CAFE: Will Billy and Fields throw us under the BUS?

[dr511scj]

Automotive News]WASHINGTON (Big Brother Central) -- "Reacting to public uproar over gasoline prices, the Bush administration took steps Thursday to change passenger car fuel economy standards for the first time in more than 20 years."

 

"The administration said it wants to make the same kinds of changes in the standards for cars that it made for light trucks in late March. Those changes included for the first time setting different fuel economy targets for vehicles of different sizes and raising the overall fuel-saving requirements for manufacturers by about 10 percent over the 2008-11 model years."

 

* * * *

"The point of setting different fuel economy targets for vehicles of different sizes is to discourage automakers from downsizing models to comply, thereby making vehicles less safe. The administration's reforms set tougher targets for smaller vehicles. Size is determined by the area bounded by the four wheels."

 

 

Now that the Bush Administration has joined the hysteria and is further abandoning the FREE MARKET (CAFE itself distorts the free market for vehicle choice), what will erstwhile greeniac BILLY FORD and his NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DO?

 

 

Given that Ford has such a commitment to FWD (CD3, D3) and is way behind in several V8 performance and technology segments (no real RWD performance sedans, not much commitment to variable displacement or GDI V8s or turbocharging), it wouldn't be surprising if Ford copied the Chrysler-era Iacocca and lobbied in favor of harsh increases in CAFE. Will Ford throw its performance customers "under the bus" for the sake of some cheap PR with the car-hating, PRO-CAFE set (I didn't use the "L" word, but I probably should have)?

 

 

CD3 & D3 defenders are likely euphoric over the thought that the Government may neuter the HEMIs and the LSx sedans before Ford even formulates an answer.

 

Footprint-based CAFE increases will probably mean SERIOUS CURTAILMENT OF MUSTANG PERFORMANCE OPTIONS! Why? Because the car takes up relatively little space. A fleet-wide standard, however, will force Ford to choose between large sedans and high-performance pony cars (driving up the prices of each because of CAFE-limited supplies. So the Bush plan might permit Ford to save Panther if the standards don't go too high [Hope & Pray, Panther Mafia, Hope & Pray]).

 

But GT500 and other hi-po Mustangs would then have to meet the same standards as lo-po small cars. Anyone believe GT500 could survive a 35-mpg footprint sector-based CAFE average? (Of course Ford has an easy out in that it only promised to build GT500 for a couple of seasons. After that, it might be "1972" all over again).

 

The car-haters killed the first muscle car era and now history may be repeating itself. Will Billy and Fields & Co. stand up and fight for the right to build muscle cars. Or will they kowtow to the fickle political winds and improve their standing with the global warming nuts and the others who can't stand free market choice?

 

 

Note that it took us a couple of decades of STABLE CAFE policy to achieve the current Xanadu of high performance. A big CAFE jump will be a set back, but performance in SOME form is likely to reemerge eventually. The risk, however, is that it REEMERGES only in the form of FWD tuner cars, is limited to only expensive "niche" models, and based on tiny GDI four cylinders.

 

Not much of a FUTURE, is it?

 

 

Ford MUST lobby for an expanded flexi-fuel exemption and should vigorously resist any plan that will geld the Mustang. Ford should also lobby for a "10%" exemption--permitting OEMs to exempt up to 10% of production (and keeping all police car sales exempt) from the CAFE calculation to protect the markets for "special" and "limited use" "collector" vehicles. And Ford should look at aftermarket circumvention plans, instead of abandoning us as it did in the 1970s.

[NickF1011]

Did you really need to post this in 3 different threads??

[dr511scj]

Did you really need to post this in 3 different threads??

Yes. I want this issue to remain in focus. Ford needs to read it, so it belongs in the MGT thread (not that anyone with any power reads this board). It belongs most appropriately in the enviro thread, but almost nobody reads that one. And to get any discussion, it needs to be posted in the "free thought" thread. Topics in that thread, though, are fleeting.

 

If it wasn't a critical issue, I wouldn't spend bandwidth on it. But it's life & death for a part of the market, so it merits repeating.

 

Sorry you disapprove.

[NickF1011]

Yes. I want this issue to remain in focus. Ford needs to read it, so it belongs in the MGT thread (not that anyone with any power reads this board). It belongs most appropriately in the enviro thread, but almost nobody reads that one. And to get any discussion, it needs to be posted in the "free thought" thread. Topics in that thread, though, are fleeting.

 

If it wasn't a critical issue, I wouldn't spend bandwidth on it. But it's life & death for a part of the market, so it merits repeating.

 

Sorry you disapprove.

 

Something tells me Ford won't be cancelling any GT500's or more powerful F-150's because of this new program.

[dr511scj]

Something tells me Ford won't be cancelling any GT500's or more powerful F-150's because of this new program.

 

Considering that truck CAFE is already set and not on the table this go-round and the GT500 will wrap before any new CAFE standard could go into effect, I think, in the short term, you are correct, sir.

[StevenJ]

As long as there is a Republican majority in office, I don't really see this happening. Kind of like border security. Oh yeah, they can say they'll do something about it, they may pass a bill like they are supposed to tomorrow but it won't be enforced. But I got to tell you, Bills lack of interest in the real American car, large V8 sedans, is highly disapointing. I may be moving to GM or Mopar at this rate.