Karl on Cars
Fuel Efficiency
August 12, 2008
For most of you I don't have to explain this obvious pattern -- but I'll explain it anyway.
Whether we're talking 2008 or 1978, our car-buying patterns, as they relate to fuel prices, have about as much variation as a teen slasher flick.
It goes something like this: Prices shoot up, people freak out, large vehicles and V8 engines are deemed verboten while economy cars and (more recently) hybrids are hotter than unreleased Brangelina wedding photos. Then, prices eventually drop (rarely to their previous levels, but always from their short-term highs), and/or people get used to the new first digit on gas station signs, and car-buying habits return to "normal" (if you can ever call U.S. car-buying habits normal).
Of course, every time this happens people proclaim, "Yeah, well, I'm not getting burned again! I'm buying something with good mileage right now and never looking back!" But long-term market analysis of the past 35 years proves this declaration to be largely false. And the latest shopping data from Edmunds.com users suggests we're already cycling back to our "bad" car-buying habits.
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- Karl Brauer August 12, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Automotive News, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Car Buying, Fuel Economy, Talk Back Tuesday
August 11, 2008
It's not that the car market is struggling that gets me, it's that the luxury car market is in a tailspin.
Aren't these people supposed to be immune to economic downturn?
You can read more in this Dow Jones article, but according to the latest sales figures, which include both July and the first half of the year, many premium brands, from Lincoln to Lexus, are down by double-digit numbers.
The reason are many, and go beyond the turbulent stock market.
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- Karl Brauer August 11, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Automotive News, Fuel Efficiency
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- Economic Downturn, Luxury Car Market
August 8, 2008
I just saw an article in USA Today about how Nissan is going to "help drivers become more fuel efficient behind the wheel."
No, we're not talking variable intake manifolds or cylinder deactivation or even extra transmission gears. This latest fuel-mileage breakthrough comes in the form of an argumentative throttle pedal.
Specifically, the throttle will "press upward when it senses motorists are speeding up to quickly." In other words, if you try to go "too fast" the pedal will resist your efforts by pushing back against your foot.
I'm not sure I can capture all the frightening aspects of this "technology breakthrough" in a single blog, but I'll try.
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- Karl Brauer August 8, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Driving, Fuel Efficiency, Nissan
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- Gas Mileage, Throttle Pedal
August 6, 2008
I remember a couple years ago when I had to put fuel in a near-empty Range Rover SC test car. Of course the thing needed premium fuel, and it was during one of the previous gas spikes that had high-octane fuel above $3 a gallon. The pump stopped at $75.16, and when I saw it I freaked out (and it wasn't even my money; Edmunds was paying).
Sadly, that fill-up cost isn't so rare these days. In fact, Edmunds just did a study that showed 18 percent of new cars cost over $100 to fill up based on a gas price of $4.06 a gallon (the national average on July 21st). Ouch!
I don't think I've ever seen the pump read over $100 after a fill up, but in the past month I had three separate occasions where it hit $75 and stopped because of the pre-set dollar cut-off many gas stations have in place. Two of those were in the Ford GT, and both times I had to complete the transaction and start a new one only to see the pump shut-off after less than a gallon of additional gas went in (though that was still another $2-$3).
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- Karl Brauer August 6, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency
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- Fill Up, Gas Prices, Tank
July 30, 2008
In case you haven't noticed, fuel prices have dropped recently. Some would call the latest price drops a drop in the bucket (why do I have trouble getting excited over gas costing "only" $4.33 a gallon in Los Angeles?), but a price reduction of 5 percent over the past two weeks is better than the constant gas price hikes we've seen since early spring.
However, as with most things, there are two sides to this reduction in coin. Specifically, as the price of fuel drops so does the advantage of hybrid powertrains over traditional gasoline versions.
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- Karl Brauer July 30, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Chevrolet, Fuel Efficiency, Honda, Hybrid Vehicles, Lexus, Toyota
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- Fuel Prices, Hybrid Vehicle
July 11, 2008
"The automotive and oil industries need to stop profiting from raping our planet!"
"Environmentalists won't be happy 'til we're all living in caves and eating leaves!"
I could go into a long-winded discussion of the opposing views between environmentalists and car guys, but in the spirit of efficiency I think the above statements capture the most extreme perspectives quite effectively.
