Hi Jason and Hot_Georgia_2004:

___There are early technology adopters but the working class folk in this country will still consider the bottom line when they head to their local new car dealership for their next automobile purchase. Once the Hybrid’s match or exceed the performance of their std. ICE based counterparts, then it’s time to compare the pricing. Right now, the extra $4,000 - $6,000 + doesn’t pay for itself in terms of fuel costs for a Hybrid. The RXh appears to be about 1 second faster to 60 then the RX but for a possible $3 - $5K more? If it comes in at the same price, it’s a slam dunk! Emissions most certainly aren’t the issue because if they can clean up the 3.3 L of the RX to SULEV std’s and use it as the prime mover in the RXh, they could have simply made the RX a SULEV. Acura has been running a ULEV-II rated 260 HP - 3.5 L ICE in the 03/04 MDX for 2 years if that helps make sense of it all …

___I believe Ford or GM will finally make Hybrid’s cost effective in some fashion whether that be with an all-Hydraulic EPA designed and patented setup or wheel hub MG sets ala GM’s S-10 Hybrid experimenters. Remember, it was GM’s hydraulic ABS that finally brought ABS pricing down to the masses for a hundred dollars or so instead of the $2,000 that many were spending years earlier. At $20K + for slow compact automobiles, it won’t work for the masses. At $16K + and a faster compact automobile, it will …

___Just my opinion of course.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net