The Focus? I'm surprised they have not brought the Ford KA over here, its been very popular in Europe and England, and would be able to go up against the Yaris/Smart city car market
For that matter I'm surprised Mercedes hasnt tried to import the A class for the same market
Have fun with your trains
...carnej1:
On what "old GM engine" are you talking about that you believe is being used by Toyota.....?
Quentin
I have every confidence that at some point all of the car companies have done the market research and have found that us Americans would much prefer an SUV to a sub-compact. That said, it's possible we may see these smaller cars in the American market at some point in the near future.
Of course, you could also advance the conspiracy theory that there are sinister forces at work to keep us in bigger vehicles so we use more oil..... (Where's my tinfoil hat?)
I'm sticking with my full-size extended-cab pickup until it costs me more to keep on the road than a new vehicle payment. So far, that's looking like it'll be a while.
I'm 6'5". When they come out with a small vehicle that I can get into without having to fold up like a pocket knife and can drive with my head straight up, I'll take a look. Until then, I'm looking at bigger vehicles. And, as someone else pointed out, I carry a lot of 'stuff.'
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Modelcar wrote: ...carnej1:One what "old GM engine" are you talking about that you believe is being used by Toyota.....?
One what "old GM engine" are you talking about that you believe is being used by Toyota.....?
NASCAR has given all four manufacturers "general engine design criteria" which they must follow in designing their Cup, Nationwide and Truck series engines. These engine designs must then be submitted to NASCAR for their approval. Quite frequently the manufacturer is told to revise something before it will be approved.
The general engine "envelope" that NASCAR is using harks back to the Small Block Chevy and its contemporaries (351 Ford Cleveland and MoPar 340 engines).
Mike
....Mike:
I very well understand what you have listed for Ford, Chevy and Dodge but still a question is what is Toyota using.......?
PS: Whatever it is....A few teams have really succeeded in improving it over last year.
tree68 wrote: I have every confidence that at some point all of the car companies have done the market research and have found that us Americans would much prefer an SUV to a sub-compact. That said, it's possible we may see these smaller cars in the American market at some point in the near future.I'm 6'5". When they come out with a small vehicle that I can get into without having to fold up like a pocket knife and can drive with my head straight up, I'll take a look. Until then, I'm looking at bigger vehicles. And, as someone else pointed out, I carry a lot of 'stuff.'
Amen, brother (last paragraph). I'm 6'1" and way too many pounds, and when the car companies build a high-mileage vehicle that is something I can ride in comfortably for 200-300 miles and am not in danger of getting ground itch in my butt because it's so close to the ground, I'll buy the critter. For years I wanted the Mazda Miata badly enough to taste it; when I finally got into one, it almost took a Sawzall to get me out of it.
Is anyone here old enough to remember the gas crises of the 70's? During those, a bunch of folks went out and bought tiny little cars. Usually after the first long road trip, with spouses rubbing shoulders and kids fighting in the back seat due to lack of room, and with severe limits on the amount of luggage due to limited trunk space, those folks were trying to get back to something larger. My wife and I drove a Hyundai Sonata rental car about 900 miles in 2 days a couple of years ago. Nice car, but for the two of us that's about the smallest vehicle that's feasible. We weren't rubbing shoulders, but we came close.
.....Yea, I remember the '70's gas crisis very well and way back before that....This time I wonder if we can "wait" for this cirsis to be over. With so many more of the world's population competing on the open market for the available fuel....I wonder. We might be fighting thru this situation for some time. Other fuel issues fighting the price as well.....
I wonder if this might be the start of a "change" in our automotive industry and the products they produce.....Could be a bit different this time around.
No one likes a good performance V-6 or V-8 engine of a good design better than I, but right now....I wonder what direction we might be headed.
PS: Current auto stable has: {2} V-6's....one with overhead cams and one with cam in block....Like both of them. Just 2 hours ago I put gas in our overhead cam V-6 auto after it was driven 411 miles and the gauge was still on 1/4. My little truck {the other V-6}, doesn't do quite that well. By the way....they both have 18.5 gal. tanks.
I don't have an SUV...I have a Jeep!