This week's Talk Back Tuesday touched on the rising price of energy and how increased domestic drilling and/or the construction of domestic nuclear power plants could offset those costs. As expected, the environmental impact of these actions was debated, both in my original post and in the subsequent comments.
Also as expected, no clear resolution was found, though many of the standard claims about oil addiction and car guy anti-environmentalism were tossed about. I was personally told that "You're a car guy, and (judging from the Michelle Obama comment) evidently a Republican as well, so maybe you have a hard time seeing the value of preserving the environment..." Also "the population as a whole would like both affordable energy and keeping a few parts of the earth unsullied by our addictions."
Okay, so car guys and Republicans can't see the value of preserving the environment, and any interaction between humans and the environment invokes the term "sullied."
I'm not going to speak from an environmentalist's point of view, because I (happily) don't embrace that label for myself. But I can speak from a car guy's, conservationists and Republican's point of view, so here are some basic viewpoints I do hold:
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- Karl Brauer July 11, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency
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- Environmentalist, Nuclear Power, Oil Drilling
July 10, 2008
What the majority of crossover/SUV buyers say: "I need a functional, roomy vehicle that can carry me and my stuff wherever I may need to go."
What the majority of crossover/SUV buyers really mean: "I basically need a station wagon, but I want to look cool and sit up high to satisfy my 'king of the road' delusions, and if it can get decent gas mileage all the better."
I bring this up not to make fun of most crossover/SUV buyers, but to point out that a car-like ride and handling, combined with a roomy cabin, useable cargo space and 30-plus mpg, is really all these people want or need.
Ford knows this too, as they've clearly proven with the updated 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid. Everything from horsepower to electric-only motivation to structural integrity and in-car entertainment has been improved.
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- Karl Brauer July 10, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Ford, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
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- 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid, Crossover, Fuel Efficiency, SUV
July 7, 2008
Guess what? High fuel prices are forcing a change in people's lifestyles. I've broached the subject directly on this blog a couple times over the past few months, but an Edmunds survey, posted between June 20 and June 25 on our homepage, has confirmed it with real statistics from over 1,300 respondents. Among them:
Nearly 50 percent are driving fewer miles or combining errands to reduce fuel consumption, and another 14% are consciously driving the most fuel-efficient car in the household versus their "regular" car. Just over 10% have revised or cancelled their summer vacation plans, while another 5% were working from home and only 4.9% haven't made any lifestyle changes.
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- Karl Brauer July 7, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Driving, Fuel Efficiency
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- Fuel Prices
June 30, 2008
A couple weeks ago I wrote a post suggesting the mad dash from "gas guzzlers" to "fuel sippers" was maybe a bit too mad. I further suggested that people consider a more cerebral approach to the situation versus letting current gas prices force them into rash action. Ideally, every potential vehicle purchase is preceded by a careful and thoughtful process of weighing costs and benefits (yeah, right).
I'm happy to report a tool designed to aid in just such behavior. We've produced a brand new "Gas Guzzler for Gas Sipper" calculator that taps into Edmunds' vehicle pricing for folks considering a switch to a more fuel efficient vehicle. You can read the calculator's introductory story here, but the short version has already been stated -- switching from a "big, evil gas hog" to a "warm, fluffy gas sipper" could be a financial blunder.
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- Karl Brauer June 30, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
June 25, 2008
If you're running (likely screaming) from your gas guzzler, and if you have embraced the idea of giving up all manner of fun and luxury in the name of lower fuel costs, the Volkswagen Rabbit is not the economy car for you.
It's not for you because, at a combined EPA fuel rating of 24 mpg, it's simply not that fuel efficient. And at a starting price of $17,000, it's not particularly inexpensive. However, with Germanic steering feel, 170 horsepower from its base engine, and a zero-to-60 time in the 7-second range, it's also rather fun to drive. And with supportive and comfy seats, soft-touch plastics throughout the cabin and a pumpin' base sound sytem it feels more luxurious than most economy cars.
Basically, the Rabbit is a perfect example of moderation in action. If you're looking for super cheap to buy and/or super cheap to feed there are better choices. But if you're looking for relatively cheap to buy and relatively cheap to feed, all while maintaining some sense of luxury and driving entertainment, the Rabbit offers an excellent mix of the aforementioned.
