So the UK versions of the Mini get like 20MPG better than the US model. I know the US model has about 90lbs more in safety equipment but that cant be it. Is our oil and gas lobbies so strong that our engines are tuned to be LESS fuel efficient? Please tell me this is not the case. Anyone know the reasons?

 

The Brits use Imperial gallons which us equal to 1.2 US gallons. Part of the difference.

 

+1
Plus the testing procedure is different....
Even in the US....the same exact car can have the mpg change by 2 or 3 mpg (even more) just by changes in the EPA testing procedure...like what is defined as "city" vs highway...ac usage, etc...all very inexact.

 

Yes, the Europe-wide fuel economy test is very generous on car makers and hasn't been 'toughened up' in recent years like the US one. For example the European test cycle never exceeds 56mph and is below 40mph a lot of the time, so cars with big aero drag don't suffer as much as they should. Many British owners of Countrymen complain about not getting within 20mpg of the official figure and I suspect that driving them over 40mph (shock, horror!) is a big part of the reason.

 

Interesting....we'll that explains a lot.... I thought a gallon was a gallon...see what I know lol.

 

a couple years ago, the us epa "fixed" their mpg test by subtracting 25% from the observed results, the new modified test results actually match real world observed mpg fairly well

 

One of the MAs that did the days of tracking and learning the F56 said the base Cooper with manual got 28mpg, which he thought was good considering it was driven on a track the whole time at WOT.