pow

Isn't the floor of the Corvette made of balsa wood? It's supposed to be light and strong.

In theory a HCCI engine would work well as a generator - constant running speed, diesel-like economy, without the diesel fuel or pricetag.

Bacon is nice... but what about only the white bits? I read Mario Batali once made a griddle pizza topped with shavings of "prosciutto bianco", or in other words, pure pig fat cured with salt and herbs.

I love pork. Yesterday I had a pigfest from the local taco truck... tacos al pastor, carnitas, chorizo, y buche. And over the winter I made braised pork belly and wild mushroom risotto. Mmm...

Rabbit and GTI are on their way out. The MKVIs are better looking, and apparently, better made...

By ordering the review of the previous admin's waiver denial, Obama could potentially harmonize CARB and CAFE regulations. Here's a good overview:

Well, the Terrain and Equinox, while similar in length to midsizers like the Highlander, are quite narrow. They don't have a third row, and the cargo area is compromised by rear strut towers. Many in the segment have space-efficient double-wishbone rear suspension instead. The CR-V is 10" shorter than the Terrain/Equinox, but it has greater interior volume and cargo volume, more front/rear legroom, shoulder room, and hiproom. In terms of interior roominess, engine availability, and likely pricing, this will compete against compact SUVs, just like the old Equinox does.

I really like the white one. I think it'll look great with black lightweight racing wheels.

The 2.4 DOHC beats the 3.5 OHV by 4 mpg in both the city and the highway, so it's not mainly a perception thing.

Why don't they call it the Envoy? That was a GMC that seemed to have good brand recognition. Changing nameplates too often not only requires more advertising money, but it affects residuals as well. Who would want to drive a discontinued brand (e.g., Torrent)?

I like the interior of the old 7 much better. This new one looks generic, like any other recent BMW, whereas the E65's emulated modern furniture design. It still looks very contemporary, even if it's eight years old... New exterior looks boring, too... too much like the LS.

Do you have anything to say that's relevant to this thread...?

Hmm... I've changed my mind, too. This is a bad idea. It's true there will only be two CO2/mpg standards - CARB and federal (CAFE). But whereas CAFE requirements reflect the nation's fleet of vehicles, each individual CARB state would have to meet the required MPG average independently. So even between two CARB states that both require, say, 31.3 mpg, manufacturers would have to adjust their fleets differently for each state. To comply with CAFE, manufacturers currently manage their sales mix through pricing (in order to reduce demand, and thus, sales, of certain vehicles, they raise prices) or rationing. Imposing fuel economy regulations on an individual state level will force manufacturers to have different MSRPs for each state, or more likely, ration the types of vehicles for sale in each state. This would be tough on small CARB states with few dealerships - DC's Volvo dealership would cease to exist unless they started selling Fords as well. In essence, manufacturers would have to comply with an additional 17+ new jurisdictions, regardless if their standards are the same. All this red tape would be an inefficient use of resources and accomplish very little. So I've got a genius idea: Instead of being individual states that happen to share the same CO2/mpg standards, why don't the CARB states combine all their vehicle sales into one pool, and have that pool of vehicles meet CARB standards? Then we'll truly have two systems, one country - not seventeen systems, one country. Instead of having statewide averages, we will have a CARB-wide average.

The US needs this car more than Europe does. They already have diesels and ecoFLEX Opels.

It will be sad to see Saturn go. It's interesting how 3 years ago, DCH credited the Saturn brand for its dealer network's success:

I don't know, he reminds me of Tom Cruise.

Heh, I guess it depends on your definition of air quality. It changes the composition of the atmosphere, sure. But is it visible, does it carry an odor, or does it have an immediate effect on human health (like traditional category air pollutants do)? No.

True, there are many efficient performance cars out there. In that case, "A non-CARB fleet can have a greater percentage of [gas-guzzlers] than a CARB fleet."

If I were a car enthusiast living in a non-CARB state, I'd rather see two sets of standards. A non-CARB fleet can have a greater percentage of muscle cars and luxury SUVs than a CARB fleet.

True. But I believe there will be a low-carbon fuel standard, so presumably sustainably developed biodiesel and ethanol can reduce the amount of CO2 in fuels. But until then, there will be a 100% correlation between petrol MPG and greenhouse gas emissions.

CARB always had the right to regulate emissions - if they could demonstrate compelling and extraordinary circumstances that justified pollution regulation. CO2 is the latest addition to VOC, NOx, HC, PM, etc. And according to the Supreme Court, climate change is a big enough threat to California to warrant emissions regulation.

Bingo. This is about fuel economy.

When NOx and VOCs combine with sunlight, photochemical smog is created. CO2 is not involved in that reaction.

They actually don't - carbon emissions affect long-term climate patterns instead. One gallon of gasoline burnt becomes 19.6 lbs of CO2; there's no way around that, apart from carbon sequestration. But the Supreme Court has already decided that California faces environmental circumstances compelling enough to regulate its own greenhouse gas emissions, under the powers that were granted to the state 30+ years ago.

Again, this is not about individual cars. It's about statewide averages. There will be absolutely no change with regard to out-of-state cars.