What are the car manufacturers doing??

[Bror Jace]

I've got a radical notion about what the car companies can start doing right NOW:

1) Offer snap-on grill block bits and rear wheel well covers as accessories.

2) Stop putting a roof rack on every single SUV and minivan. Almost no one uses the stupid things, anyway.

[cfg83]

NeilBlanchard -

I am waiting to see what the range is, but I think the Th!nk is an NY city style car.

I never knew about the Th!nk Ox. Gorgeous! It reminds me of the failed Smart for 4, which I wish had survived long enough to make it to the USA.

CarloSW2

[NeilBlanchard]

Hello,

Originally Posted by Bror Jace

I've got a radical notion about what the car companies can start doing right NOW:

1) Offer snap-on grill block bits and rear wheel well covers as accessories.

I think that it would be very easy for every single car/vehicle to lower their Cd by smoothing out all the bumps, creases, pockets, slots on the nose -- and minimizing and optimizing the cooling air intakes. They just need to mold the plastic differently, and they could put all of us modders out of work...

This should be STANDARD! Mold the plastic bits differently, lower the Cd by 0.05 (or so) and every car/vehicle would get 5-8mpg better on the highway. It's a no-brainer!

Now the wheel skirts could be optional, along with the flush wheel covers (though maybe some additional brake cooling would be needed).

[wagonman76]

What I think would be a good idea for trucks (especially diesels) would be to have a high/low range option in the transfer case, but geared much higher. High range would be an economical gearing for just driving normally with no load, making the best use of the power and torque and gaining quite a bit of mpgs. Then for the handful of times when the average driver really needs to haul or tow something, they can kick it into low range.

Similar to the low range found in some already, except not a granny gear. But they could still offer the granny gear for the few who actually use it.

[rmay635703]

What do I think of the THINK? I think it probably won't be here until 2012 (if at all) despite claims it might be here in 2010.

Too bad our country is hell bent on poor vehicle choices.

[Bror Jace]

"I think that it would be very easy for every single car/vehicle to lower their Cd by smoothing out all the bumps, creases, pockets, slots on the nose -- and minimizing and optimizing the cooling air intakes. They just need to mold the plastic differently, and they could put all of us modders out of work... This should be STANDARD! Mold the plastic bits differently, lower the Cd by 0.05 (or so) and every car/vehicle would get 5-8mpg better on the highway. It's a no-brainer!"

Yes ... and most of these would be nothing new. Remember the Subaru XT Coupe from 20+ years ago? It had the perfect design for door handles ... completely flush ... and they contributed to the car's Cd of 0.29 (remarkable for the time).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subaru_XT

[ebacherville]

I saw fords going to bring the festiva to the USA again in 2010.. what the hell, this cars in production now for other countries.. just slap a dollar amount on it and state its crash test results , bad or good and sell the damn thing.. Id buy one if it gets over 40mpg.. lived my aspire back in the day..

It's more so the regulations that slow /prevent these cars from selling here than any other single factor.. Really what does the government car if the car crash tests badly if the manufacture discloses it clearly.. thes the buyers choice of what level of safety they choose for there self.. and as for safety a new festiva equipped with air bags has got to be far better than my non air baged 87 crx thats leagally on the roads here in the USA .. the nanny state is just killing the freemarket..

[i_am_socket]

You realize of course that personal responsibility doesn't really fly with the unwashed masses in the US, right? Frivolous lawsuits anyone?

People allowed the gov to think for them, now they expect it. Didn't someone once say that the best way to keep the gov in check is to have a revolution every few generations?

[userdoubleo]

(Ok first post, here goes)

I liked reading about the AXP all over the net, the quest for a 100mpg car is exciting. The pages on that guys 95mpg Honda is also impressive (all it took was a little money and a heap of ingenuity). Now for what I believe the automakers should do.

My new car list for automakers:

1. Make new cars this shape:

Like this:

Originally posted by "MetroMPG" Here
or This:

Originally posted by "Cd" Here

2. Make sure they have a Cd of 1.9 or less.
Not easy to be sure, oh wait, it is. The AeroCivic did it for $400. However all cars would tend to look alike. All like the perfect shape. Accept it, embrace it. It is the perfect shape. I don't think anyone can patent that shape or sue you for making your car more perfect, and somehow closer to theirs in appearance.

3. Allow the driver to pick their gears in the automatic, or make a manual option.

4. Do all you have to in order to make it pass safety regulations, if that makes it weigh more, :sigh: oh well.

5. Make use of your data on its torque curve and make the last gear have just enough torque to overcome your Cd for 60mph.
This one is a little confusing. What I mean is so that traveling at 60 in last gear, the engine will only be producing enough power to overcome their Cd so they can maintain that speed. Putting the engine at the lowest RPM to maintain that speed, therefore very efficient.

6. Must be able to hold 4 or 5 passengers.
Car pooling, anyone?

7. Use off the shelf parts where appropriate.
If the smallest engine your company makes is a 2.0L, then use it. However if people actually buy the car, consider research and development for smaller engines in next years model. If your research and development team can easily churn out a nice 1.4L in a few months notice for this years model, good for you, do it.

I can't really think of anything else right now.

If a car maker can satisfy all those things.

1. The car doesn't need to cost more then 15k.
2. None can rightly say the automakers are doing nothing.
3. All their cars should easily get 40mpg or better. Even if with safety equipment they weigh in at over 3500lbs. (Seriously guys, if $400 can turn an old Honda into a 1.7 Cd monster, why cant a new 15k car do it!?)
4. They will sell like hot cakes when they can rightfully tote mpg ratings of 50mpg or more and cost only 15k.


Anyway, this is my first post, and a rant. Sorry for that. I should have softened it with more pictures LOL. If we could all ride bikes, now that is a way to travel, but since that is unsafe... why does the car need to be so un-intuitive?

Yours Sincerely,
Userdoubleo ~ My online name <(^^ , <)

[NeilBlanchard]

Hello,

Here's another one to put in the mix; the Mercedes Bionic "Boxfish" car with 0.19Cd:

(click on image for link)
The press release on the Bionic car