Quote:
Originally Posted by kalare
It's not about money for most people...gas mileage is the reason I'm not buying a V8 M3...the one and ONLY reason. I've wanted an M3 for the past 10 years, since I first saw an E36. Now I won't by one simply because I cannot live with under 20mpg. My new choices are S4, S5, TTRS (if we get one in US) or Cayman S. Just because you like power and fast cars doesn't mean you can't be concerned with environment and conserving gas...and just because you like conserving gas and whatnot doesn't mean you want to run around in a prius...there's a middle ground, and some of us are on it.
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The S5 won't get above 20mpg unless you mostly do freeway cruising. When I was doing 80% freeway, 10% normal street driving and 10% driving aggressively, I'd get 18-19 mpg on the whole tank.
I since then changed jobs and no longer use the freeway to get to work, and I get 17-18 mpg on the tank, and that's with a lot less aggressive driving. I'm perfectly aware how to optimize throttle and shift points to maximize fuel economy but getting 20+ on the streets consistently is just not in the cards unless you are very lucky, are always drafting someone, and never hit any red lights. Best ever with street driving was 21 mpg, and I drove like a grandma, skipping gears going 1-3-6 and keeping rpm less than 1500, and my car has 21k miles running 0w40 m1 synthetic with a k&n filter and milltek exhaust and the latest dealer-updated ECU map (came out in June).
I once did 24 mpg going from San Diego to LA in the middle of the night at 75mph with cruise control, but I wouldn't call that typical. I'm fine with it, but if you don't like the M3 because of its fuel economy, maybe the S5 doesn't really belong on that list either. It's also worth noting that the old M3 with the 3.2L I6 didn't really get much above 20 mpg either, and I'd be really surprised if a Cayman S did above the low 20's with real world driving conditions, and the S4 is probably down in the low 20's or high teens once you mod it or even just drive it spiritedly.
Every car you've listed
including the M3 is roughly in the same ballpark if you talk to real owners and don't just believe what the advertising tells you. Heck even my friend's Lexus IS350 in mixed traffic/commute driving can barely crack 20 mpg unless he's driving super conservatively, and most owners on A5OC with the way more conservative A5 3.2FSI get ~22-24 mpg at best despite the manufacturer claim of 27-30.