Kent said:
I have to tell you, Alan, but this is America. Need is NOT the criteria,
want is. You get what you want, your perceived need. Others can do the
same. A 4 cyl. Accord may fit your needs/wants. But if a fellow has a wife
and two high school linebackers he needs to transport, he may honestly need
the V6. You don't get to dictate his needs or mine or any of the other 280
million Americans. Frustrating, isn't it?
Where did I 'dictate' anything? I simply would have preferred that
Honda take the 4 cyl. approach with the hybrid and really try to get the
most out of the technology at the mpg level. Instead they are catering
to the performance "want". This makes a good business decision, but a
poor objective decision. What the world needs is much less oil consumption.
Fratration: you Americans in particular are gobbling up 1/4 of the
world's non-renewable oil resources to feed your petty "wants". There
is a bigger picture, but most Americans are blithely unwilling to face
up to it. Truly a large part of that 1/4 goes to legitimate needs. But
driving to a high rise office job in a large SUV is simple waste. If
gasoline were and endless resource, nobody would care. But that's not
the case, is it?
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/ene_oil_con_mil_ton_sha_of_tot
You had a great warning in the 70's ... and promptly forgot it.
You've killed over 2000 of your own soldiers so far, not to mention
those of other nations, civilian contractors, Iraqi civilians and so on.
All in the name of oil security. If the US would make the effort to
reduce consumption and promote true innovation in energy use with the
money wasted in an unwinnable Iraq, the US and the world would benefit
immensely. And those young men and women would have been spared an
early death would be able to enjoy the "American Dream" as much as you
get to do it.
Please remember when you tank up that American soldiers are dying for
your privilege to do so. Seems to be a deadly shame to waste a single drop.
Companies build to the desires of their customers. Sometimes that gets them
caught in a crack. Witness the current SUV bust. Now if Honda comes up
with a Pilot V6 Hybrid, some of those current and former SUV owners will
flock to it.
Personally I've never needed or wanted a SUV or PU and an Accord coupe or
sedan is probably as large as I'd go, L4 or V6, my choice, NOT your dictate.
Right now I'd like a 2006 Civic Si and screw whatever you think I need.
It's not what "anyone" wants its what the world needs. On that note,
the Chinese economy is growing in huge leaps and bounds. And they too
have discovered the joy of the automobile... it's really going to get
much worse before it gets even slightly better.
Given the American trade deficit, personal debt, boomers retiring and
selling off over valuated homes, huge government debt and the dwindling
purchassing power of the US dollar, Americans at the individual level
will need to wake up or have a very rude awakening.
By the way, on a percap basis we are no better than Americans in oil
consumption. OTOH, we are overwhelmingly influenced by American
lifestyle (eg: big fast cars) and products (GM, Ford, Chrysler). OTOOH,
we have proven oil reserves second only to Saudi Arabia. But that's
great, we sell most of it to the US and further increase our trade
surplus with the US.
Cheers,
Alan.