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These are heady times indeed. The average family car has near 200hp while the big boys are pushing 500 more and more frequently.
We want them bigger and faster.
Remember the late 60's (I don't of course, I'm just a kid) The average family car had 200hp while the big boys were pushing 500 more and more frequently.
They wanted them bigger and faster.
As Mark Twain said "History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes"
We know what happened in the early 70's with regards to automotive performance. You might have noticed the instability in the world right now with regard to oil. When the oil crisis hit in the early 70's the big boys of the time- the American automakers got their asses whooped by the Japanese (how ironic) who could build a decent car that didn't measure mileage in "gallons per mile" This time the big boys on the performance scene (IMO anyhow) are the Europeans (and I'll grudgingly admit the average US SUV has quite a bit of power as well)
I think we're on the cusp of another event which will affect the direction of the automotive industry as we know it- much like the oil crisis did in the 70's. Saab might have a competitive advantage for a short time with their high-performance yet efficient cars but over the long term I don't really think Fossil fuel powered cars will be the transportation (and toy) of the future.
And now for my point:
Many of the other big players in the Auto biz are investigating alternative fuel sources, notably gasoline/electric hybrids and my personal favourite- Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. What is Saab doing? Do they expect this trend to go away? Will the switch to alternative fuels force Saab to adopt GM's research into Hydrogen, resulting in the complete and total GM-ification of Saab as we know it?
And another somewhat related question: If the emmisions from a Hydrogen powered vehicle are water vapour, would it not be continously foggy in an urban environment? What effect would this increased humidity have on our lives? Would this be any better than ozone? Does anyone know if a hydrogen vehicle typically would have some sort of vapor sequestration system? How about freshly distilled water inside your car in addition to your beloved cupholders?
Just something I've been thinking about lately,
Brad
posted by 65.123.118...
, Fri, 28 Mar 2003 17:05:42, Fri, 28 Mar 2003 13:56:28
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