Quote:
Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile
I predict that (just like the 1970s), U.S. automakers are going to get slaughtered by the Europeans & Japanese (especially the Japanese) and see their market share cut dramatically due to their short-sighted obstinance in thinking that big, dumb vehicles (demanded for the most part by big, dumb Americans, ironically) represent a permanent solution to American consumer choice.
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I'll ignore the rant, I know that was cathartic for you.
You're both right and wrong. Time will tell us with $5/gal gas, but it does seem inevitable. However, the difference is that there are many economical cars available. In the '70s, economy cars are a rarity. Today, you can walk onto the lot of ANY maker (American makes included) and have a variety of cars that get 30 MPG or more. For that matter, most small or midsized sedans can do 30 MPG, or very near to it, on the highway.
I'd also argue that the Japanese have lost the advantage in the MPG department, though I still believe that they make better cars. Ironically, they're a victim of giving us what we want. Every generation of Camry, Accord, Civic and Corolla has grown larger and more powerful. The new Accord sedan is almost large enough be considered full-size, and has nearly 300 HP.
It's hard to deny that $5/gal gas will be the downfall of the 15 MPG SUV. But, this will be painful for every car company. Remember, the Americans aren't the only ones making trucks and SUVs. The Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra have both been very successful for the Japanese, and don't get any better MPG than the American trucks. Other large Japanese SUVs include the Armada, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, with related Lexus and Infiniti versions. It might hurt the Americans more, but in the end, it will hurt most of them.