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Make the Hemi electric powered and then everyone will be happy.
Seriously. Can you really say you're surprised that in an age where gasoline is a dwindling resource that companies would continue to be able to get away with making engines that aren't as frugal with the stuff as they could be? Especially after the 70s?
Mopar needs to get its fuel economy into at least the late 90's so its not surprising.
These new V6's will make or break the company.
On the gas guzzler front, allpar has the skinny on the new updated ram, and I have to say I really like it.
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And this is fucking brilliant.
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But it should be market forces that dictate what cars the car companies make, not the government's mpg fantasy. CAFE is unreasonable and is forcing car companies to scrap products people want, and make cars they don't like econoboxes, even if that's not the company's market segment.
BMW is talking about starting a new brand just to sell economical cars. They are forced to do it because those aren't the kind of cars they make currently. But it makes perfect sense that they don't since that's not the market segment they are appealling to, but now they have to because CAFE says so and so % of your sales needs to be econoboxes to meet the fleet avg mpg requirement. It's BS.
This is so true on many different levels. People bitch about 3.00 gas prices but Toyota still rolled out nearly 200k Tundras, most with the 5.7 liter, F150 still sold over half a million units. Imposing CAFE regs will only result in more people driving further in cars they don't really want. If the Feds want to slow down gas consumption they need to man up and make it like 6 bucks a gallon like most of the rest of the world. Nothing else will work.Quote:
Originally Posted by stormy
The worst part about CAFE is that it's measured by the vehicles that the manufacturers sell--so even if they make a 100MPG economobile to offset their truck MPG ratings (also awful that their trucks are rolled up into the new CAFE standard) but no one buys it, they still get penalized.
Taxing the hell out of gas is an awful solution, as well. No matter how expensive gas is, I still need it to get to work, buy groceries, and see my family, and it's not like I'll stop having to go to work because gas is expensive. I'll just be broke.
High MPG economobiles may make sense for Europe and Japan, but they don't have truck markets, and they don't have 3,000 mile wide borders. I think it'd be awesome if we gave less money to the Middle East, but strangling consumers and/or the auto manufacturers just can't be the way to get off it.
Did you guys see this nugget from autoblog? Corvettes with 150 less horsepower. Thanks CAFE!
I agree they should be lighter, but cutting 300lbs won't be easy or cheap if it's even possible. They should add another less powerful model of Corvette, but you can't take away power. It's a Vette!Quote:
The new CAFE regulations might spell the end for big V8s, but future Corvettes will be packing a similar performance punch with a smaller footprint. Automotive News sat down with the Corvette's vehicle line exec, Tom Wallace, to discuss the future of the iconic coupe and he said that a 700 hp 'Vette is off the table. Instead, Chevy is looking to lighten the Corvette's weight and utilize a smaller V8 in order to keep the same power-to-weight ratio of the current generation models. Although Wallace didn't get into details, that didn't stop AN from speculating that the next Corvette could go on a 300 to 400 pound diet and get motivation from a 4.7-liter V8 (making 150 hp less). However, Wallace's own words are more telling, saying that the next 'Vette could be "more fuel efficient [and] even nimbler than it was before.
stormy, have you yet pondered what CAFE might mean for rotaries?
Lutz has already said there won't be another Monaro/GTO.
But you already have the G8, which they will probably make a coupe version of anyway so there isn't much need for another GTO.Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkRyan
Mazda is already working on the next gen rotary and as of now at least they have pledged that they will always support the rotary, and that it is an important part of their corporate identity. They sell so few anyway that if CAFE is based on volume it can't be hurting them too bad. If they bring over the Mazda 2 to offset it then that's a bonus.
There are a couple details out there already. The x16 rotary is 1.6 liters, they say more torque, direct injection, aluminum housings, and it's cleaner (probably still not super clean still). I think the guestimate based on the available info is that it should be able to hit 275hp na, possibly more. They also have functioning hydrogen powered rotarys in test. It turns out the design is pretty efficient at combusting some of the alternative fuels out there.
There won't be a coupe G8. Even the VXR model they've got in Aussieland and Europe now is a four door monstrosity.
But it IS market forces. Or do you think all these layoffs are the result of GM Ford and Chrysler saying take early retirement, you've earned it!? The fact that the government is forcing them to recognize is a good thing.Quote:
Originally Posted by stormy