Oracle of Delphi

That article was taken out of context. Lutz is actually saying he thinks the government should raise the price of gasoline to force people into smaller cars and different types of fuel like E85. He also said this "Lutz also reiterated GM's stance that electrically driven vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries are the long-term future of the automobile industry". Here is the whole article, from Automotive News and I also listened to his speech. DETROIT -- General Motors sees E-85 and biofuels as the best near-term solution to lowering U.S. usage of petroleum. But new federal fuel regulations will only mean higher vehicle prices, slower new vehicle sales and continued consumer resistance to smaller cars. " We refuse to let the price of fuel rise gradually in the United States and therefore we fail to induce change in consumer behavior," Bob Lutz, GM's vice chairman of global product development, said at the Automotive News World Congress on Wednesday evening. Lutz said while GM is working diligently on alternative solutions to gasoline such as the lithium-ion battery powered Chevrolet Volt, consumer behavior is very difficult to change. And it takes a long time. New federal regulations requiring a 35-mile-per-gallon national average by 2020 will not inspire consumers to purchase more fuel-economic vehicles. European prices Only gas prices at the level that Europeans pay will cause Americans to rethink their vehicles, Lutz said. Current European gasoline prices are the equivalent of about $8 a gallon, he said. " If for the last 15 years we'd had a slow but sure rise in federal fuel taxation of, say, 15 cents a gallon per year -- that would have gradually put the customer in the equation," he said. Over time and without any federal fuel economy regulation, the markets could have naturally and gradually transitioned Americans into smaller and more diesel-oriented vehicles, Lutz said. " I'm not advocating tax hikes or calling for higher fuel prices, I'm just explaining the difference between the European fleet and our own," he said. " In America, instead of raising fuel prices, we'll end up having to raise new vehicle prices, because of the increased use of lightweight materials and fuel-saving technology." That will cause more people to hang on to the vehicles they have longer, slowing down new sales growth, " which is exactly counter to the intended effect," Lutz said. " Europeans, at their fuel prices, are willing to pay premium prices for premium small cars that deliver terrific fuel economy. That is not the case here in America, land of the big truck and big horse" and, he added, " the big American." The new federal regulations will also fail to lower the U.S. dependency on petroleum and imported oil, Lutz said. The best near-term solution to doing that is to adopt more E-85, ethanol-burning vehicles. " It's just common sense," Lutz said. " You don't roll over the whole fleet at once. It takes decades -- and the bigger the price disparity between the old ones and the new ones, the longer it takes." Making a dent GM's goal for electrically driven vehicles is attainable, but Lutz said it will take many years for those vehicles to be on the road in volumes to really make much of a dent in petroleum usage. He argues a faster solution is E-85. There are already more than 6 million flex-fuel vehicles on the road right now in the U.S. alone. Those vehicles could be running on ethanol if it were more readily available, Lutz said. If all the flex-fuel vehicles that GM, Ford Motor Co., and Chrysler LLC have committed to have on the road by 2020 were to run on ethanol, that could displace 29 billion gallons of gasoline annually, Lutz points out. That is roughly equivalent to 18 percent of America's projected petroleum usage in 2020, he said. He said other benefits of E-85 include that it's better for the environment, it doesn't have to be imported and it requires little change in consumer behavior. On the other hand, he said with diesel fuel at the same price as gasoline in the United States, there won't be many Americans willing to pay a " $3,000 to $4,000 premium" for diesel vehicles unless GM is willing to eat that cost. Lutz also reiterated GM's stance that electrically driven vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries are the long-term future of the automobile industry. He argues that naysayers don't understand that not all lithium-ion technology is created equal. " It's like beer. Some people say beer tastes bad. But there are many different types. U.S. beer, imported beer. You've got pilsner, ale, stout, wheat beer," Lutz said. " Some beers are better than others. Just because somebody said one particular lithium ion technology is a little bit aggressive and it's been known to cause thermal problems, does not mean they all do. The technology is advancing every day."

MEH, I wouldn't worry to much about it ZL-1, GME is top dog now, everything is fixed and they can't change it, which is why you see all the hate. You know GM's biggest fans and toughest critics, right? Let them hate, it's all for all for naught, besides most of it has been directed towards me anyway and I can take it. I'm a big boy! What I find odd is some moderators (Camino I'm speaking of you here) on this forum, who I would assume should stay neutral on their opinions about other members of the forum, have actually said they hate me on this public forum. How sad, and only because my opinion differs from their own on what is being done and how things should/are being run at GM. Oh well, I can only hope for better days ahead as GME helps GM as a whole meet the CAFE standards that have been set by the U.S. Government and the upcoming CO2 standards of the European Union. Oh and Camino, I do not hate you, which is why I called you on the phone before any of the bad news hit about the Zeta reduction plans and tried to explain my views and why I was going to do what I did and will continue to do. In a way I tried to warn you about what is coming. Oh well I tried, I really did. Your friend, der Bö®gÉr

This saddens me! He was on a flight I took from LA to NY a year or so ago. We were both in 1st class, he was very gracious to the people that came up to him that wanted autographs and such. I thought that was very kind of him. See I don't hate all things from OZ.

