Obama's new rules will transform U.S. auto culture

Yeah sure, transform us into the laughing stock of the world and take away more of our liberties at the same time.

That guy makes me so angry.

I want to start a business manufacturing gas guzzlers and I want no interference from the government. Guess I'll have to start it somewhere other than the U.S. unless I'm willing to wait for the end of the Obama administration...

The great Obama knows best. I am just wondering what will happen to this infinite wisdom of economic decision making when He is not there any more to guide the poor Americans? After all, he has only 8 years to create paradise.

Willi - No worries, Biden will take over in 2017.

"the Volt is expected to sell for $35,000-$40,000"

Not to me.

I'm interested in seeing how a company like BMW will reach this average. Won't they have to eliminate their entire 5 and 7-series line up?

most small cars are not american so how does buy american fit in this?

So much angst from Americans who proclaim it is their right (!) to continue to breathe filthy air.

Hilarious. The world is laughing at you. :-)

"Won't they have to eliminate their entire 5 and 7-series line up?"

"But it’s the latest generation of engines that is the 5’s ace. If the idea of a 50mpg plus executive-class car......."

http://www.motors.co.uk/cars/reviews/bmw-5-series

"And in this process the new diesel-powered 7 Series make do with fuel consumption of only 8.5 and, respectively, 9.7 litres/100 km in the EU cycle (33.2 and, respectively, 29.1 mpg Imp)."

http://www.carpages.co.uk/bmw/bmw_7_series_diesel_motoring_27_09_02.asp

Super old lad, the mega gas guzzling Beamers are made for you lot. Economical 5 series and even the ugly and un-popular 7 series have existed for years in Europe. Heh, and what's funnier is the diesels are faster, have loads more torque and are stronger engines. I nevr understand your Europe bashing on this score.

I support Obama's decision to wean Americans off their addiction to un-reliable and un-economical monstrosities.

So much angst from Americans who proclaim it is their right (!) to continue to breathe filthy air.

Air in the States is probably cleaner than where you are from.

Care to compare? Your sniping might hit the mark,for once.

teleprompter - "Air in the States is probably cleaner than where you are from."

Heh, your well-known inferiority complex about other nations comes to the fore yet again. :-)

Actually, air where I come from is far, far cleaner than America's, but hey, who am I to compare? I just enjoy laughing at people like you who outright DEMAND the right to continue breathing polluted air when your government, under the leadership of President Obama, is putting forward a plan to make your air cleaner.

I support Obama's decision to wean Americans off their addiction to un-reliable and un-economical monstrosities." You too are not really following the situation. First of all, there have been numerous companies with reliable electric and even solar power cars for at least 15 years. But, none of these companies will benefit, no only GE will. Like GWB was controlled by the big oil, O is controlled by an un-performing company such as GE. Notice how really benefited from moving the digital? Notice how many got coupons to change over and no here is getting a coupon to move over? Wind Power companies, solar companies, and hydro power companies that are not under the GE's umbrella will fade away. YOu better get your roofs solar paneled now and if you are in Japan, deal with teh 2 million yen you have to pay, because its going to get worse if these guys analyzing this now are correct.

Skip,

"First of all, there have been numerous companies with reliable electric and even solar power cars for at least 15 years."

Are you seriously suggesting that any of these automakers have produced a viable replacement for the internal combustion engine over the past fifteen years?

Apart from autonomy problems, don't they all cost absolute megabucks?

Actually, air where I come from is far, far cleaner than America's, but hey, who am I to compare?

You haven't made valid comparisons, in either case.

We are supposed to simply take your word that [ XXXXXXXXX ] has air cleaner than America?

A child would laugh at you.

As regards The Sierra club, it's is a 'non-profit' political organization. No informed American would regard a press release from them as objective.

Try again?

Madverts:

" I support Obama's decision to wean Americans off their addiction to un-reliable and un-economical monstrosities. "

Yes, and Obama can engineer this weaning off by means of decree, deciding on target figures at his desk. (Arrived at by supernatural wisdom, or divine inspiration? You decide).

After all, 5-year plans have such a good track record in command economies all through history, don´t they?

Mad,

"Are you seriously suggesting that any of these automakers have produced a viable replacement for the internal combustion engine over the past fifteen years?" Yes, and I posted a few companies, several US, that have been producing such cars, however, its been very hard for them to gain running capital, marketing, and believe it or not, under Clinton, electric cars were not considered safe.

Of course most of these cars don't go as fast as most cars do, but then again, I never understood why allow a go to over the fast max speed anyway.

Apart from autonomy problems, don't they all cost absolute megabucks?" The better ones yes, but with proper amount of capital the prices would come down. Also, a few of the better companies have government contracts and they are basically just sitting on them.

I support Obama's decision to wean Americans off their addiction to un-reliable and un-economical monstrosities.