MP173 wrote: I have a big SUV and make no apologies about driving it ( Jeep Commander). I have to accept the 16mpg for what it is. It is part of the tradeoffs I made in the purchase, needing a larger type vehicle to accomodate my 6'7" frame (try fitting in the smaller vehicles at that size). Plus, typically I would have 300-600 pounds of work related material to haul.The SUV is paid off and really doesnt cost much for me to drive, other than fuel, so it will stay in the garage and on the road until it is time to buy a new vehicle. I probably wont even attempt to sell it, keeping it as a second vehicle, unless values return.It would be great to have a mid sized SUV, giving the flexibility to haul "stuff" with decent head and leg room and 25-30mpg. Anyone know if that is out there. The gf has a Honda Element and thinks that might work for me.ed
I have a big SUV and make no apologies about driving it ( Jeep Commander). I have to accept the 16mpg for what it is. It is part of the tradeoffs I made in the purchase, needing a larger type vehicle to accomodate my 6'7" frame (try fitting in the smaller vehicles at that size). Plus, typically I would have 300-600 pounds of work related material to haul.
The SUV is paid off and really doesnt cost much for me to drive, other than fuel, so it will stay in the garage and on the road until it is time to buy a new vehicle. I probably wont even attempt to sell it, keeping it as a second vehicle, unless values return.
It would be great to have a mid sized SUV, giving the flexibility to haul "stuff" with decent head and leg room and 25-30mpg. Anyone know if that is out there. The gf has a Honda Element and thinks that might work for me.
ed
You may want to look at a Toyota FJ Cruiser. I am 6'3", and have plenty of room to spare. I am also able to get almost 23mpg on the highway if I drive conservatively. It is 4wd, so I was surprised to see that kind of mileage. The rear seats also fold down for extra cargo space. Your best bet is to look for a used one with low mileage. There are quite a few deals out there because the soccer moms have to get rid of them when they figure out the FJ doesn't make a good mall crawler/grocery hauler.
I also have a '04 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and find the FJ a LOT more comfortable. The Jeep just doesn't seem to fit well with tall folks.
1. If you want a fullsized SUV with better gas mileage there are options available. In 2007 Mercedes began offering their GL320 fullsized SUV with a diesel engine. It has an EPA highway rating of 24 mpg. Also, BMW is going to start offering a diesel version of their X5 SUV later this year. (They could improve the fuel efficiency of these vehicles further but have decide to use more high performance diesel engines (i.e. 0 - 60 mph in 7.2 secs for the X5) instead of a smaller more fuel efficient diesel engines.)
2. The fullsized SUV/truck market will never disappear. It is simply adjusting to the new realities. Even in England where gas prices currently run $8- $9 per US gallon there are still plenty of large SUVs and luxury cars roaming the roads. I've never seen so many Land Rover Discoverys and Range Rovers as driving around in England. People and the market adjust.
I've read that Ford IS seriously looking at building the second-generation Ka in Mexico, so it's possible we may see it here by 2011. Already, Ford late this year will start converting one of its Mexican assembly lines to build the next generation Ford Fiesta, which will be sold in the USA in both sedan and hatchback forms.
GM is also looking at selling more of its Opel line here in the USA under the Saturn label. One model, the Astra compact, is already here; the Corsa subcompact and possibly the next-generation Meriva "tall wagon" could arrive by 2010.
....andrew:
The closing of 4 GM truck producing plants should be and indicator of changes to come. Hand writing is on the wall....Unless a miracle changes the crude oil prices back down to 50 dollars a bbl.
How many trains a day are there at the plants?
Why did GM not make a Compressed Natural Gas version of the Sports Utility Vehicals?
When will the BNSF and EMD finally make the Compressed Natural Gas SD70ACes?
Andrew
Watch my videos on-line at https://www.youtube.com/user/AndrewNeilFalconer
....Good questions....Maybe someone can come up with some answers. This fuel price escalation did come on rather rapid....Believe large trucks and SUV's were selling rather well up to just not too long ago.
edbenton wrote:If a company wants to make a killing come out witha Hybrid Minivan.
