50mpg in fastest-ever MINI!

It’s one of Britain’s hottest hatches, and a fierce contender for Auto Express’s Performance Car of the Year award, as our line-up in the special supplement in the centre pages reveals.

That’s not the only trick up the John Cooper Works MINI’s sleeve, though. Despite packing enough punch to cover 0-60mph in only 6.5 seconds, the supermini can now add wallet-friendly 50mpg-plus fuel economy to its impressive list of credentials. That’s 25 per cent more than the maker’s claimed 40.9mpg combined figure. But only if you know how to handle this hot hatch...

To prove the point, Auto Express entered the turbo pocket rocket in the annual MPG Marathon run by fleet specialist ALD Automotive. The aim of the two-day event, which is now in its sixth year, is simple: get the best fuel economy you can over a set road route. Every car has a crew of two, and there are prizes in several categories.

Thirty cars and nine vans were under starters orders in Bristol. Getting the most from a tank of fuel is one of 2008’s hot topics, so the entry list was the biggest ever, with everything from the latest city cars and superminis to fleet favourites, family saloons and SUVs. There was even a Subaru Impreza WRX and a Chevy Corvette!

We were keeping our eye on James Sutherland, boss of fleet driver training firm Peak Performance. He’d won for the last two years, and was confident of making it a hat-trick. Having achieved a staggering 78.3mpg from a Toyota Aygo in 2007, Sutherland and co-driver Richard Hill reckoned they could crack 80mpg this time. “I’ve had a full English breakfast this morning, so that’s going to add some weight!” joked Hill. We had similar concerns about staff photographer Pete Gibson’s camera gear, as we’d had to fold the MINI’s rear seats flat to get it all in.

Organiser Ross Durkin explained the point of the MPG Marathon. “We’re here to show how simple techniques can improve any car’s economy,” he said. “Pump prices have risen every year we’ve run this, so 10-15 per cent more miles per tank is worthwhile. ”

Every car was filled with fuel and had its tyres set to the recommended pressures. After a safety briefing it was time to hit the road – all 411 miles of it!

Day one’s 187-mile route took us west from Bristol over the Severn Bridge and into Wales. After passing through Monmouth and crossing back into England, we travelled north through Hereford, Stoke and Buxton, before finishing near Macclesfield in Cheshire. We focused on moving up through the gears fast, keeping the revs to 2,000rpm or less and freewheeling down any slopes.

Boost

On the JCW, there’s no Minimalism package of eco technologies that helps boost economy on other MINIs. Brake Energy Regeneration, Auto Start-Stop or Switch Point Display aren’t fitted, so it was all down to us and our right foot.

One trick was to get into top gear early. This car pulls well, so we shifted through first, second and third, then moved up to sixth at only 1,000rpm.

But an economy run calls for luck, too. We gave a whoop of delight as we approached a clear roundabout, and were able to cruise over it without slowing. Yet later we turned the air blue as we were forced to brake hard when a tractor appeared at a T-junction we were about to sail left around. Minutes later it was all smiles as we happily crawled up a hill behind it – using very little fuel – then coasted past using none at all as we went down the other side.

It became clear we could easily beat the 40.9mpg official figure. The trip computer peaked at 54.7mpg, although our final read-out showed 53.3mpg. We were happy with that – but our driving style just hadn’t been realistic. Nobody, not least someone who’s spent £20,995 on a JCW, will d0 40mph on an A-road. And that’s what you have to do to top 50mpg in a hot hatch like this.

Plus, although stickers on the back of the car warned other road users why we were going slowly, people weren’t very understanding. We were flashed, hooted and gestured at by numerous annoyed drivers. “Just tough it out!” had been Sutherland’s advice.

But we decided not to. For day two’s return to Bristol, we injected a dose of reality. Sacrificing our chances of winning a prize, we drove as close to the speed limit as was safe on every road bar motorways, where we stuck to 60mph. We knew it would affect our mpg; the question was, how much?

Not as much as you’d imagine. Even after a 30-mile run on the M6, the trip computer said 50.9mpg, and as we neared Bristol on the M4 we were still over the magic 50mpg mark. But the last eight miles of rush-hour traffic to the finish was always going to be a problem.

Despite our best efforts to nurse the JCW home, we couldn’t keep it up – our final average was 49.4mpg. Still, MINI was impressed with our 50.2mpg return over the two days. Its spokesman said: “You’ve proved this model is the UK’s greenest hot hatch. We believe this makes the JCW ideal for drivers who want to downsize, reduce fuel costs and environmental impact, but still own a sporting car."

Tech behind our mpg bid

Eking those extra miles out of our MINI JCW’s tank was a piece of cake. We simply had to drive like saints. For the first leg of the journey, we limited our speed to 40mph. We also shifted through the gears as fast as possible, keeping revs down to 2,000rpm or less, and freewheeled down anything that looked like a slope.

In addition, professional gauges (above, left) were used to check tyre pressures – a 10psi drop is said to hike consumption by 2.5 per cent. Plus, we ensured the air-con was off, to boost returns.