I view this as progress. Someone once told me if I took care of my pennies the dollars would take care of themselves.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tnthub @ Apr 30 2007, 04:56 PM) [snapback]432827[/snapback]</div>

Yes, 19mpg is really progress. I think I'll trade my Prius... NOT!!! When the automakers start to take fuel economy seriously by offering full electric vehicles, 100+mpg plug-in hybrids, and 50+mpg hybrids, I might start feeling sorry for them. Unfortunately these large heavy gas-guzzling pathetic excuses for 'environmentally friendly' vehicles that try to excuse the rest of the hot selling lines of V6/V8/V10-powered trucks & SUVs is really just not cutting it. If they don't want to go the way of the dodo, they better start making some REAL changes fast...

Now HERE's Chrysler's formula for car manufacturing:

1) Caught w/ pants down, NO hybrids on the market ... for 1st 10yrs of hybrid's production
2) Parent company Daimler wants to unload you
3) Build hemi headed V8's ... NOT known for fuel efficiency ... but rather fuel robbing power
4) Not build a FIRST attempt hybrid that gets high mileage ... rather pair electric motor w/ a guzzler ICE

Did I miss anything?

If they were going to knock that humongous V8 Hemi down to a V6 Hemi, I might see some merit.

But the scheme as detailed is utter nonsense.

It would still be a gas-hog and an affront to our intelligence.

Harry

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(toyotablackbox @ Apr 30 2007, 07:39 PM) [snapback]432948[/snapback]</div>

C'mon, ladies and gents, cut 'em some slack! Sure, they're coming to the party late, but at least they're coming.

I had a 3,000 pound boat, and my Prius can't pull it, so there IS a need for vehicles that can tow boats and trailers. I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford an SUV to do this duty, but if all I could afford was one vehicle, it would be nice if I could get the benefits of a hydrid in that one vehicle. I'm not sure what the towing capacity of the Highlander or Lexus hybrid is.

Kudos to those that try to improve every gendre of transportation modes.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MrK @ May 1 2007, 11:05 AM) [snapback]433219[/snapback]</div>

I have a 4,000 boat (electric at that) and our hybrid Lexus S.U.V. STILL gets 19mpg when we tow. The RX-400h easily gets 25mpg if you lead foot it ... and over 31mpg if you baby it. And the hybrid hemi? Meanwhile, gas is heading for $4 gallon then $5 ... then? Oh yea, gime a hemi

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MrK @ May 1 2007, 10:05 AM) [snapback]433219[/snapback]</div>

If you can afford a 3,000 pound boat, you can afford the gas to pull it with an SUV (particularly if the boat's not a hybrid, speaking of every genre of transportation - those things really suck down the fuel). Admittedly, the hybrid SUVs do not have the towing capacity of the ICE-only counterparts.

The question is, do you need a 3,000 pound boat? You can fish from a canoe, if you really 'need' to waterski, a jetski can do that just fine (I can personally attest to that). If you want to take a few people out swimming, a 17-foot catamaran sailboat is a fun way to do that. All three together probably cost and weigh less than the big boat. If we're serious about protecting our countries energy future and slowing the global warming, we need to make some slightly tough decisions.

Admittedly; a company unclear on the concept!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nerfer @ May 1 2007, 06:41 PM) [snapback]433559[/snapback]</div>

Taking out a cat w/ no wind isn't practical always. If you want to party w/ 8 or 9 others on a lake / harbor, again, electric boats ... Duffy ... Electracraft. Just because you CAN afford a boat doesn't mean you HAVE to burn gas ... nor do you need a gas guzzler to pull it.