Ultimate 600 HP street MPG debate Turbo vs. S/C

[audiomikej]

We all know you can make 600 HP many ways (N/A, Turbo, S/C). Back in the day I built a big heads, big cam, big headers mustang. It sounded great, drove fine on the street, and made great power at WOT. The problem was I never drove it, because it only got 7 MPG. This winter I want to build up my Camaro.
I have been looking at numerous, S/C packages that will get me 600 HP. I know the standard S/C kits will give me 500 HP and cost me 1 MPG in city driving. My fear is the minute I add LT headers, my MPG in city driving will take a huge hit. For those of you out in Camaro5 land who are running an S/C with LT headers. How is your city MPG?
My theory is a 600 HP turbo Camaro will do better in the city MPG department vs. a 600 HP S/C big exhaust Camaro.
Camaro5 Turbo peeps, how is your city MPG?
I don’t know if I’ll be able to get a good answer, because I would bet most turbo guys start throwing a big cam, and big heads on shortly thereafter.

[ipimpthisc]

excellent topic....bump

[Dreamer2430]

I'd be curious about the highway mileage as well as the city mileage. I live out in the middle of nowhere, so when I drive my car on the highway I need to get at least 20 MPG because the next gas station isn't always close. Great topic OP!

[Crowley]

600 at the wheels here.. No real hit in city driving if I stay out of it. Maybe 1 MPG less. On the highway to Camaro5 Fest, I averaged 24 - 26 MPG ..

Crowley

[audiomikej]

The reason I focus on city MPG is because the F/I peeps always say highway MPG changes very little. Some even claim a slight increase in highway MPG.

[speedster]

Originally Posted by audiomikej

We all know you can make 600 HP many ways (N/A, Turbo, S/C). Back in the day I built a big heads, big cam, big headers mustang. It sounded great, drove fine on the street, and made great power at WOT. The problem was I never drove it, because it only got 7 MPG. This winter I want to build up my Camaro.
I have been looking at numerous, S/C packages that will get me 600 HP. I know the standard S/C kits will give me 500 HP and cost me 1 MPG in city driving. My fear is the minute I add LT headers, my MPG in city driving will take a huge hit. For those of you out in Camaro5 land who are running an S/C with LT headers. How is your city MPG?
My theory is a 600 HP turbo Camaro will do better in the city MPG department vs. a 600 HP S/C big exhaust Camaro.
Camaro5 Turbo peeps, how is your city MPG?
I don’t know if I’ll be able to get a good answer, because I would bet most turbo guys start throwing a big cam, and big heads on shortly thereafter.

There are many on this site that can give you real world maggie (and other) pd numbers. Also there are a few turbo guys around here too.

As a reference, the goal with the SST Camaro is to try and maintain 20+ mpg while having the ability to push the power into the 4-digit range. We won't know until it is street driven, but the simulations show that this will probably occur. Sorry it is not a direct answer, but simulations and real-world results usually differ somewhat. I can say that TT's set up properly almost alwasy INCREASE mileage over a stock engine.

Just my < .02

[AdamCzap]

Originally Posted by speedster

I can say that TT's set up properly almost alwasy INCREASE mileage over a stock engine.

Just my < .02

Yup, no tax for running twins