Another new-to-me Suzukiclone high FE model: 86 Chevy Sprint ER

[MetroMPG]

A visitor to metroMPG.com just told me about a 1st generation Suzukiclone he owned called the Chevrolet Sprint ER (Extended Range). Like the XFi, I hadn't heard of this model before, probably because it was a US only car. Maybe also because it's 20 years old.



Check these numbers:

55 - MPG (city)
60 - MPG (highway)
57 - MPG (combined)

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/1730.shtml

You'd have to factor in the EPA's post 1994 fudge factor (around 20%? I forget, though Dan mentioned it somewhere) for doing comparisons to more recent ratings, but still, yikes!

[BumblingB]

I don't remember the ER. Of course I was dying to get a Turbo "back in the day". Settled for a gas guzzlin' Nissan 200SX instead.

[MetroMPG]

That may be it for me too: I just got my drivers licence in 86. I wasn't thinking about fuel economy just yet.

FYI, the XFi FE numbers, for comparison:

EPA City: 53
EPA Highway: 58
EPA Combined: 55

And these are the pre-fudge factor numbers, if I'm not mistaken, so can be directly compared to the "ER" car.

[rh77]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

That may be it for me too: I just got my drivers licence in 86. I wasn't thinking about fuel economy just yet.

I saw an old Sprint last week and thought about those and the Pontiac Le Mans from the mid-80's. I don't recall the "ER", also I was 8 at the time Ford had the Escort/Lynx for a long time, and I think GM needed to re-badge something quick to catch up (as always). Chrysler had the brilliant little Omni (the GLH Turbo was a screamer in the day, as you probably rememeber), which actually provided the engine and transmission layout for the first Minivan. But back in those days, I recall a lot of 5-year old land yachts and new "I don't know about this" FWD entries.

RH77

[BumblingB]

Reason I may have not seen them is cars without A/C just don't sell down here. If it can be directly compaired to a XFi then I would think they lack A/C too - correct me if I'm wrong though.

Actually before I got the Nissan I had gas guzzlers. A '67 Impala with a "race engine" - I used to actually see the gas gauge move it got such poor mileage! Then a '67 Mustang that I could squeeze out 20mpg with if I was conservative and it was a V-8! Then a '64 Porsche 356C which got good mileage but I was terrified to drive, finally a '64 Falcon convertible.

Still, that Metro Turbo always stuck in my mind but I went for the 200SX because I got it for about 4k under bluebook. What was the most popular here was the CRX HF and those were few and far between you just didn't see them even though I remembered the media had a hayday advertising for Honda.

[BumblingB]

That LeMans was the Opel Kadett, my brother had a LeMans and I later got a Kadett.

I remember the GLH AND the GLHS, my dream cars at the time but just too much out of my price range so I "settled" for an old Muscle Car instead. My grandfather had a Caravan with the GLH drivetrain - rare!

Originally Posted by rh77

I saw an old Sprint last week and thought about those and the Pontiac Le Mans from the mid-80's. I don't recall the "ER", also I was 8 at the time Ford had the Escort/Lynx for a long time, and I think GM needed to re-badge something quick to catch up (as always). Chrysler had the brilliant little Omni (the GLH Turbo was a screamer in the day, as you probably rememeber), which actually provided the engine and transmission layout for the first Minivan. But back in those days, I recall a lot of 5-year old land yachts and new "I don't know about this" FWD entries.

RH77

[rh77]

Originally Posted by Wazabi Owner

That LeMans was the Opel Kadett, my brother had a LeMans and I later got a Kadett.

I remember the GLH AND the GLHS, my dream cars at the time but just too much out of my price range so I "settled" for an old Muscle Car instead. My grandfather had a Caravan with the GLH drivetrain - rare!

Oh yeah -- the Caravan Turbo. We had an '88 Plymouth Voyager (kinda the first car I could drive on my own), and I always saw the Turbos and wished we had that and a stick-shift instead.

I think the Chevette was actually a rebadged Kadett back in the day -- probably when they dropped the Chevette, the Le Mans replaced that niche.

RH77

[Brian D.]

This is an absolute riot! lol. I thought I was the young blood here, but as long as you're all talking about cars I can relate to (and I thought I was a freak of nature liking the cars that I did), I was absolutely IN LOVE with the Dodge Daytona Turbo Z & Shelby Z. I had my eye on an '86 Daytona turbo CS (C.Shelby)...the one w/the T-tops. Unfortunately I didn't have the cash. I did get to (later) drive one and thought the whole transmission/shifting situation was garbage. It looked & felt so choppy. I almost bought the CRX HF (which I currently own) but was ultimately bitten by the Z bug. (280zx). Then moved on to the 300. Funny how the '86 300zx was SO much more advanced than its domestic counterparts....hands down. Still have a Z today; they're great!

[kickflipjr]

Seeing how XFIs are very hard to find. I bet it is near impossible to find a Chevy Sprint ER. I never heard of this model sprint before. They might still be rust free in the southwest.

[MetroMPG]

I think you're probably right about it being hard to find. Plus, the newest one you could possibly find would be at least 18 years old - assuming the ER was available to the end of the first generation Suzukiclone run (1988).