Comments on: GM’s Historical “No Hybrids Here” Decision Revealed

By: SloStang

SloStang — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:16:56 +0000

Old small cars have less safety, less interior room, less features, less comfort, and less refinement. They’re also more expensive to maintain than a new hybrid.

We know that, and it’s a bit of apples and oranges to compare the two. The point is, if you’re looking at this strictly from a gas mileage standpoint, you get a bigger bang by giving up safety and convenience than by adding a hybrid drive system.

What if you have a ‘92 civic and you’re very happy with it? What can you trade it in for that gets the same mileage for

By: Johnson

Johnson — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 17:40:38 +0000

It boggles my mind why people continue to make comparisons such as “(insert old small car here) gets the same fuel economy as a Prius/Civic hybrid. I don’t see what all the fuss about hybrids is about”.

Old small cars have less safety, less interior room, less features, less comfort, and less refinement. They’re also more expensive to maintain than a new hybrid.

By: ejacobs

ejacobs — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 14:46:36 +0000

Actually, the ‘92 Civic VX (lean-burn VTEC-E) was compared to the current Honda Fit. The Civic VX was lighter and got better gas mileage.

By: The Luigiian

The Luigiian — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 07:51:27 +0000

I thought the best part of the green issue was when they mentioned that a ‘92 Civic (or thereabouts) got similar or slightly better mileage than the current Civic Hybrid.

For those who didn’t read the article, yes, they did account for the change in mileage testing.

Wow. I didn’t know this, I had always figured the Ford Mustang 4-cyl with manual was about average for the eighties. That was the only car I bothered to check.

Ford F-150 V-6 + manual: 19 mpg (1985)
Today: 16 mpg (and the ‘85 looks better, too, IMHO)

‘85 Nissan Truck 4 + manual: 25 mpg
Today: 21 mpg

Now that I’ve seen it, I kinda wish I hadn’t. That makes me cry a little inside.

By: jthorner

jthorner — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 07:05:45 +0000

“I personally brought four hybrid proposals before the board in the 1999-2002 period, and all were rejected. It was because of the business case. We just didn’t get the courage to lose money on Gen 1.”

The bankers managed to kill off the UK based auto industry with that same kind of thinking. Let the spreadsheet jockeys run things long enough and you end up with nothing to run.

“but now they have the courage to do so on the Volt while they are having huge financial problems?”

We shall see. How much did GM pour down the EV1 rat hole? And what happened to the government funded Future Car program we taxpayers kicked in for?

By: jcp2

jcp2 — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 01:04:38 +0000

Of course, the current Civic is bout the size of an old Accord. Maybe it would be more valid to compare the ‘92 Civic to the current Fit. Also, there’s more stuff, safety wise, in current vehicles.

By: SloStang

SloStang — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:44:00 +0000

I thought the best part of the green issue was when they mentioned that a ‘92 Civic (or thereabouts) got similar or slightly better mileage than the current Civic Hybrid.

For those who didn’t read the article, yes, they did account for the change in mileage testing.

By: Bunter1

Bunter1 — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:30:21 +0000

brownie-Ouch! Nice shot.

I had to laugh a few years ago when some GM exec (Ricky?) claimed Toyota wasn’t actually making a profit on the Prius.
I thought “Heck, what does he know about making a profit on ANY car”.

I’ll miss him & Bob when they are gone.

Bunter

By: Redbarchetta

Redbarchetta — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:00:34 +0000

It didn’t make enough profit at the time or “economic sense” to the bean counters so they shelved the idea. Another case of the beancounters NOT needing to be in charge.

By: brownie

brownie — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:13:20 +0000

They didn’t have the courage to lose money on a hybrid, but they did have the courage to lose money on everything else.

By: gzuckier

gzuckier — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:31:34 +0000

sure, they’ll have it by 2010. if that means rebadging priuses.

By: Michael Karesh

Michael Karesh — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:54:49 +0000

Back around 1996 the plan inside GM was to offer hybrids in the 2003 model year. But then the outsider senior exec championing them got sidelined by leukemia, among other things.

By: Orian

Orian — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:20:24 +0000

Wow, they didn’t have the courage to lose money on Gen 1 back in 99-02, but now they have the courage to do so on the Volt while they are having huge financial problems?

Those executives really are out of touch with reality.