235 mpg smart boasted by Dan Brown book character

**rfernatt** · 09-23-2009, 09:43 AM

Dan Brown May Sell Lots of Books, But He Knows Nothing About Cars

In chapter 32 of The Da Vinci Code, Brown writes: "The vehicle was easily the smallest car Langdon had ever seen. 'SmartCar,' she said. 'A hundred kilometers to the liter.'"

Yes, well, where to begin? The proper name of the car is the Smart ForTwo or, if you use the manufacturer's typography, smart fortwo (sans capital letters).

And 100 kilometers per liter of gasoline? Nope. Not a hope in hell. That translates to 235 miles per gallon.

But as Britain's Daily Telegraph notes in their wildly funny article on Brown's 20 worst sentences: "Pro tip: when fleeing from the police, take a moment to boast about your getaway vehicle’s fuel efficiency. And get it wrong by a factor of five."

**jwight** · 09-23-2009, 10:21 AM

Oh I don't know - it sort of matches the overall believability factor of the book IMHO.

forestacademy · 09-23-2009, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfernatt

But as Britain's Daily Telegraph notes in their wildly funny article on Brown's 20 worst sentences: "Pro tip: when fleeing from the police, take a moment to boast about your getaway vehicle’s fuel efficiency. And get it wrong by a factor of five."

Do they drive in reverse in the book like in the Movie.

Has anyone actualy done MPG tests in reverse?

**rfernatt** · 09-23-2009, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwight

Oh I don't know - it sort of matches the overall believability factor of the book IMHO.

Yep.

Big Panda · 09-23-2009, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forestacademy

Do they drive in reverse in the book like in the Movie.

Has anyone actualy done MPG tests in reverse?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfernatt

Yep.

You 'mpgs' driving in reverse would equate to:

-33 City/-41 Highway

**rfernatt** · 09-23-2009, 11:19 AM

So, if I drive the same distance forward and then in reverse, I get 0 mpg?

Will my odometer roll back, too? (Ferris Bueller anyone?)

Big Panda · 09-23-2009, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfernatt

So, if I drive the same distance forward and then in reverse, I get 0 mpg?

Will my odometer roll back, too? (Ferris Bueller anyone?)

Not only that, but if you start out at one point and drive to a second point and then back up all the way to your original starting point, it will be the same time that you originally left.

chieftmc · 09-23-2009, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Panda

Not only that, but if you start out at one point and drive to a second point and then back up all the way to your original starting point, it will be the same time that you originally left.

AND used NO gas

**rfernatt** · 09-23-2009, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Panda

Not only that, but if you start out at one point and drive to a second point and then back up all the way to your original starting point, it will be the same time that you originally left.

That's only if you're driving a DeLorean with the optional flux capacitor mod. Forget the hose, I want one of those!