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Old 07-29-2008, 02:27 PM   #64 (permalink)
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Location: Pittsburg, CA
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xB Commuter - '04 Scion xB
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bgd73 View Post
north america doesn't get the big mpg cars because they are too small. This is an old question.
To get bigger car and mileage would require a total rethinking of drivelines and work acheivable....inline fours are horrifying when facts of engineering are really drawn out.The extincted 3 main boxer four would fix the whole retarded mess at expense of killing car businesses.. Nothing will beat it, and that is why we don't have it but from old vehicles. It is a ridiculous picture to really take an unbiased look at where we and the world is going with crazy cars and concepts...when answers exist without bias, but truth.
I don't think a good mpg car must be a very small car. It is all about the design. For example, Civic is small in size, good mpg, but it is quite roomy inside. Similar cars are like Honda Fit, Scion Xb, etc. They are all selling good. Many automakers thought the same way like, American is big, they don't like small cars, etc. That is not true. Those small car selling numbers prove that right. That is why those good mpg cars with clever design are selling good.

Also, if they spend more time to develop inline four engine technologies, the FE will be much higher than now. For example, Ford is building turbo 4 cycl. It saves more gas and has more power than some V6. Is it a new technology? Definitely not. They put it in new cars now because the voice of high mpg is getting higher. If they put enough money to develop small engine in the last 15 years, I believe their small engine is much more efficient than now. You can tell the difference from Honda/Toyota small engine and Ford/GM/Chylser engine.

But, does it mean American car makers doesn't have high tech engine? No. It is using in Europe, Asian models. With small modification, those engine can ship to US. They don't do it because they believe American is dummies. They love V6 more than inline 4, doesn't matter which one has more power and higher FE.
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