Awhile back, a buddy of mine was getting married in London. When he lived in the US, he always gave me crap about how Americans love big cars, and how un-economical and inefficient they are. Lot of fun to argue politics with. Anyway, so a group of us flew in from the states to attend his wedding. And rather then have us take a taxi or a shuttle, his family insisted on picking us all up. It took 5 trips to and from the hotel to get all of us and our luggage there. My response... Now you see why Americans like big cars?

Anyway, so a group of us flew in from the states to attend his wedding. And rather then have us take a taxi or a shuttle, his family insisted on picking us all up. It took 5 trips to and from the hotel to get all of us and our luggage there. My response... Now you see why Americans like big cars?

This only works in countries with very high divorce rates, Molenir.

Now you see why Americans like big cars?

If you had a wedding every day it might make sense.

When he lived in the US, he always gave me crap about how Americans love big cars, and how un-economical and inefficient they are.

Envy, pure and simple.

Madverts: I nevr understand your Europe bashing on this score.

Nah, I'm a car guy. I just get tired of Europeans talking as if their car companies don't make gas guzzlers themselves for the US market. Interesting read, tho, thanks. And naturally I support Obama on this as long as people can still get trucks when they need them, like construction companies, etc.

Madverts: Are you seriously suggesting that any of these automakers have produced a viable replacement for the internal combustion engine over the past fifteen years?

The problem is that mostly Americans choose to not drive such cars. We have the land and gas is cheap. There was no necessity to be the mother of invention until the environmental problems arrived.

Does Toyota still take a loss on the Prius? I know they were for quite some time. And for smaller cars they don't make much, they're just trying to build brand loyalty with younger buyers so they'll graduate into their profit producing lineups. A company can build a sold, fuel efficient small car but if it's not profitable then it becomes counterproductive. It's like forcing McDonald's to sell salads as a way to reduce the weight problem. I'm hoping the government adds something to their plant to take this into account.

To JT:

The new rules would bring new cars and trucks sold in the United States to an average of 35.5 miles per gallon, about 10 mpg more than today’s standards. Passenger cars will be required to get 39 mpg, light trucks 30 mpg.

Such a long article, presenting a lot of opinions. But the most obvious, the facts, means a clear description of the new rules, has been left out. Journalism at it's worst...

Other than that, this is not a US web site. Please use SI units or at least add them in brackets.

Wow with these new changes we are back to the 70's and early eighties. =When Honda had the CVCC and Datsun was king.

One problem: the older fuel sippers had only ~60hp so you are looking at 55-60mph and maybe 65mph downhill with the wind at your back. =the speed limit may need to drop to 55 again.

Fuel prices are on the rise.

If a BMW 750iL(the stretch) can get 30+mpg on the highway, is it really worth it to drive a 33mpg Toyota Corolla?

Nearly everybody else will drive smaller cars

Somehow this seems strangely familiar. Remember, the Volkswagon (the People's Car) was a government sponsored program. And look what happend to the government that sponsored it.

"Passenger cars will be required to get 39 mpg"

Except for Obama's ride.

molenir,

"Now you see why Americans like big cars?"

Not at all - why the hell didn't they hire a minibus?

it will only cost the amercians billions to develop the technology required if they ignore the technology that has existed and been used by other countries for years..its possible to get a family sized car in the UK that returns 50mpg on average..and it has been possible for more than 10 years.

"If a BMW 750iL(the stretch) can get 30+mpg on the highway"

I've owned a 850i and laugh at that mileage claim.

Super,

You can't blame European busninesses for making what US customers want!

Except for Obama's ride.

Hey Sarge, don't forget Gore, Cheney, Biden, the Bush clan, Pelosi, Rumsfeld, Kennedy, Baker, all 3 Clintons, Rahm, ....

I'm sure all those governing, and used to govern, will exempted. Only the governed will have to sacrifice, as usual. "Don't get fooled again."

The BMW 850 v12 was a sports car where as the 750i and 750iL are a sedan with that v12 option, but are usually a v8. (actually the V8 of that generation is the wiser choice)

I had a 75 Oldsmobile 350ci Rocket V8 TH350 A/T and if you baby-ed it could get close to 30mpg highway. For city mpg you really need a smaller car or a hybrid (a hybrid will actually get better city mpg than highway.

Badsey story of the day: In my 66 Charger 440ci (1967 engine), BMW 750 rolls on me and cuts in front on highway. BMW slows down to toy with me. Badsey puts the power down hard and shows BMW the meaning of displacement and PentaStar power. Over in 2-3 seconds and they may have lost some hearing ability.

The V8's are a quad cam 4.4 litre, are pretty gutless and as equally un-economical as the SOHC V12 - but certainly more reliable. Maybe the problem is my right foot though.....heh, Madverts story of the day - I have modified Volvo T5R that does similar things to most people brave enough to have a go.....and that's a 2300cc!

