Comments on: Getting Small, But Avoiding Econoboxes

By: Grant

Grant — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 23:06:59 +0000

I GET QUITE A KICK OUT OF THE EUROPEAN AND JAPANESE BIAS DISPLAYED BY ANY NUMBER OF AUTOMOTIVE JOURNALISTS THESE DAYS.
TAKE THE EXAMPLE HERE, WHERE THE WRITER MENTIONS THE "INCREDIBLE" 200 HORSEPOWER DEVELOPED BY THE "SPECIAL EDITION" AUDI A4 OUT OF A 2.0 LITRE DIRECT INJECTION 4 CYLINDER ENGINE.
NO PRAISE AT ALL FOR THE 2.0 LITRE ECOTECH INLINE 4 CYLINDER DIRECT INJECTED ENGINE CURRENTLY POWERING THE CHEVY HHR SS, WHICH PRODUCES 260 HORSEPOWER, AND GETS BETTER COMBINED MILEAGE THAN THE AUDI!
THIS ENGINE WILL BE IN THE SOON TO BE RELEASED COBALT SS AS WELL. IF THE AUDI A4 ENGINE IS "INCREDIBLE" I GUESS CHEVY'S MUST BE DOWNRIGHT "PHENOMENAL"!

By: fenolftalein86

fenolftalein86 — Wed, 07 May 2008 19:54:17 +0000

how much the prices that car?

By: Need2Change

Need2Change — Wed, 07 May 2008 11:36:30 +0000

Actually, supercharging was used almost 100 years ago in a lot of cars.

Yes, several GM and Chrysler used turbocharging in the 1970's, but most had overheating and reliability problems.

I believe that paying $1K extra for a direct injection engine may make sense. Ford is developing a 3.5 litre 350 hp direct injected, turbo charged engine to replace the 4.6 litre 300 hp engine. The engine costs about $1K more, but gets better gas mileage while delivering 50 extra hp. The new engine weighs about 100 lbs less as well.

Ford first plans to place the engine in Lincolns, trucks, and SUVs in 2009.

I'd love to see them replace the 4.6 in the Mustang GT with this engine.

Yes, mileage doesn't compare to a Prius, but it's still a significant improvement at reasonable cost.

By: steved28

steved28 — Wed, 07 May 2008 01:39:53 +0000

Nicole, what (expensive) car are you talking about? New technology can only be introduced in new cars. If someone can’t afford a new car, they buy the best used they can afford.

By: Nicole O'Driscoll

Nicole O'Driscoll — Tue, 06 May 2008 19:17:09 +0000

What about those that cannot afford such an expensive car…this seems unfair to those who have less money $ than those who have very little again it seems that those with more money are being favored over those that do not!

By: Skeptic

Skeptic — Tue, 06 May 2008 19:12:58 +0000

You watch. GM will re-launch the Chevette to prove to another generation of Americans that small cars suck.

Buick actually had turbosuperchargers ("turbos"), not belt-driven units. Oldsmobile had lots of Diesels. Cadillac tried their V-8-6-4 engine that had a propensity to catch fire.

Odd how GM at least /tried/ in the late 1970s-early 1980s.