I'm not sure about the name change, as Volkswagen Rabbit always makes me think of the convertible-cheerleader-mobiles from high school, and that's not a positive connotation IMHO. Yes, I know, technically those cars were called "Cabriolet" -- whatever.
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- Karl Brauer June 25, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Volkswagen
June 24, 2008
You may have already heard this, but Ford is delaying the launch of the all-new F-150 by two months.
There's really no way to spin this, it's simply bad news. It's bad because they've spent plenty of money redesigning this truck, so any delay in selling it ultimately costs them money. It's bad because the F-150 has represented a guaranteed, fundamental level of income for Ford for decades. Now it doesn't (a lack of 2008 F-150 sales is the official reason Ford is giving for the 2009 model delay).
Finally, it's really bad (for Ford, and all the domestics) because it clearly reflects the hostile market for big, old-school, V8-powered vehicles. This news comes on the heels of GM stating they have postponed the GMT900 (Silverado, Tahoe) platform redesign "indefinitely." So far (and I say that with some trepidation...) the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram launch is still on schedule.
While these news reports aren't exactly earth-shattering, or unexpected, I find them interesting on a level missed by most news reports -- Trucks have gotten pretty damn good!
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- Karl Brauer June 24, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Automotive News, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
June 18, 2008
The flight from large trucks and SUVs is undeniable, and we've got the figures to prove it.
If you check out this new AutoObserver story you can read all the gory details, but the upshot is pretty simple, people are fleeing from large trucks and SUVS at an unprecedented rate. The chart above shows what people are coming out of to buy a midsize car when trading in. Basically, people trading in a midsize sedan for another midsize sedan is down 19% compared to January and February of this year, but people trading in something larger than a midsize sedan to get a midsize sedan has skyrocketed. In other words, far more people are coming into this segment than were a few months ago, and most of the people coming in are coming from large and midsize SUVs.
There are plenty of other facts and figures in the article, including a clear uptick in used car purchases (people concerned about future economic issues and wanting to hang on to their money) and a sharp jump in people buying small cars with trade-ins less than four years old (people wanting a fuel-efficient car now versus waiting until their current car "wears out").
While this shift is expected in a world with fuel prices spiking, the sudden change -- and by such a large percentage of buyers -- is unprecedented. Remember, these figures aren't compared to April/May of last year, they are compared to January/February of this year.
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- Karl Brauer June 18, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Automotive News, Fuel Efficiency
June 13, 2008
A Toyota Prius on PCH is like a news headline about gas prices -- I've become numb from the frequency level of both, to the point of not noticing anymore.
Regardless, I did my part to further the status of "Prius Coast Highway" by driving a 2008 model home recently. The Prius is an interesting prospect. A thrill ride? Certainly not. But there's nothing wrong with this car.
Does that sound like faint praise? Well consider the Caliber, Smart or even Toyota's own Yaris. Can I use the "nothing wrong with this car" line on them? No! In fact there are plenty of economy cars with one or more issues to keep them off my consideration list.
The Prius, by contrast, is relatively fast, stable, confident, comfortable, roomy, luxurious (especially if you pop for the various options) and cargo capable. When I try to think of a reason not to buy it, I come up blank.
Then I look at the near 50 mpg I got on my commute, which equates to about one gallon of gas each way for me, and the Prius' proposition is hard to deny. Finally, with $4-a-gallon gas, it only takes a few years to pay for the car's higher price versus a comparable, non-hybrid compact car.
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- Karl Brauer June 13, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Toyota
June 12, 2008
The automotive world as we know it has officially turned upside down. I've already mentioned a few May sales numbers in previous posts, but I've got the latest full download from our data guys and there's a solid Top 10 List of interesting points:
1. The Ford Focus outsold the F-150 in May, and is within10,000 units of F-150 year-to-date sales for 2008. Not sure how that reflects on the nine-year-old Focus, the four-year-old F-150 or the eight-month-old Sync technology, but probably mostly a reflection of The New Car Market we are living in.
2. The Honda Civic is within 2,000 year-to-date sales of the F-150, and it outsold Ford's perennial best seller by 20,000 units in May. The Civic will pass the F-150 in June and probably never look back in terms of the 2008 sales race. The bigger question: When (if ever) will the F-150 outsell the Civic again? Will the redesigned 2009 F-150 turn things around? Care to place your bets?
