"guzzler mode" factored into EPA numbers?

[Laconian]

What if a car company offered a "sports" button that did more than just adjust throttle response: it could raise boost, enrich the fuel further, advance the ignition timing, do all sorts of stuff that would boost the power while consuming more gas.

If this button was disabled by default, would the EPA ignore it during their testing regimen? Would this be a good way for a manufacturer to release a high performance car without a corresponding hit to its CAFE numbers?

[Danish]

I get the feeling that if car manufacturers find some loophole to CAFE numbers, the government will eventually try to close the loophole.

[Laconian]

The skip shift has been around for two decades...

[Soup DeVille]

What if a car company offered a "sports" button that did more than just adjust throttle response: it could raise boost, enrich the fuel further, advance the ignition timing, do all sorts of stuff that would boost the power while consuming more gas.

If this button was disabled by default, would the EPA ignore it during their testing regimen? Would this be a good way for a manufacturer to release a high performance car without a corresponding hit to its CAFE numbers?

Yes. The EPA really only cares what a car consumes when running their tests. If the car doesn't need to be in sport mode to run their tests, it won't be.

And yes, just like "skip-shift."

[MX793]

I get the feeling that if car manufacturers find some loophole to CAFE numbers, the government will eventually try to close the loophole.

Has the government stepped in to close the "flex fuel" loophole yet?

[Danish]

Has the government stepped in to close the "flex fuel" loophole yet?

I don't know what the "flex fuel" loophole is.

You have to understand, I'm from California and I've come to expect government to regulate and interfere.

[MX793]

I don't know what the "flex fuel" loophole is.

You have to understand, I'm from California and I've come to expect government to regulate and interfere.

When determining the fuel economy of a flex-fuel vehicle that can run on E85, they only looked at the gasoline portion burned to determine the CAFE fuel economy.  e.g. if it got 12 mpg on E85, they rated it at something much higher than 12 mpg because it got way more than 12 miles per gallon of gasoline burned.

[Laconian]

Wow.

The only explanation for all the stupid ethanol-related shit that goes on is that people are drinking too much of it.

[Secret Chimp]

The skip shift has been around for two decades...

So have people disconnecting that solenoid as soon as they get the title :P

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

The skip shift has been around for two decades...

Thats the first thing I disabled when I purchased the Z28! 30 bucks to RK Sports for a skip shift eliminator!

[Soup DeVille]

So have people disconnecting that solenoid as soon as they get the title :P

That doesn't matter. What matters is that the cars has it when its sold as new.

Does it make sense? No, the gubbermint did it!

[GoCougs]

I'm not sure it'd help with the EPA tests. From their descriptions, an average automobile would need only a fraction of its peak power for the needed accelerations. Further, running an engine (too) lean can hurt emissions and in extreme cases damage the engine.

[Laconian]

That's true Cougs, but you might still be able to eke out a little efficiency by forcing a MDS-like system to force cylinder banks to remain inactive, reducing throttling losses.