How many revs for best economy - GTI

[BarneyBoy]

But if you only need x amount of power and this can be achieved below that point doesn't it make sense to only produce the power you need? Let's assume it was 1400rpm in 6th to sit on 100???

I know what you mean, but if the engine is labouring, it's not going to be delivering its best economy - just as driving 'round corners in 6th around town would be a bad thing.

Also as an example, you may or may not recall the days when cars were prone to boiling on very hot days (particularly when you had a ****y thermostat). Dropping the car into a lower gear, while increasing its revs, actually takes load off an engine and lets it operate more effectively and hence would drop its coolant temperature.

So to use the example of 1400 rpm in 6th, it may well be that 5th would deliver better efficiency at slightly higher revs.

Hope this makes sense.

[pixl]

it may well be that 5th would deliver better efficiency at slightly higher revs.

Hope this makes sense.

I realise I have a totally different car, but I thought I would share my experience.

After much testing and elimating as many variables as I could such as using the same fuel and the same section of road. I discovered that my car is more fuel efficient in 4th at 60km/h than 5th.

Despite my previous N/A car, which would be more fuel efficient the lower the revs (ie. 60km/h in 5th) I think the turbo plays a larger role that I thought. I could be very wrong about this, but my theory is that since the revs are about 2100rpm in 4th and the turbo kicks in at 1950rpm, at this point the engine is producing full torque yet the revs are still quite low. Whereas in 5th, the revs would be about 1400-1500rpm and turbo not engaged at all.

[eeney]

On doing some more reading it appears correct that generally driving in peak torque range, which is probably 2750 - 3500 in the GTI.

I also learnt that many experts reckon when changing up through the gears it can be more economical to jump gears (block changing), eg. 1st to 3rd to 5th.

Personally when joining the freeway I prefer going hard in 2nd to 100kmh and then straight to sixth.