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- Karl Brauer June 12, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Automotive News, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
June 9, 2008
By now the domestics have been fully tarred and feathered in the mainstream press for basing their business plan around large trucks and SUVs. For two decades they drank in the heavy body-on-frame profits while putting minimal investment into high quality small cars. I won't beat that dead horse any further.
Toyota, on the other hand, has maintained a pretty wide product portfolio for the past decade. I've said several times Toyota deserves credit for keeping a full arsenal at the ready. Gas selling for cheap? Step up to one of our many V8-powered large SUVs or luxury cars. Gas prices up? Headlines screaming about man's destruction of fragile Mother Earth? Try our Echo/Yaris or Corolla or mpg-leading Prius.
Yes, I'm aware of the irony that within a year of Toyota launching a truly full-size truck (complete with a brand new, over-budget assembly plant in Texas) gas has hit record highs and big trucks are officially "out" in the average consumer's mind. Something tells me the big "T" will survive this bit of bad timing.
But the most interesting case study of all comes not from the truck-dependent domestics or Tundra-and-Prius-peddling Toyota, but from steadfast Honda. Like the Tortoise and the Hare fable, Honda has plugged along for the last 50 years in this country with a consistent attitude. "We'll make fuel-efficient, value-priced, highly dependable vehicles with a strong emphasis on leading-edge engineering."
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- Karl Brauer June 9, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Acura, Automotive News, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Honda, Toyota
June 3, 2008
Credit the wife with today's topic. She read an article this past weekend about "gas theft" in Oxnard, (near Ventura) and while the actual incidence of gas theft hasn't spiked - yet - various police officials fully expect it to as gas inches ever closer to $5 a gallon (it's well above that price for diesel around here). Gas, like gold, is becoming a more valuable commodity evey day.
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- Karl Brauer June 3, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
May 29, 2008
People calling for a $5-a-gallon gas tax to end America's Oil Addiction may get their way without one. As oil prices flirt with $140 a barrel and fuel prices creep past $4-a-gallon the sales of SUVs, minivans, trucks (full-size and compact) have hit the wall.
Michelle Krebs just posted the latest sales analysis on Auto Observer, and it further confirms with hard evidence what most of us already knew -- Americans weren't buying SUVs because they needed them, and now they aren't buying them at all. If SUV-dependent automakers don't already have a "Plan B" in place and ready to go it may just be too late...
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- Karl Brauer May 29, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Automotive News, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
May 27, 2008
Sumer is here (yeah, technically not until June 21st, but we all know it starts with Memorial Day), and the question today is simple:
Have your summer vacation plans been impacted by the price of gas?
I'm one of those freaks who actually enjoys driving across the country, and I felt this way long before the body-cavity-search/pay-extra-for-luggage/no-food-provided/no-water-allowed days of air travel.
Now it takes a pretty unique situation for me to board an airplane (like, say, having an ocean in the way). The bummer is, fuel prices have made it nearly as costly to drive as it is to fly, depending on the distance you're traveling and how many folks you're jamming into the car/minivan/SUV.
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- Karl Brauer May 27, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Road Trips, Talk Back Tuesday
May 22, 2008
I told you it was coming last week, now it's live and the final results are in.
The most interesting aspect of this test is that it accurately captured the miles-per-gallon results for distinctly different driving conditions. Most tests just lump all mpg figures together and say, "We got XX mpg in mixed driving." What exactly does "mixed" mean? For our fuel test we broke the results up and recorded fuel costs and gas useage for each segment of the driving loop. This makes it easy to see which of the competitors did well in each driving condition.
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- Karl Brauer May 22, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Ford, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Smart Car, Toyota, Volkswagen
May 21, 2008
"Attention all you lumbering, gas-guzzling SUV drivers out there: It's time for you to do your duty as a good American and trade in that fuel hog for an efficient small car that simply meets your needs -- rather than blatantly exceeds them!"
The above sentiment is likely held by many Americans (and non-Americans, for that matter), but I'm not one of them. I agree it's foolish to own far more car than you really need, especially if it's your daily driver versus an occasional pleasure vehicle. But that just comes down to wasting gas money (especially these days) versus some imagined "moral imperative." If you've got the money to -- literally -- burn and simply must have an SUV, knock yourself out.
