On Apr 13, 12:24 pm, wrote:
You are not PREVENTED from having a choice. Hey, look, I bet you can
find an importer, and place an individual order to have your favorite
euro model imported. If necessary, you can have the mods done to make
the car street-legal in the US.
"Oh, but that would be too expensive", you say "why can Detroit mass-
produce just that kind of car?" Because there is not enough demand,
and unit costs would be prohibitive anyway!! Just because you and a
couple of your tree-hugger buddies would buy it, doesn't meant that
the auto manufacturer would get enough orders.

Like with everything else, free market forces should dictate what
kinds of vehicles are produced.

On Apr 12, 7:06 pm, "Himpg" wrote:



On Apr 2, 3:13 pm, wrote:

On Apr 2, 11:01 am, "Himpg" wrote:

snip

In Europe, the BIG 3 already have 50 mpg(US) combined average!

The European versions have smaller engines. E.g., they have a 1.4L
Civic in Europe. Americans want more hp.

You a correct that the engines are generally smaller but the turbo
diesel give you the torque at lower hp and significantly lower fuel
consumption. Personally, I don't need 0 to 60 mph in less than 10
seconds. I'm not willing to pay $0.10 per mile fuel cost penalty to
get it ... but that is my preference. So not ALL Americans want higher
hp! But you are certainly welcome to your preferences. I just wish we
had the choice!

These types of cars are definitely not for everyone ... many want /
need larger machines and that's OK. But those that do want smaller
engines and lighter cars should not be PREVENTED from having the
CHOICE!

The Cadillac BLs [diesel at 38 mpg(US) combined average] has gotten
significant praise in Europe ... and awards ... I don't know how the
sales have been.

The problem seems to be that Detroit wants to increment mpg 4% per
year.That (1.5 mpg improvement) does not offer economic inducement
based on fuel economy improvements to purchase. Would a fuel economy
improvement of 3 mpg attract your interest. I don't think so! However,
if you were offered a 50% reduction in fuel consumption (a 15 or 20
mpg improvement), it becomes much more appealing. That is, if the
vehicle is large enough and featured to meet your needs.


Talk about delusional expectations. Do you have any engineering or
scientific background? Anyone with a clue knows that continually
squeezing out
4% a year improvement in fuel economy, if possible, would be
fantastic. In a decade a car
would achieve close to a 50% increase in fuel economy. In two
decades, you'd have a 220%
improvement. But that ain;'t good enough?

Oh, but I see, you also want it to still be large enough and have
enough features to meet
your needs. Is that all? Anything else? BTW, diesel solutions are
available today
in the US from VW and Mercedes. Plus Audi and the Japanese are
looking at possible models too.
But they won't get quite the mileage of those Euro mini **** boxes.
But then you did say you wanted
it big enough, didn't you? Hmmm, and I suppose it has to meet US
impact requirements too?




What I am afraid of is that if Detroit doesn't step up and
deliver .... an interloper is gong to jump in within the next 36
months and that will probably push Detroit out of its' position of
dominance to a second tier status from which they will probably never
recover.

I thought that happened a long time ago.

And according to the 2007 EPA ratings, there are 10 cars available in
the US that get over 32/29 (highway/city). Three of them, the Toyota
Prius, Honda Civic, and Toyota Camry, get over 40/38, and the top car,
the Toyota Prius gets 60/51. So, if you want one, you don't need to
wrtie your Congressman or bitch about what Detroit shoud do. Just go
buy it.

http://www.epa.gov/fueleconomy/overall-high.htm
1 Toyota Prius (hybrid-electric) 60/51
2 Honda Civic Hybrid 49/51
3 Toyota Camry Hybrid 40/38
4 Ford Escape Hybrid FWD 36/31
5 Toyota Yaris (manual) 34/40
6 Toyota Yaris (automatic) 34/39
7 Honda Fit (manual) 33/38
8 Toyota Corolla (manual) 32/41
9 Hyundai Accent (manual)
Kia Rio (manual) 32/35
32/35
10 Ford Escape Hybrid 4WD
Mercury Mariner Hybrid 4WD 32/29
32/29