Auto Mania

I don't know about all this GM stuff I've been thinking and writing about recently. I think It's starting to get me.

First, I attended two very disparate events this week: a pre-screening of the film, An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore's truly extraordinary treatise on global warming. Here's the New Yorker review.

Then, I schlepped to the New York Auto Show.

Whoa. These two events in one week is enough to give a man the psychic bends!

Here's a foto to start us off.

That's the window sticker from a new Chevy Tahoe. In case you can't read it, sticker price: $51,980! OK, boys, way to go! Fuel expectations...well,  those I'm sure you can read. 15 city, 21 highway. By the way, ever actually get the mileage they quote on the sticker?

Didn't think so.

So, this baby probably gets about 13 MPG in the city. Let's see, what octane fuel does it like to eat? Oh, yeah, give me the fully caffeinated! So, OK, here in the Constitution State, that'll set you back about, let's call it, $3.20/gallon.  This boy's got a 26 gallon tank, so that'll be, roughly...hang on a second...$83 to fill it up. And, for that you'll get...wait...let's get crazy and call it 15 MPG...390 miles...or, about 21 cents a mile for gas. For me to drive to NYC, that's roughly 100 miles round trip, so, $21 a trip. For gas. No tolls, no parking, no nothin'. Do that 5 times a week, 48 weeks a year (I don't, but lots do) and it's a skosh over $5,000 a year. For gas. Just to go to work. Never mind drivin' to get milk, or to the mall, or out to the great outdoors where those ads are shot.

That'll clear your sinuses, won't it?

Look, I think GM's done some nice work. Take a look at the window line of the Camaro re-launch prototype:

Damn nice looking, isn't it?

But, at the end of the day, I think GM's problem still resembles the path taken by this big, bad boy (the mileage sticker for which was nowhere in sight.)

Uphill climb, baby, steep uphill climb.

Oh, and, by the way, if you're interested in reading a great piece of creative writing by a guy who does it well, check out my man fouroboros' recent GM post, in which yours truly makes a cameo appearance. For the record, I think his suggestion is crazy/brilliant.

Have a great weekend.

Tags: GM An Inconvenient Truth

Comments

[Robin Capper]

I noticed at the EPCOT "Test Track Showroom" (see link on this comment) the Hummer didn’t even quote City/Highway economy on the spec, just a blank. Is that because it’s a truck, so doesn’t have to, or it’s so bad they don’t want to admit it?

[fouro]

Mileage? fugeddoboudit. Multiply each number by .666 if your average in-car is less than 20 miles and takes more than 20 minutes. I think Dante will back me on this one.

check out NYT's E.P.A. Planning Closer Estimate of Car Mileage

Thanks for the kind notice, Tom. I see Lutz in that door/pillar combo, too. But then again, I see Steve McQueen in the new Pony. Not hard to do. Oh for the days of Colin Chapman and Carroll Shelby--when I was drving a radio flyer.

[Tom Guarriello]

I didn't realize The Inferno got such lousy mileage!

You really are a closet gearhead, aren't you?

[fouro]

Yes, and they're hell on oil, even with all those rings.

Alas, I have propagandized under the marque of Gottfried and Carl and a coupla others. I was schooled by a rallying older brother who parked his first company car, a Fiat 500, with a handbrake turn to show his disdain. He'd sometimes drag me along to Brands Hatch and Snetterton on weekends for tarmac stuff. The offspring of fouro senior are stupid for zoom zoom and assorted type-a character defects.

[Tom Guarriello]

Robin, I think you've got it right: they just didn't want to put the number out there.

[Paul]

Whenever I see one of those SUV ads with someone driving on a lonely stretch of road in the middle of nowhere, I think "Now there's got to be a tanker truck full of gasoline just off frame, or they won't have enough gas to get home and this will end up like The Blair Witch Project."