But the real point of this blog is to ask that dreaded question: How much safety are you giving up when you "go small" in your car choice? This is a question many SUV and large-car drivers are currently asking themselves, so it deserves a look.
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- Karl Brauer May 21, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Safety Systems, Smart Car, Traffic Safety
May 15, 2008
I spent most of yesterday at Willow Springs Raceway as part of our second Edmunds Consumer Comparison Test: Economy Cars.
If you saw my earlier post you already know that we wanted to pit the leading (by both sales and editorial opinion) economy sedans against each other, but beyond picking the entrants and organizing the test session we would offer no guidance on which car we like the best.
Six consumers performed each of the evaluations on the economy sedans. The excercises including a city driving loop, a highway loop, acceleration, braking and handling tests, plus a static evaluation where they could test cargo capacity, examine interior features and generally go over each car with a fine tooth comb.
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- Karl Brauer May 15, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Honda, Mazda, Toyota
May 8, 2008
If put to a real-world test, which of these cars would get the best fuel mileage? That's the question we intended to answer with our test of a 2008 Ford Focus, 2005 (certified used) Volkswagen Jetta TDI, 2008 Toyota Prius and 2008 Smart Fourtwo.
So we ran each of them through an identical test loop of close to 1,000 miles. The loop included everything from highway travel and constant speeds to stop-and-go driving in one of the most congested towns on the planet (not L.A.) to medium speeds on deserted two-lanes. When you put a diesel (Jetta) up against a hybrid (Prius) up against a traditional economy car (Focus) up against a...a -- well, whatever the Smart car is -- what do you get in terms of fuel mileage and fuel costs?
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- Karl Brauer May 8, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Ford, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Smart Car, Toyota, Volkswagen
May 2, 2008
With a 35 mpg standard by 2020 staring automakers in the face it seems unlikely SUVs will survive the coming CAFE spike, right?
Maybe not. First, as I noted in my blog post last December, that 35 mpg CAFE rating doesn't really equate to a 35 mpg EPA rating. You can read more about the topic in this article. Bottom line -- because of the different testing procedures between these two agencies a vehicle only needs to average about 26 mpg, by EPA testing standards, to meet the 2020 CAFE requirement.
And if you check our latest Top 10 Most Fuel Efficient SUVs for 2008 list, you'll see that every SUV on this list already has at least one number above 26 mpg, and the top five entries average 26 mpg or better. Yes, five of them are essentially the same car (props to Ford for being so far ahead of the game) but the Escape, and even the Escape Hybrid, have been out for years already.
And remember, these are 2008 vehicles on sale today. In 12 years how many more SUVs will be pulled up to this level? Well, I guess all the ones still on sale at that point...
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- Karl Brauer May 2, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
April 29, 2008
In case you haven't noticed, the price of gas is a bit higher than it used to be. Actually, its ranging from 50 to 80 cents more per gallon than it was this time last year, and over the past weekend I almost couldn't cover my fuel charge with a $20 bill -- for my motorcycle! That was a bit of a wake up call.
I remember a conversation between my parents where my dad was talking about all the people who said they'd use roller skates before paying a given price for a gallon of gas. Of course, this conversation took place in 1984, and the price people were agonizing over was $1.25-a-gallon. Now we're at $4-a-gallon, and I still haven't seen any rollerskates.
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- Karl Brauer April 29, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
April 1, 2008
Diesel powertrains make up over 50 percent of new-car sales in Europe. On a cost-benefit ratio, diesels are more efficient and environmentally responsible (especially when you take total vehicle production and lifecycle into account) than hybrids. Modern fuel-system and exhaust-system technologies have removed much of the noise, smell, soot and pollution associated with diesel engines while giving them near gasoline-like responsiveness and performance (just ask Audi).
Basically, diesels have nearly every advantage over hybrid drivetrains, and score pretty well against traditional gasoline engines, too. I've spent the last week in our long-term Volkswagen Jetta TDI, and today I'm driving a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD (look for my specific post on that vehicle tomorrow). Both vehicles continue to validate the effectiveness of modern diesels at reducing fuel consumption and exhuast emissions while cutting our dependence on imported oil.
