GM Car Czar Maximum Bob Lutz Supersizes Anti-CAFE Kvetch
`If we have the worst case coming out of Washington, all bets are off. We don't know how to get there without spending $6,000 or $7,000 per car.'' In his battle to kneecap the Senate bill designed to raise federal corporate average fuel economy standards, GM's Car Czar has added $4k to $5k per car to his original estimate of the legislation's impact on GM's costs. Lutz' numbers reflect a new, theoretical strategy for meeting the new, theoretical legislation: an all-hybrid lineup. Lutz told Bloomberg that GM's current hybrid system costs about $10k per vehicle. If used on all cars and trucks, the cost would fall to $6k to $7k. Alternatively, nothing. And what about the four percent per year mandate after the new standards are met? Lawmakers might as well mandate that cars "float four inches off the ground." Huh?
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The domestic automakers have cried wolf too often to be taken seriously. They have an inglorious record for resisting consumer protection, safety and fuel consumption initiatives.
Gardiner Westbound is right, GM has no credibility. Even if Lutz was right, GM has consistently said things like"can't be done", "customers dont want...", "this will add thousands of dollars per car" etc etc. No one cares what GM says anymore. They have lied too often in the past and have been caught too often.
Maybe the F-ing politicians should make themselves useful by starting a car company using their own damn money. These scumbags have no idea what it will cost...Nor do they care.
Hey Bob, the first oil crisis was over 30 years ago. And you've been dragging your feet since then. Shut up.