Quote:
Originally Posted by cinellipro
If you’ve been keeping up with progress in the automobile industry, you will note that we are in another protracted transition period that is being heavily influenced by developing technologies along with the need to create cars that are more fuel efficient and earth gentle. With lots of great looking designs integrating user-friendly technologies and small displacement engines while keeping the planet green, all excellent goals to meet the needs of the masses.
|
Yes, and "earth gentle" unfortunately ends up being marketing speak for folks who don't understand that their environmental impact may just be delayed (disposing of huge batteries) or distant (mining rare earth metals in China, coal generated electricity). At least this transition period as you've aptly put it comes with fairly high output and efficient engines, unlike the response in the '70s to just choke every engine back to ridiculously low output for MPG's sake, even in sports cars.
I don't know enough about CAFE regulations, but it seems as if there should be an exemption for low-sales volume models. It's not as if the current Z brings the Nissan lineup's average down by much as it is, anyway.
I do think that there will be a backlash to some of the tiny turbo'ed engines replacing V6s and larger I4s. It's easy to be fooled by HP and torque measurements, and it seems automakers are also finding ways to game the EPA's mpg test cycles. Many of these new tiny engines are going to return low MPGs if driven hard and may not have the longevity of the more basic engines they're replacing.