Thanks, GM, for more gas guzzlers

[Jim Alfredson]

Notice they never talk about the fuel efficiency.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...UTO03/603290308

Maybe it's because of this (2006 model): http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/22473.shtml

Wake up, GM. Oh, and I just lost a lot of respect for Adrian Brody, too.

[Jim Alfredson]

FWIW, this is what I drive to gigs:

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/15434.shtml

Right in the middle of the spectrum as far as greenhouse emissions. Not bad. Most of my driving is highway driving, too, where I get the best mpg. That makes me feel a bit better.

[Jim Alfredson]

I'm glad to see this finally happening: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006603290456

Ethanol seems to be the smartest way to begin the transistion from oil to non-fossil fuel energy sources. I would gladly buy an ethanol compatable minivan if I could get fuel for it, but the stations just don't exist.

[Joe G]

It may seem like a small detail, but such attentiveness to the desires of celebrity and hip-hop customers is what gives the '07 Escalade a powerful dose of street credibility.

I think that says it all.

According to the chart further down on the second link you posted, these are not considered "gas guzzlers".

[ejp626]

Jim, do you mow your lawn with a gas-powered mower or use a scythe?

I can't speak for Jim, but I used a push mover, which was human powered.

[catesta]

It may seem like a small detail, but such attentiveness to the desires of celebrity and hip-hop customers is what gives the '07 Escalade a powerful dose of street credibility.

I think that says it all.

According to the chart further down on the second link you posted, these are not considered "gas guzzlers".

I think they're exempt because they're considered trucks.

[Jim Alfredson]

Jim, do you mow your lawn with a gas-powered mower or use a scythe?

I use an electric, thank you, and my lawn is the size of a postage stamp. It takes me about 15 minutes to mow the whole thing.

[Jim Alfredson]

It may seem like a small detail, but such attentiveness to the desires of celebrity and hip-hop customers is what gives the '07 Escalade a powerful dose of street credibility.

I think that says it all.

Right. It's much more important that a vehicle has "street cred" rather than being even close to environmentally responsable.

According to the chart further down on the second link you posted, these are not considered "gas guzzlers".

I think they're exempt because they're considered trucks.

At least the government is trying to do something (amazingly enough)...

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/3755756.html

[Jim Alfredson]

I just sent the following letter to the Detroit News:

I am left confused by the recent article about the new 2007 Cadillac Escalad by Anita Lienert. I wasn't sure if I was reading a piece of journalism or an advertisement. Did Ms. Lienert actually write that piece, or did she just quote paragraphs from Cadillac's press releases?

Where in the article was there any mention of the Escalade's fuel economy? Such vital information in this climate of skyrocketing fuel costs was never mentioned. Perhaps that's because the fuel economy of the current 2006 model is an atrocious 13 mpg in the city. I can't imagine the 2007 models being any better.

American car companies wonder why they are losing customers, laying off employees, seeing their suppliers go bankrupt, and losing market share to foreign car companies. And yet they keep making gas-guzzling behemoths aimed at movie stars and rappers, who have no problem paying almost $3 a gallon for gas.

Time to wake up, Detroit.

For the record, I got an oil change and filled up the tank of my minivan today. The oil change was $40 (I use a high-mileage synthetic blend) and it cost $50 to fill my tank with regular. Gas is around $2.66 today in Lansing.

[BruceH]

Hey, there's a reason that GM is going down the toilet.

[BruceH]

Wake up, GM. Oh, and I just lost a lot of respect for Adrian Brody, too.

You mean you had some?

[Jim Alfredson]

Wake up, GM. Oh, and I just lost a lot of respect for Adrian Brody, too.

You mean you had some?

Sure, "The Pianist", which he won an Oscar for, was a great movie.

[Joe G]

Where in the article was there any mention of the Escalade's fuel economy?

It was there, but given a positive spin...

Fuel economy is another matter.

The six- to eight-passenger Escalade gets a larger, 6.2-liter V-8 engine. Oddly, it does not offer the variable-displacement system available on the lesser Tahoe that shuts down four of the cylinders under part throttle to save on gas.

The new Escalade returns 13 mpg in city driving and 19 mpg on the highway, which may seem only marginally better than the outgoing model, which had the same city number, but got only 17 mpg on the highway. Considering the '07 Escalade gets a whopping boost in horsepower, however, those fuel economy numbers are fairly remarkable.

[BeBop]

On the other hand, I'm at least PARTIALLY for having GM do what it's best at - building these hulking monsters. First, someone WILL build them, because there's a market for them. And second, because I don't want to pay to bail out GM, its workers, its retirees, its contractors, its suppliers...

I wish GM was better at building fuel-efficient vehicles that are safe for their occupants and for everyone else on the road.

Or I wish the economy and political environment were such that GM could simply be allowed to die a quiet death. Alas.

[Jim Alfredson]

Where in the article was there any mention of the Escalade's fuel economy?

It was there, but given a positive spin...

Fuel economy is another matter.