The same theory as ever. "Give an American an 8.3 litre and he'll give yo 500bhp. Give it to a European and he'll give you 1500bhp" - Jeremy Clarkson

The problem is that mostly Americans choose to not drive such cars. We have the land and gas is cheap. There was no necessity to be the mother of invention until the environmental problems arrived.

The environmental problems have been around since the 1960s. That was half a century ago. The mother of invention still hasn't arrived. And if someone tries to push it, Americans balk. Why would the auto industry in the US be in dire straits?

I don't know a lot about cars. I do know, I like my car to get more miles to the gallon, that saves me money. I also know I don't like toy cars. I like a big car I can fit my bike and my groceries into. I want something that looks nice, but is roomy on the inside, so that I can stretch out if I want to. So it really comes down to balancing lower fuel costs, versus comfort.

What I don't like, is some politician or eco-nut badmouthing me because of the car I choose to drive. What the hell do they know? Who are they to talk about my choices. If I want to pay a bit more for gas, then screw you. Particularly when the vast majority of them like Obama are nothing but hypocrites. Now if you're talking emissions standards, I don't know anything about them, but if they can reduce emissions, while allowing me to be able to drive in comfort, then I'm all for it.

Ok, all I'm hearing from folks is "Gas gas gas". How come people are still ignoring hyrdogen? or even better yet Hydro/electric hybrid? Sounds like people really are addicted to gas like smokers to cigarettes. "We have the technology..." and yet people still want to go down the same old path over and over again. As I said, if society won't change by its own will, someone just may have to force it.

Well, people will be kicking and screaming now, but hey, 10 years from now they'll be wondering what the fuss was about.

" If I want to pay a bit more for gas, then screw you"

Sure, you're free to act in that manner. So were the US auto industry.

The easy thing to do, is to simply charge a 100% premium on gas. The customers will autotmatically demand cars with better efficiency. The speed limits should be brought down, so the demand for high torque, fuel guzzlers goes down. USA really should revive the railways. Make them popular by making them affordable and frequent. Will save lots of petroleum.

IF hydrogen was so cheap to make every car would run on it, HonestDictator, there are no free rides yet.

Ok, all I'm hearing from folks is "Gas gas gas". How come people are still ignoring hyrdogen?

Too many people remember the Hindenberg.

Maheshvi, of course there are no free rides, but if you don't get started, you're not going to get there as the current situation is proving. Prices drop once things become more mainstream. Considering the fact that some people are still willing to pay $50k for a gas inhaling SUV or "Luxury" sedan instead of some vehicles that are alternative fuels is still ridiculous.

Its painful, but if you don't get things to go mainstream (gas-free vehicles) then you're going to keep putting it off. As with all technology, prices only go down as more people buy it and the technology becomes more efficient.

Before going to DC our boy Obama was makin the scene in a 2005 Chrysler 300C:

"...updated V-8 engine in the 300C, with its 5.6-liter displacement, 340 hp--and cylinder shutoff, which silences half the engine when you're just cruising along, saving lots of gasoline and allowing this monster motor to still coast the 300C around town yielding a respectable 17 mpg and, on the freeway, 25 mpg. "

http://www.forbes.com/2004/10/04/cx_mf_1004test.html

Since I admitted that I don't know much about cars, and gas milage, I did some research, and came to some realizations about certain things. Some of which I already knew, but I hadn't connected to this issue. What this article is about, is CAFE standards, or Corporate Average Fuel Economy. What happened back in 1975 when this went into effect, is that automakers started making their cars lighter, and smaller, in order to achieve the requisite standards set by lawmakers. Didn't really save any gas overall, as people ended up driving more anyway. What it did do, is allow a lot of people to get killed in accidents they would have survived had they been driving a heavier, bigger, or simply better car. After doing a bit of research on the subject, I discovered, that my SUV which people like to criticize as being a gas guzzler, is much more likely to save my life, then if I was driving a little Prius.

The point being, that I am happy to have my SUV, and when it comes time to replace it, you can be damn sure I'm going to get another one. Its safer for me, and safer for the family I hope to have some day. Not to mention being a whole heck of a lot more comfortable then one of them tiny little cars.

I wonder if Obama is aware of these little statistic, and if hes ok with the idea that by implementing these new rules, he is in effect murdering thousands of Americans.

Hi Honestdi..they are wroking on Hydrogen whic is more abundant than Carbon becaue H2O is 70% of our earth. Till the price of gas rises to the cost of breaking down water into Hydrogen, petroleum will rule. People who can afford Hummers are not to be considered as ordinary citizens. They are affluent and affluence breeds waste. Affluence is the real culprit behind the environmental degradation too. So let us encourage conservative use of resources.