Obama to unveil big increase in required mpg

[frostedflakes]

Originally posted by: Elfear

Originally posted by: Pneumothorax

Originally posted by: Corn
Well I applaud Obama returning the automotive industry back to the glory days of the late 70's and 80's. Nothing excites buyers quite like "appliances". I look forward to the lefties choking on the unintended consequences of mandating these standards from a single engineering cycle: the proliferation of diesel burning engines in passenger vehicles.

EXACTLY, as most of the posters here don't seem to be car enthusiasts, the few of us who do care more about cars than just A to B transportation are lamenting this new mandate. It took us literally 2 decades of crap-ola cars starting from the early 70's to the early-middle 90's for our cars to equal the performance of their predecessors that were made in the 60's due to 70's emission/mpg mandates. Heck not even a small 140hp 1.8L civic meets these MPG rules. So to get a 140hp civic to get to 39 average MPG (without hybrid which I detest) would require at least direct injection motor, aluminum unit body with carbon fiber (VERY expensive) OR you can slap together a 2 seater 30% smaller version with a 1.0L 65hp motor (Tata anyone?)

Seeing this CAFE legislation pass has gotten me to consider financing a BMW M3 with a tasty 8300RPM V8 instead of purchasing it outright and waiting for it to be outlawed.
Even the wife now wants us to buy the 5.7L Tundra before that gets downgraded to 2.5L 4 cylinder engine.
Of course, we'll have to baby these vehicles as it will be about 2030 before the performance of today's vehicles will be matched by their "green" descendants.

+1

I shudder to think that one day the only available option will be some anemic econo-box. Just when the horsepower wars were getting into full swing, new legislation comes out that effectively sounds it's death knell. This is akin to the goverment mandating TV power consumption rules and everybody having to switch to 10" screens.

Interestingly enough electrics should offer some pretty killer performance once the battery issue gets worked out. Check out the torque curve of an electric motor, puts an ICE to shame.

 

[ericlp]

about time...

 

[Elfear]

Originally posted by: frostedflakes

Originally posted by: Elfear

+1

I shudder to think that one day the only available option will be some anemic econo-box. Just when the horsepower wars were getting into full swing, new legislation comes out that effectively sounds it's death knell. This is akin to the goverment mandating TV power consumption rules and everybody having to switch to 10" screens.

Interestingly enough electrics should offer some pretty killer performance once the battery issue gets worked out. Check out the torque curve of an electric motor, puts an ICE to shame.

True. As evidenced by the Tesla Roadster the torque curves can be pretty stellar but at this point in time anything even remotely affordable for the average Joe is rather pathetic. I'm still not convinced that all electric vehicles are the way either since the pollution from the power plants used to power the grid for the electric cars is probably comparable to emissions from IC engines.

I may have to hit the track sometime soon though when they have some of the electric dragsters running. I'm rather dubious right now that they'll be any where near as fun as the IC cars but I'm willing to at least go find out.