GM now says hybrids are good as sales collapse

How about a favorite of mine, the VW Lupo 3L?

The 3L refers to the metric fuel economy: 3L/100km. That's 94 MPG Imperial gallon, almost 80 MPG U.S. gallon. It has a 3 cylinder 1 litre turbocharged diesel.

I too support increased taxation of gasolene. At the very least we can use the extra taxes to improve our roads and mass transit.

I'm also in favor of lowering the speed limit back to the Double Nickle or 55 MPH. Many studies have shown the correlation between increased speed limits (Up to 75 MPH) and higher accident and mortality rates, not to mention increased fuel use.

 

"Taxing people into a particular behavior is inconsistent with free market economics, has major disruptive effects on the natural flow of economies, is un-American and is downright immoral. "

So I take it you want to rescind the taxes on alcohol and tobacco, and also rescind the mortgage interest deduction? All three are "social engineering through tax policy."

 

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In this case, a higher fuel tax would do far better than letting the "market" decide. After all, years and years of (relatively) cheap gasoline has prompted the introduction of the Lincoln Navigator, Ford Excursion, Hummer H3, and International beast of a pickup truck. About the only way I'd agree with your take is if oil really did experience that "super spike" up to $100 a barrel...Which would induce a rapid jump in the price of gasoline at the pump, and encourage the American people to reconsider that new SUV.

There is a saying about boiling a frog. If you put a frog in cold water and slowly raise the temperature, h'll adapat a little at a time and won't realize that he's being killed. If you drop a frog in a vat of boiling water - he knows he's toast. Same thing with gas prices. Where I'm at, we were at $1.89. Then $1.94, $1.99, $2, $2.14, $2.25. Even though we've seen that, it doesn't impact anybodys actions...sort of like the frog saying "dang, it's warm in here". And then they go look for an Explorer instead of an Excursion when shopping for a new "car".

If gas went to $4 a gallon tomorrow, suddenly the "needs" to tow a trailer, haul the kids soccer equipment, or whatever the reason du jour has been for owning a gas hog is would disappear, and the public would demand something more fuel efficient. Remember back in the 70's...all Detroit built was gas hogs - because that's what the American people demanded - right up to the time that gas went from 19 cents a gallon to $1 a gallon. Then they wanted something more economical. But the big 3 didn't have anything - there was no demand for them. So what incentive does Detroit have to build something more effiecent when Americans are so in love with horsepower and trucks? A fuel tax would provide that incentive.

 

Back when there were few carmakers, the "menu" of GM cars made sense. But with "badge engineering" the norm, the proliferation is just an added overhead expense. Buick, Pontiac, GMC have outlived their usefulness, but Wagoner was a little too honest in saying so! Get rid of division overheads, invest the money in quality and innovation, and maybe they can swerve enough to not hit the iceberg.

 

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