Somehow, I don't think fuel economy is a priority at that speed. I'd be
curious as to how long the trans can last at that speed in 4th gear and
how well the cooling system can handle some 300,000 btus/hour of heat
being generated by that much fuel being burned.

Dennis

PS, I don't doubt the WRX can push the van that fast. I just don't think
the picture is really showing that speed.

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of mark drillock
Sent: Monday, December 06, 2004 8:41 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: 130 mph in a vanagon, what MPG?

It takes about 50 hp to push a Vanagon at 65 mph, or so I've read. I
think I also read that the wind resistance goes up as the square of the
speed. If so, 130 being 2 times as fast would take 4 times the power or
about about 200 hp. Since 65mph  yields about 20 mpg, 130 mph would give
what, about 5 mpg? Maybe even less since the rpm would be so high?

Mark

Brian T. wrote:

>I was with Eric on drive to Seattle in his WRX van
>warlier this year.  We easily popped past 110 in a
>short run heading North and then a sprint almost up to
>where that speedo shot was on the way back.
>
>Lemme' tell ya it is something to go that fast in a
>vanagon!
>
>Eric has done such a good job of engineering this
>thing though, it is rock solid at speed.
>
>Brian from Salem, Or
>
>
>