The six- to eight-passenger Escalade gets a larger, 6.2-liter V-8 engine. Oddly, it does not offer the variable-displacement system available on the lesser Tahoe that shuts down four of the cylinders under part throttle to save on gas.

The new Escalade returns 13 mpg in city driving and 19 mpg on the highway, which may seem only marginally better than the outgoing model, which had the same city number, but got only 17 mpg on the highway. Considering the '07 Escalade gets a whopping boost in horsepower, however, those fuel economy numbers are fairly remarkable.

Doh! I didn't see that! Oh well... the numbers are still shitty.

[catesta]

I just sent the following letter to the Detroit News:

I am left confused by the recent article about the new 2007 Cadillac Escalad by Anita Lienert. I wasn't sure if I was reading a piece of journalism or an advertisement. Did Ms. Lienert actually write that piece, or did she just quote paragraphs from Cadillac's press releases?

Where in the article was there any mention of the Escalade's fuel economy? Such vital information in this climate of skyrocketing fuel costs was never mentioned. Perhaps that's because the fuel economy of the current 2006 model is an atrocious 13 mpg in the city. I can't imagine the 2007 models being any better.

American car companies wonder why they are losing customers, laying off employees, seeing their suppliers go bankrupt, and losing market share to foreign car companies. And yet they keep making gas-guzzling behemoths aimed at movie stars and rappers, who have no problem paying almost $3 a gallon for gas.

Time to wake up, Detroit.

For the record, I got an oil change and filled up the tank of my minivan today. The oil change was $40 (I use a high-mileage synthetic blend) and it cost $50 to fill my tank with regular. Gas is around $2.66 today in Lansing.

Jim, with all due respect they will keep building them because there is a market for them.

GM is no different than Lexus, Mercedes Benz, Bentley, BMW and so on....

[BERIGAN]

It's not just GM Jim. Check out what the dopes at Ford did with the Lincoln SUV!!!!

http://www.blueovalnews.com/index.php?cate...2_articleid=145

Edited March 30, 2006 by BERIGAN

[Jim Alfredson]

Jim, with all due respect they will keep building them because there is a market for them.

GM is no different than Lexus, Mercedes Benz, Bentley, BMW and so on....

The market is shrinking. This is a very temporary fix for a problem that will be the death of the American car companies if they don't get their heads out of their asses soon.

http://triad.bizjournals.com/triad/stories...y5.html?i=33077

"But the Big Three saw their sales dip in 2005, as other manufacturers, especially Asian car makers, sold more vehicles in the Triad. Consumers, wary of high gas prices last year, also bought fewer SUVs, which hurt Ford and GM dealerships, where SUV sales tend to be a bigger part of the mix, dealers and analysts say."

This is a continuing trend that will only get worse as gas prices soar.

[Jim Alfredson]

It's not just GM Jim. Check out what the dopes at Ford did with the Lincoln SUV!!!!

http://www.hissandpop.com/celebrities/f/fa...fawcett-020.jpg

Is this supposed to be funny? I must be missing something.

[Sundog]

The market is shrinking. This is a very temporary fix for a problem that will be the death of the American car companies if they don't get their heads out of their asses soon.

Honda & Toyota are the new "American" car companies. GM, Ford, and Chrysler have essentially become lending agents that just happen to make cars. Pretty sad.

[ejp626]

Jim, with all due respect they will keep building them because there is a market for them.

GM is no different than Lexus, Mercedes Benz, Bentley, BMW and so on....

And new construction would probably include asbestos if it was still allowed because it was such a cheap and efficient insulator, but as a society we agreed that it was too harmful. I think we're well past the point where we can simply allow people to buy SUVs with such shitty gas mileage. Whether that means command and control legislation to force improvements in fuel economy, or doubling or tripling of the gas tax, I'm for it. Obviously it won't happen in the U.S., much to our shame. Our grandchildren will forever curse us as the worst generation to walk the planet, since we knew global warming was a problem but were too greedy to do anything about it.

[Chuck Nessa]

Gee, I was afraid David was being blamed for something bad.

[Chuck Nessa]

Jim, with all due respect they will keep building them because there is a market for them.

GM is no different than Lexus, Mercedes Benz, Bentley, BMW and so on....

And you believe in the "market economy" because......................

[BruceH]

Jim, with all due respect they will keep building them because there is a market for them.

GM is no different than Lexus, Mercedes Benz, Bentley, BMW and so on....

And new construction would probably include asbestos if it was still allowed because it was such a cheap and efficient insulator, but as a society we agreed that it was too harmful. I think we're well past the point where we can simply allow people to buy SUVs with such shitty gas mileage. Whether that means command and control legislation to force improvements in fuel economy, or doubling or tripling of the gas tax, I'm for it. Obviously it won't happen in the U.S., much to our shame. Our grandchildren will forever curse us as the worst generation to walk the planet, since we knew global warming was a problem but were too greedy to do anything about it.

Not everyone in our generation. What about all the people who bought/are buying Prius's and other hybrids? I must see at least 100 of those on the road daily around here.

[Chuck Nessa]

I have some questions about the Prius technology and what it saves vs what it consumes.