Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Glimmer of Hope #1: Viewing Cars filling up on Diesel at the pumping station...
Living not too far from the local petrol station I get to see (if I care to look outside my front windows in that particular direction) how busy the station is.
I must admit that looking over and seeing a slew of Volkswagen TDI Golfs, Jettas/Boras and New Beetles, Vanagons filling up on #2 Diesel brings a smile to my face.
I also see a good deal of pickups, heavy duty lorries, and the occasional Mercedes lifts ones spirits as well. I do however long for the day when "Sport" models of many cars refer to the Turbo Diesel versions, and when luxury vehicles (real luxury vehicles, not what Americans (and apparently only Americans) consider luxury vehicles (given what Domestic manufacturers passed off as cars these last 60 years its no surprise) come standard with Diesel motors.
It will happen, hopefully sooner rather than later. And if anyone is going to respond to this, make sure you know what exists outside of the borders of the before making a comment, you may serve to save yourself the humiliation you'd be encumbered by if you speak too quickly, uninformed.
E
I must admit that looking over and seeing a slew of Volkswagen TDI Golfs, Jettas/Boras and New Beetles, Vanagons filling up on #2 Diesel brings a smile to my face.
I also see a good deal of pickups, heavy duty lorries, and the occasional Mercedes lifts ones spirits as well. I do however long for the day when "Sport" models of many cars refer to the Turbo Diesel versions, and when luxury vehicles (real luxury vehicles, not what Americans (and apparently only Americans) consider luxury vehicles (given what Domestic manufacturers passed off as cars these last 60 years its no surprise) come standard with Diesel motors.
It will happen, hopefully sooner rather than later. And if anyone is going to respond to this, make sure you know what exists outside of the borders of the before making a comment, you may serve to save yourself the humiliation you'd be encumbered by if you speak too quickly, uninformed.
E
Clarification: Why Americans are rightfully disliked...
Recently, while partaking on another web log http://autoblog.com on a discussion pertaining to the suggestion of raising petrol taxes up annually until the cost per gallon hits $6.00 (USD), a specfic response in the slew of comments stood out, and it single handedly proves the ignorance, and idiocy of a chunk of middle America (U.S. that, not our neighbors south of the border). It was (and I quote)
I really don't think this person deserves to be a member of society since he is playing the "these are all my marbles and I'm going home it you all don't play my way".. This is the epitomy of isolationist attitude, this is the most uncooperative, inconsiderate, unfeeling, uncaring attitude I've had the displeasure of seeing in an online post regarding the world and its inhabitants in relation to the United States.
One can only hope that idiots who espouse such vehement hatred due to their lack of understanding and/or intelligence stop breeding as it is hard enough trying to make Amends as a country for all the bad we did (yes, we did much good, but that doesn't excuse the bad).
To our brothers and sisters elsewhere in the civilised world, we truly are sorry for arses like this.
E
"why in the hell do i actually CARE what the rest of the world is paying for gas? if they are that stupid, then let them pay! Why should we americans have to pay more because the europeans and british are taxed to the nth degree? If you people who want to pay more, maybe you ought to leave America and pay more in the "rest of the world" so it can make you happy.. But for the rest of us we will keep paying less and fighting you crazed, control freak people who think just because YOU have a good idea that all of the rest of use have to listen? we don't and we're not going to pay more, PERIOD!"
I really don't think this person deserves to be a member of society since he is playing the "these are all my marbles and I'm going home it you all don't play my way".. This is the epitomy of isolationist attitude, this is the most uncooperative, inconsiderate, unfeeling, uncaring attitude I've had the displeasure of seeing in an online post regarding the world and its inhabitants in relation to the United States.
One can only hope that idiots who espouse such vehement hatred due to their lack of understanding and/or intelligence stop breeding as it is hard enough trying to make Amends as a country for all the bad we did (yes, we did much good, but that doesn't excuse the bad).
To our brothers and sisters elsewhere in the civilised world, we truly are sorry for arses like this.
E
Monday, October 03, 2005
Chrysler Needs to Go Away, Forever.
There, I've said it. Chrysler, as a company needs to go away forever. This all came to realisation a fortnight ago when I was following up on announcements of the Neon's replacement. A "Larger, more powerful Compact" called the "Caliber".
Lets get something straight here. A Compact is called that for a reason. The idea isn't to make it larger. Secondly, in a time when the rest of the world gets it (meaning: smaller, lighter, more fuel efficient cars), the best Chrysler group can do is make their vehicles bigger and heavier, using larger, more fuel thirsty motors? (Though one saving grace of the Caliber is that it may be available in the US with a Volkswagen 2.0 litre Turbo Diesel, power & thirifty when it comes to fuel.)
This one point alone is not enough to justify a company who year after you produces vehicles whose looks have the sole purpose of looking menacing in people's rearview mirrors. It is exactly this kind of ugly American mentality/view that makes the rest of the world loathe the U.S. and its attitudes.
We see more and more these days Chrysler bringing back old Muscle Car era names and larger, less thrifty motors, unabashedly I might add. This is the wrong direction that the motor industry in the United States needs to be heading. We need to get rid of the V8's (at least over 3.0 litres), start using more Diesels, aiming for SMALLER, more fuel efficient cars (this doesn't mean that have to be slow, or boring), and start following the lead of GM Europe (Opel, Vauxhall), Ford Europe (the only way we get the new high power Focus is to buy it as a Volvo), Renault, Peugeot, Citroen, etc. ad infinitum/ad nauseum.
We're heading down the dark path which we helped to start in the first place, and it needs to end. Dissolving Chrysler could be one of the best things Daimler could do. Either that, or get rid of the existing products and use the Chrysler name to start selling more innovative cars from the likes of Smart and others.
E
Lets get something straight here. A Compact is called that for a reason. The idea isn't to make it larger. Secondly, in a time when the rest of the world gets it (meaning: smaller, lighter, more fuel efficient cars), the best Chrysler group can do is make their vehicles bigger and heavier, using larger, more fuel thirsty motors? (Though one saving grace of the Caliber is that it may be available in the US with a Volkswagen 2.0 litre Turbo Diesel, power & thirifty when it comes to fuel.)
This one point alone is not enough to justify a company who year after you produces vehicles whose looks have the sole purpose of looking menacing in people's rearview mirrors. It is exactly this kind of ugly American mentality/view that makes the rest of the world loathe the U.S. and its attitudes.
We see more and more these days Chrysler bringing back old Muscle Car era names and larger, less thrifty motors, unabashedly I might add. This is the wrong direction that the motor industry in the United States needs to be heading. We need to get rid of the V8's (at least over 3.0 litres), start using more Diesels, aiming for SMALLER, more fuel efficient cars (this doesn't mean that have to be slow, or boring), and start following the lead of GM Europe (Opel, Vauxhall), Ford Europe (the only way we get the new high power Focus is to buy it as a Volvo), Renault, Peugeot, Citroen, etc. ad infinitum/ad nauseum.
We're heading down the dark path which we helped to start in the first place, and it needs to end. Dissolving Chrysler could be one of the best things Daimler could do. Either that, or get rid of the existing products and use the Chrysler name to start selling more innovative cars from the likes of Smart and others.
E
