CaP'N GRuNGe Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 Honda and Toyota have been manufacturing their own hybrid engines for years, and lead all manufacturers for fuel efficiency. I think they've got a bit of an edge in this department. The last I heard, Ford was leasing their hybrid technology from Toyota. Personally... I want one of these. They freaking kick ass. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 Personally... I want one of these. They freaking kick ass. So, they put their rock career on hold to build an electric car? That's cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isleseeya Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 Honda and Toyota have been manufacturing their own hybrid engines for years, and lead all manufacturers for fuel efficiency. I think they've got a bit of an edge in this department. The last I heard, Ford was leasing their hybrid technology from Toyota. Personally... I want one of these. They freaking kick ass. starting price 98,000 ....i think a 50,000 mercedes wont use up 48000 in gas over the course of its owners use of it however the tesla does look really nice and its electric ..boogie woogie woogie woogie ya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 Electric cars are like gay people. I don't mind them at all, just don't force them on me, you buncha pansies. DETROIT — When General Motors Corp. pulls the cover off a new supercharged version of the Corvette at the Detroit auto show next month, it will unveil a performance car designed to rival or better even the fastest, most expensive exotic cars from Europe. But the Corvette's chief engineer says the 2009 Corvette ZR1 may be the last in a long tradition of Detroit performance cars, endangered by stronger federal fuel economy regulations and limits on carbon dioxide emissions. "High-performance vehicles such as this may actually be legislated out of existence," Tadge Juechter said at a recent showing of the ZR1, which is designed to have around 620 horsepower. President Bush on Wednesday signed into law legislation that will bring more fuel-efficient vehicles into auto showrooms and require wider use of ethanol, calling it "a major step" toward energy independence and easing global warming. The legislation requires automakers to increase fuel efficiency by 40 percent to an industry average 35 miles per gallon by 2020. But Juechter said to sell one of the Chevrolet supercars, GM would need to offset that with cars that get 45 mpg. "It could really be an endangered species," he said. Aaron Bragman, an auto analyst with the consulting firm Global Insight, said predicting the death of the muscle car might be premature. The Corvette, he said, is fuel efficient when compared with its competitors. Although fuel economy figures weren't released for the ZR1, the current 505-horsepower Corvette ZO6 gets an estimated 15 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway, according to GM. The ZR1, he said, gets around the same mileage as a Chevrolet pickup truck, and GM won't be getting out of the pickup business because of gas mileage standards. "I think it's a little over-dramatization," Bragman said. "GM wants to sell big, high-performance, fun cars. And typically that's what Americans want to buy." Performance cars of the future may be powered by smaller engines or electric motors, he said, but they won't die. The ZR1 will have a top speed of more than 200 mph, driven by an all-new supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine. It has 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels and a suspension tuned to provide extraordinary cornering grip, GM said. The car has a carbon-fiber hood, fenders and roof for weight savings, and its huge carbon-ceramic brake rotors give it great stopping power, the company said. The ZR1 will cost around $100,000 and probably will go on sale next summer. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317556,00.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 Aaron Bragman (an auto analyst with the consulting firm Global Insight) said. "GM wants to sell big, high-performance, fun cars. And typically that's what Americans want to buy." yep, sure, that is exactly why Honda and Toyota are kicking ass at selling cars in America. dumbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 starting price 98,000 ....i think a 50,000 mercedes wont use up 48000 in gas over the course of its owners use of it Yep. But that is for year one production, and I don't know how many they have coming off the line. I bet they sell out of these things before production even starts. Maybe if a bigger car manufacturer was making these kinds of innovations we could all be driving to work and back for less than $1 worth of electricity every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 OOOOOoooohhh!!!! A modest gain in fuel efficiency within the next THIRTEEN years? How in the hell are they going to accomplish an amazing feat like that?? That's ridiculous!!!! It will bankrupt everyone! This legislation is nothing. If American cars haven't increased their fuel efficiency far past that mark within the next 5 years, they'll be driven out of business by their far superior and more innovative competitors. 40% is "modest"? obviously 35 mpg in a couple dinky little cars is no tremendous feat. but if i i read this correctly, this legislation is mandating that 35 mpg be the AVERAGE across a manufacturers whole line. it's true though, it's easy for the big manufacturers to comply, just trot out a couple little POS models with lawnmower engines that only old ladies and people like you and grunge want to drive and their average goes way up. oh and dumbass, this has nothing to do with american cars versus foreign cars...they all have to meet the same standards to sell their cars here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 yep, sure, that is exactly why Honda and Toyota are kicking ass at selling cars in America. dumbass http://online.wsj.com/mdc/public/page/2_30...od=mdc_h_econhl Check out the graph about 2/5 of the way down the page. Honda and Toyota sales in the US steadily rising over 10 years. GM, Ford and Chrysler sales steadily falling over 10 years (Ford in a rock-like fashion). Toyota now has a larger market share than Ford or Chrysler. Tell me again what kind of vehicle Americans want, analyst? If that's not enough... go look up comparative warranty claims on US Manufacturers vs others. Good lord. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 Maybe if a bigger car manufacturer was making these kinds of innovations we could all be driving to work and back for less than $1 worth of electricity every day. well, you know, you could be doing that now. but it's ford's fault that you're not! oh and the government's fault for not making ford make you drive to work on $1 worth of electricity! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 oh and dumbass, this has nothing to do with american cars versus foreign cars...they all have to meet the same standards to sell their cars here. Who do you think has an edge here? The manufacturers who spent their money focusing on fuel efficiency for the last 20 years, or the manufacturers who spent their money lobbying against it for 20 years? In 13 years, what do you think gas prices will be? Do you really not think that vast improvements in fuel efficiency are going to be an incredible market advantage in a much shorter term? This legislation is a lifeline to American car manufacturers. If we didn't force them to start working on it more seriously now, our government would be giving them billion dollar bailouts in 3 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwacked Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 Even forgetting the environmental argument, decreasing our reliance on foreign oil should be a priority as a matter of national security. It would probably be in our nation's best interest to not have our need for oil be such an important aspect of our foreign policy decisions. Seems this point is selectively getting ignored by those whining about federal fuel standards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wirehairman Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 The ZR1, he said, gets around the same mileage as a Chevrolet pickup truck, and GM won't be getting out of the pickup business because of gas mileage standards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 Who do you think has an edge here? The manufacturers who spent their money focusing on fuel efficiency for the last 20 years, or the manufacturers who spent their money lobbying against it for 20 years? Environmentalists slam Toyota for lobbying for lower CAFE standards i dunno, i think if you look at their current lines of cars, comparable models in terms of size and weight from domestic manufacturers and foreign ones probably match up pretty closely. there was a difference in the 70s, when foreign cars first started getting a foothold here, but now not so much. foreign cars sell better because they are manufactured better, are more reliable, better designed, etc. thank you, uaw! fuel mileage is not the dealbreaker when someone buys a camry instead of a taurus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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