to bear, more miles are capable for less gas. (Rock 147) The Fleetwood can get an average of 21.3 miles per gallon. The 1996 Fleetwood Brougham surpasses all of its predecessors with it s fuel efficiency valves.

In 1976, the Fleetwood Brougham was intrduced with many features. The 5200-pound, 8.2 liter V-8 powered vessel was intended for effortless cruising. (Howel 17) While weighing 730 pounds more then it s future models, fuel economy was not an issue when this car was designed. Ranging to a half a foot longer and wider then the 1996 model, this larger automobile needed more gasoline to traverse long distances. The engine, like the body, remained similar throughout the years. It has a 8-cylinder V-type, cast iron block, it has a compression ratio: 8:5:1. (Gillis, 207) The transmission is a three speed Turbo Hydra-Matic, which for a heavy weighing car, is helpful for gaining mileage from zero to sixty in thirteen seconds. The fuel mileage of this model contrasted with the 1996 model was vastly different. The old Fleetwood can carried eleven miles per gallon, it was more then half for the efficiency level of the newer model. ( Hirch, 55) The main reason of this however, is the general weight of the automobile. The Fleetwood Brougham is one of the few cars that remained true to the original model throughout the years, having the same aerodynamic style, length and engine.

If an automobile is not maintained over the years, its fuel efficiency level lowers. This is a reason why the 1976 and the 1996 Fleetwoods differ in fuel efficiency so much. High Fuel Efficiency can be achieved by maintaining not what is done to a car, but what is put inside the car. Since all gas contaminants sink to the bottom of the gas tank as an automobile is driven, the lower your fuel level falls. This creates a greater chance that these contaminants will get brought up into the fuel delivery system which could damage the components. If a tank is at least a quarter full, the contaminants won t be floating around the fuel lines. Another way of keepings an automobile inline is knowing the level of octane it needs. Using a higher-octane gas will only be wasting the fuel. Octane is the measure of the fuels resistance to pinging. All octane does is regulate the engine s combustion, which is how the engine burns fuel. Mileage can be affected by getting regular tune-ups. Tests show that almost all automobiles can improve fuel consumption by at least ten percent just by doing regular maintenance and tune ups. A major spark plug manufacturer found that eight out of every ten cars will have some maintenance deficiency that directly affects fuel economy, emissions and performance. Most wasted fuel absence can be prevented with regular maintenance.

The fuel efficiency of an automobile can be altered in many ways. The size of an engine, overall weight and size, and aerodynamic design are just some of the causes. The Fleetwood Brougham has had one major change throughout the years which has affected its fuel efficiency. The weight of it has had the greatest change on the model. The years between the models has had a positive change on the fuel efficiency of the Fleetwood Brougham. The lighter weight, better parts and a greater understanding of how a car can be maintained have all helped to make this automobile gain fuel mileage over the years.