Six speeds is enough for small engines, as long as sixth is the right gear. Smaller engines are less efficient cruising at higher speeds and a seventh or eight gear would be wasted on them if they couldn't maintain... say... 80 mph... at just 1500-2000 rpm.
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As for the bail-out... Do note that the Camaro was developed pre-bail-out and that Chevrolet has released the Eco Cruze and Sonic, and is planning on (someday) releasing the Spark over there, a car that can hit well into the high 40's on the highway.
Review: 2011 Chevrolet Spark 1.2 (Global-Spec) | The Truth About Cars (shameless self-plug)
Also, Chrysler is releasing a Dodge Dart with a seven-speed transmission.
They are trying to build and sell global cars in the US. It's up to the US market itself to cooperate and latch on. But what are you going to do with a population that wants nothing but big, bigger and even bigger cars? Granted, the amount of high displacement octane-sniffing V8 worship in US TV and magazine commercials, videogames, Top Gear UK and US episodes on Speed and NASCAR (and assorted) races has built up a culture addicted to big displacement torque... but look at the US and see how, even with the gas guzzler tax and various incentives, buyer preference still trends towards cars with larger footprints and displacement than anywhere else.
If people
can buy big cars, they
will buy big cars. Big cars are more comfortable. Big cars are more spacious. Big cars are more... big.
You're blaming companies for selling products people will buy. Blame the people for buying those products! Blame the people who buy yet another CamCord or TrailExplorerRango when all they need is a Fit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Christ
I have no faith that it would ever actually happen that way. Clearly the billions annually in gas taxes (which were introduced to pay for the highway system, and nothing else) aren't being spent only on the highway system, else our roads would be much less crappy than they currently are. In fact, they should all be like the Nurburgring, if you ask me. I should be able to ride on my bike taking curves just as fast as I want without fear of a pothole or freeze-damaged road right in front of me at every blink of the eye.
|
The Nurburgring
is bankrupt, mind you...