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- Karl Brauer April 1, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
March 28, 2008
This isn't exactly a new warning call. In fact, we wrote an article on "miracle fuel additives" back in September of 2005, and our own Phil Reed did a blog on the topic last year. But no matter how often I try to shoo people away from these modern day snake-oil salesmen the spam emails and flashy Web sites, always filled with outrageous claims, keep popping up. Typically they reach full crescendo around this time of year -- as the weather warms, people start planning vacations and the summer blends crank up the price of gas even higher. I can only assume the resilience of these shady characters comes from consistently making money off duping people with false promises, despite my best efforts.
My email has been clogged with a flood of these fake product promotions in recent weeks, so maybe I'm a bit more sensitive to the flow of B.S. than most of you. I always chuckle at the wording these hucksters use. The following lines are direct quotes from such an email:
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- Karl Brauer March 28, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency
March 26, 2008
In the next 48 hours you're going to hear a lot of squawking about electric cars by various "green" groups. That's because the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is meeting on March 27th (Friday) to possibly reinstate the zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) mandate they abandoned back in 2003.
I find this fascinating because the same justifications these groups will use to demand electric cars are the same reasons it should be clear why EVs aren't viable. People associated with Tesla Motors and the movie Who Killed the Electric Car will be on hand in Sacramento today to tow the EV line. Let's look at each group's claim.
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- Karl Brauer March 26, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
March 20, 2008
We just posted a fabulous story on gas saving tips. With prices inching ever higher it seemd like the perfect time to re-run the old "A/C versus non-A/C" test. Or how about the "tailgate up versus tailgate down" rumor we've all heard regarding fuel mileage?
Three of our staffers (one a former automotive engineer) ran a Lexus ES 350, Buick Enclave and Toyota Tundra along a 60-mile stretch of California's Interstate 5 in the Central Valley. This region bares a strong resemblance to Kansas -- flat and straight (with miminal scenery), meaning small changes to driving conditions can yield small (or big) changes in fuel economy -- without other factors playing a role.
Does having empty roof rails on an SUV effect mileage versus removing them completely? The answer is "yes" but leaving them up there only cost us 1 percent in fuel mileage. But strap a few pieces of luggage down on those rails and guess what happens? In our testing program gas mileage dropped 21 percent! And you thought traveling light was only smart at airports.
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- Karl Brauer March 20, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Driving, Fuel Efficiency
March 14, 2008
There's an undeniable trend that just keeps repeating this auto show season. It started in Tokyo last October, though at that show you expect to see a bizarre combination of performance (Nissan GT-R) and environmental responsibility (Honda Puyo). But the same themes have appeared at Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago and Geneva.
You've got car companies committed to vehicles like the Dodge Challenger and and Corvette ZR-1 because they had their genesis back when fuel was $2 a gallon and the Prius was still a punchline in late night monologues. At the same time every automaker is scrambling to produce an earth-friendly, Al Gore-approved form of transportation as quickly as possible.
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- Karl Brauer March 14, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles
March 6, 2008
Some of you may have already seen this, but an article in Tuesday's Wall Street Journal takes what seems like a very reasoned, rational look at the earth's oil supplies, recovery efficiencies and rate of consumption. Conclusion? We have enough oil to last until approximately the end of this century. And yes, that figure takes into account the rising demands for oil in developing countries.
Obviously such statements are funded by the oil companies and cleared with Dick Cheney before ever being printed, but if you can step outside your conspiracy theories for about five minutes and give this article a read you might discover some very sound evidence.
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- Karl Brauer March 6, 2008, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency
February 19, 2008
I touched on this subject about 10 months ago, but it deserves another visit in the wake of recent activity. First is the ratification of a new energy bill that will raise CAFE standards dramatically (though not as much as you my think...). Now comes a story about insurance companies waging a war on horsepower.
As I noted in early April of 2007, the storm clouds are gathering and it appears a long, bitter "anti-performance" winter is about to begin. As you might expect, a period of "performance-car hibernation" is sure to follow, setting the stage for current supercars like the Corvette ZR1 and Nissan GT-R to play the role of 21st Century Hemi 'Cudas and Super Duty Trans Ams.
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- Karl Brauer February 19, 2008, 7:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
