This 22 year old Audi A2 can still reach 100 MPG

These days it takes a hybrid to beat 50 miles per gallon. The most efficient new car today is the Toyota Prius 57 mpg combined (although the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Blue beats it on the highway 58mpg). Neither can match Matt Prior’s 22-year-old Audi A2 Coach managed to get 100 MPG out of it under real world conditions. It’s not even a hybrid, and it cost Prior less than $700 to purchase (this is his personal car, not some luxury press car). How did he do it?

Part of the answer comes down to the car. The A2 was never sold in the US, so it has no EPA fuel economy ratings, but Retro engine reports that the A2 could achieve 65.7 MPG. This specific A2 has a 1.4-liter inline-4 TDI engine. That means diesel power. For comparison, a 22-year-old VW Golf TDI got 36 MPG paired with a larger 1.9-liter inline-4.

In addition to the drivetrain, the A2 had advanced aluminum construction for the time (and a strange way to access the engine), keeping weight down to just over 2,000 pounds. It also had excellent aerodynamics, with a drag coefficient of just 0.28. The combination of a small, torquey engine, a five-speed manual transmission, light weight and low drag resulted in the A2’s impressive 65.7 MPG.

Prior found a route of exactly 100 miles from a petrol station near his home to the south coast of England. He filled up and then tried to make the trip with less than a liter of diesel. His route combined highways and back roads. He found that speeds between 40 and 50 km/h were the best choice for better fuel economy, although he sometimes had to drive faster on the highway to avoid becoming a moving roadblock. He drove big trucks at a safe distance when he could, and got a significant MPG increase while it lasted.

For once, roadworks actually helped rather than hindered, lowering the speed limit for significant distances into Audi’s optimal zone. The situation improved once he cleared the highway completely and was able to stay in that sweet spot without being pressured to go faster. Finally, the A2 parked with a trip mileage of 100.9 MPG. They certainly don’t make them like they used to.