It may not be as far-fetched as you think. Both Honda and Toyota have the technology to build what is essentially a lengthened "tall wagon" using a hybrid drivetrain; Honda could do this with the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) Stream model and Toyota could do this with a "tall wagon" using the hybrid drivetrain from the Camry Hybrid.
In fact, Honda will start producing for the North American market next year a hybrid drivetrain "tall wagon" almost the size of the current Civic sedan that could seat five comfortably and maybe seven "in a pinch." It's supposed to be cheap to buy, with a base price tag in the US$19,000 range.
....At this point, Hybrids cost money....lots of it....If they don't, the company is subsidizing the product. We all know the auto companies are struggling now so I doubt they can subsidize for an extended time in mass quanities.
A given mass of a vehicle {to fit people comfortably}, will cost money to produce....Takes so much energy to move so much weight from point A to point B. If high tech is used to much improve that fuel use....The cost will be rising too.
Catch 22.
Somehow....{and today is certainly no indication of it....}, our {world leaders}, must find a way to reduce fuel costs. Right now it's spiraling out of control....and the whole world is "paying the price".....! And I believe we all know what that is doing to world economies
Andrew Falconer wrote: How many trains a day are there at the plants?Why did GM not make a Compressed Natural Gas version of the Sports Utility Vehicals?When will the BNSF and EMD finally make the Compressed Natural Gas SD70ACes? Andrew
The company that partnered with EMD and BN (it was a pre merger program) on the LNG and CNG conversions is still in business and continuing development:
http://www.energyconversions.com/
They currently offer dual fuel conversion kits for the 710 and 645 engines and are working on spark initiated (100% gas) conversion systems. Given that both coal bed methane and coal derived syngas are being produced in the Powder River basin it wouldn't surprise me to see BNSF and/or UP taking a serious new look at the concept...
"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock
Modelcar wrote: ....Mike:I very well understand what you have listed for Ford, Chevy and Dodge but still a question is what is Toyota using.......?PS: Whatever it is....A few teams have really succeeded in improving it over last year.
The Toyota engine has been designed within the same NASCAR envelope as have the other three manufacturers. The fact that Toyota has never produced a similar engine for the general car or truck market is immaterial.
Engines always look more powerful in good handling race cars. The addition of JGR to the Toyota camp this year made a world of difference. The engine was not the slouch last year that the teams running it made it appear. Plus JGR's engine builder has worked closely with TRD in improving the engine's mid-range power output (where it was particularly weak last year).
...Mike:
I agree with much of what you're saying but a company doesn't just doesn't put together an engine block...{new design}, and the other related parts and stick it in a race car....or any other vehicle and have instant success. All the other three that have been mentioned, have been around with their basics for some years to get it to the point they are now.....But for Toyota to have instant success with their newly created....is a bit of a stretch. There must be more to it....
PS: I'm really not complaining about Toyota as we own one of their premium brand autos. One of the finest autos I've owned across the years.
Modelcar wrote: ...Mike: I agree with much of what you're saying but a company doesn't just doesn't put together an engine block...{new design}, and the other related parts and stick it in a race car....or any other vehicle and have instant success. All the other three that have been mentioned, have been around with their basics for some years to get it to the point they are now.....But for Toyota to have instant success with their newly created....is a bit of a stretch. There must be more to it....PS: I'm really not complaining about Toyota as we own one of their premium brand autos. One of the finest autos I've owned across the years.
Toyota took much the same path as Dodge in the mid-90's. Both started out with the Truck series, developing their teams and, more importantly, their engine programs. Dodge began with the 1995 inaugral Truck season and move to the Cup level in 2001.
Toyota announced a more agressive plan when they launched their Truck program in 2004. They spent three years in the Truck series developing their teams and engines. Three years later, in 2007, they moved to Cup, allbeit without a top level team, and the results showed it. With the addition of JGR for 2008, it's been a whole new ballgame.
....Again, much agreement with your last post Mike....I just seem to have trouble with bringing out a "new" block and now with the cam in it.....{not a minor change}, and not have any major teething problems. And the R & D money it might take to do.....I know, Toyota is a mammoth company and with high stock value....
Personally, I'm glad to see more than just 2 major brands competing on our Nascar ovals and road tracks.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.