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[mrklaw]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8XDscWleKw

thanks for this, saves me posting it.

Its not HP, its MPG (and CO2 if you're bothered about climate change). How you get there - leave that to the motor makers. A lazy big engine can be more economical than a screaming tiny engine

 

[eznark]

I wholeheartedly agree with Easterbrook on this, SUVs should be banned from this planet.

As long as when each one is sent to the junk yard it is packed full of hippies

 

[AstroLad]

I like his points. At some point, we have to do something about this. They just started advertising for an Escalade hybrid. Gets 12 MPG, w/o a hybrid. It would go up by a whopping 56%. If I'm not stupid, I'm sure 56% of 12 is around 6. A hybrid going from 12 to 18....wow. All these big fricken cars just because we have the money. I wish Congress would get tough and force those fuckers to sell cars with, at least, 30mpg. Or you pay 50K extra. Seperate the soccer moms from the trumps. Fuck yeah, pay 50 grand if your car can't average 30 mpg. Force car manufacturers to come up with real solutions.

Now, they are just making a mockery of the environment. No need for an Escalade to only get 12 MPG.

you just have to feel bad for GM great timing on that hummer buyout.

GM Can't Unload Hummer Even On Chinese Military

Despite how badly GM wants to dump the Hummer, a looming global recession (and of course high oil prices) may be putting the kibosh on that plan.

General Motors (GM) had been in preliminary talks with automakers across Asia (including those in India and Russia) regarding the sale of its Hummer division. But now Chinese SUV maker Hunan Changfeng has broken off talks with GM and no longer has any interest in purchasing the gas-guzzler. Their remarks do not bode well for GM.

According to a Reuters source, Changfeng chose not to proceed because "the Hummer is way too expensive for the Chinese military and demand from civilian buyers is not big enough to justify a purchase, especially with oil prices running near an all-time high." The market leader in the Chinese auto industry, SAIC Motors, and the No. 3 player, Dongfeng, also have said they have little interest in the Hummer

As long as when each one is sent to the junk yard it is packed full of hippies

ok deal

 

[Davidion]

As long as when each one is sent to the junk yard it is packed full of hippies

Only if the next one is packed with Bostonians.

 

[eznark]

perfect.


Now to fix that 78 Impala....

Only if the next one is packed with Bostonians.

yes, please. (I am a Wisconsinite living in Boston)

 

[Davidion]

perfect.


Now to fix that 78 Impala....


yes, please. (I am a Wisconsinite living in Boston)

Ok, you're excused.



To get back to the OP, I'm not all that familiar with the automobile market, but are there easily accessible options for car buyers who aim for efficiency over increasing horsepower?

 

[eznark]

Ok, you're excused.



To get back to the OP, I'm not all that familiar with the automobile market, but are there easily accessible options for car buyers who aim for efficiency over increasing horsepower?

It's an important distinction.

And yes, the market provides options across every imaginable spectrum for an individual looking for automotive transportation. Look at all the goofs who bought a lawn mower motor powered Smart car.

 

[sif]

Anytime the fuel economy deabte pops up I always think of this:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/used_car_reviews/article3552994.ece

Whilst not a scientific experiment it still raises many interesting questions. Remeber the 5 series is a much bigger car and has more than double the horsepower of the Prius. The same and even more frugal engines are available in the 1- and 3-series so cars like the 118d (world green car of the year) are probably more economical in the real world than the Prius.

It is not all about headline grabbing buzzwords, but the overall result and here stuff like Mercedes Diesotto and BMW's EfficientDynamics programs mixed with stuff like hybrids are going to be the real advance and the Germans will really show the value of hybrids, you can have better performance and fuel economy at the same time.