I'm sure glad you put this caveat in at the beginning of your post, Please note that all information in this report is subject to change. I have a feeling you will be doing a lot of re-writes. As a pure work of fiction, I applaud your effort, perhaps they will make it into a movie. I'm sure it will be right up there with Roger and Me.

He's not my parrot, I barely know the man. Speaking of birds, you've become quite the little bird yourself. Do you have one original thought that hasn't come out of Camino's mouth? I'm thinking this bird best describes you, it's the Raphus Cucullatus. Is that chicken I smell?

Happy birthday gentlemen! NOS, Mrs PCS said to wish you a very special birthday wish from her.

No? What a shame. :AH-HA_wink:

I think soon you will see CPF elevated to a seat on the GM Board (Spring 2008), eventually Reuss will have a direct tie to CPF, after all who do you think put him there. Did you notice Holden's former Chairman and Managing Director Chris Grubbey now reports to CPF?

Here is something to ask yourself, how long are the CAW and UAW contracts for? :AH-HA_wink:

Not to worry, legally GM Daewoo is tied to Holden, however if that were to be switched to GM Europe, Holden would be isolated, no other GM ties. :AH-HA_wink:

You all know GME and Chevy grow closer and closer together. Here's an article from Automotive News that shows just how close. It looks like GM Daewoo is falling under GME's spell. John Revill Automotive News Europe January 21, 06:01 CET General Motors Europe could build Chevrolet cars in Germany and Sweden to meet booming European demand for the brand. GM’s underused factories in Rüsselsheim, Germany, and Trollhättan, Sweden, could begin production of Chevrolet cars within two years, high-level GM sources told Automotive News Europe. Chevrolet aims to double its European sales to 1 million by 2010, Wayne Brannon, head of Chevrolet Europe, told the Financial Times at the Detroit auto show last week. Currently, GM Daewoo Auto & Technology in Korea builds most Chevrolets sold in Europe. Chevrolets are also built in Poland, Russia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in GM factories or with local partners. Those plants have the capacity to raise European Chevrolet production to 640,000 a year by 2010. Asked by ANE where the remaining production could take place, a board-level GM Europe source pointed to Rüsselsheim and Trollhättan. Rüsselsheim currently builds the Vectra upper-medium car and is due to start production of the Saab 9-3 and 9-5 models after 2010. Chevrolet’s new Epica, due in 2010, could be built in the same plant as those Opel and Saab models, a GM source said. Trollhättan will build the next Astra, which will share its architecture with the Chevrolet Nubira successor. That means the Nubira, which is due in 2009, could be made in Sweden. Adding Chevrolet production would give Rüsselsheim and Trollhättan a needed boost. The factories were under threat of closure during GM Europe’s recent restructuring program. Rüsselsheim’s capacity use was forecast to be 55.4 percent last year and Trollhättan’s 81.4 percent, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers Automotive Institute. A Chevrolet Europe spokesman said the company is looking to increase its European production because it does not have enough capacity in Korea.

It says honey, I'll be home late, I got tied up in traffic.

Just because you have a personal issue with me, doesn't make it a bad idea. It is still a great idea. It's time to put the last vestiges of the British Empire behind us and move as world to create road rules that are the same though out the planet.

Guess what happens when you stop or halt a heart from beating? Smart boy, get them while they're hot. :AH-HA_wink:

So you live in Luxembourg? Howdy neighbor! Luxembourg is currently first in GDP per capita, as well as GDP (PPP-purchasing power parity) per capita.

I know for a fact that GMX551 is dead, Lutz even said so. Your getting a FWD Impala, just get use to that idea. I hope you have your money saved up for your Camaro, I hear it may be a short run. :AH-HA_wink:

You might also want to invest in an external hard drive that's bigger than your C: Drive and do a complete backup of your C: drive to the external drive. That's what I do at home. At work I backup my whole C: drive to a network drive just in case.

I have lots of cash and I have actually started looking for a 1968 Pontiac Grand Prix, I just love the a$$ end of that car and how it looks in profile too.

Vista has more issues than your Trojan infected version of XP. I wouldn't go that route.

Isn't that the same thing you said when I started my campaign against Zeta?

Old British Guiana, now just Guyana, you know where Jim Jones killed all those people.

Think how much easier it would be for automakers to make cars if every country drove on the right side of the road. Countries in red drive on the right side of the road, those in blue drive on the left side of the road. Most countries drive on the right side of the road. The majority of the countries that drive on the left side of the road are relics from the old British Empire.

Huh? What?

No, I am not a bean counter. :AH-HA_wink:

Some internal studies are starting to say otherwise.