Rubbish confirmed! - GreenHybrid

bwilson4web · #1 (**permalink**) 03-03-2008, 10:08 PM

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...TO04/803030375

Quote:

Christine Tierney / The Detroit News

General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. have made cool, smartly equipped little cars such as GM's Opel Tigra and the Ford Ka for Europeans for years, but Detroit executives were reluctant to offer them at home.

Sophisticated small cars may be ideal for Europeans living in old cities with narrow streets, the thinking went, but Americans associate luxury with spaciousness.
. . .
High gas prices have fueled a surge in U.S. sales of subcompacts, or B-cars, a small category dominated by inexpensive Asian-built or Asian-brand cars, such as the Toyota Yaris and Chevrolet Aveo. In 2007, subcompact sales rose 20 percent in the United States to around 350,000 cars.

Auto experts say there is even more demand for premium, or what they call aspirational, small cars that offer more than just affordability and fuel savings.

"We're seeing a lot of people interested in fuel economy or in adding a secondary vehicle to their household fleet," said Art Spinella, president of CNW Marketing Research Inc. in Bandon, Ore. "The problem with B-cars is that they've tended to be cheap."
. . .

Art Spinella and the rest of the hybrid skeptics are notorious for comparing Prius to his favorite, "Chevrolet Aveo." It is why even now we have the occasional troll who tries to pawn off some rubbish car with none of the Prius creature comforts as "equal to a Prius." No problem $3/gal gas has pretty well shut them down.

When gas reaches $4/gal, I have no doubt these same hypocrites will argue from the other side of their mouths that hybrids make a lot of sense. Hopefully, I'll be fully involved in my next generation hybrid experiments and won't have time to do anything but briefly smile and turn back to the bench.

Bob Wilson

cbibbs · #2 (**permalink**) 03-04-2008, 07:44 AM

In my opinion, there are large numbers of people who are willing to forgo creature comforts in an effort to save money, which is what they perceive the goal of a hybrid to be. So if your goal is to only spend $X on your next car over its lifetime, you can easily compare the current crop of hybrids to whatever econobox floats your boat.

I have a friend who negotiated with the dealer to remove all "unnecessary" components from his car. You know, things like the radio, speakers, the clock. Seriously, the guy had them remove the clock from the dashboard and credit him $10. For him, a hybrid will almost never make financial sense.

Tideland Prius · #3 (**permalink**) 03-04-2008, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbibbs

In my opinion, there are large numbers of people who are willing to forgo creature comforts in an effort to save money, which is what they perceive the goal of a hybrid to be. So if your goal is to only spend $X on your next car over its lifetime, you can easily compare the current crop of hybrids to whatever econobox floats your boat.

I have a friend who negotiated with the dealer to remove all "unnecessary" components from his car. You know, things like the radio, speakers, the clock. Seriously, the guy had them remove the clock from the dashboard and credit him $10. For him, a hybrid will almost never make financial sense.

He needs a Tata Nano

hahaha. Built with "Do We Really Need That?" philosophy.

ken1784 · #4 (**permalink**) 03-05-2008, 01:18 AM

Toyota iQ will be on sale in EU, NA and JP later this year.
http://www.toyota-europe.com/innovat.../en/index.aspx

Ken@Japan

gpsman1 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-05-2008, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tideland Prius

He needs a Tata Nano

hahaha. Built with "Do We Really Need That?" philosophy.

If they build those cars in Mexico, will the name be Tata Nada?