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Audi President Says Chevy Volt is a Car for Idiots; We Think It Sounds Like a Perfect Fit For Him

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  • Audi President Says Chevy Volt is a Car for Idiots; We Think It Sounds Like a Perfect Fit For Him


  • #2
    Re: Audi President Says Chevy Volt is a Car for Idiots; We Think It Sounds Like a Perfect Fit For Hi

    Sorry, but the arrogant Mr. Audi is probably right. The Volt will "short out."

    Although diesel power has yet to catch on here (beyond its stranglehold in trucks larger than "half-ton" models), it dominates in Europe -- commanding a whopping one-third of the new car market.

    The Volt will appeal to some early adopters looking for the "next thing," but average folks -- the ones who don't lie awake at night fretting over "climate change" -- simply won't pay the premium for a plug-in. Nor will they hassle with actually plugging in a car every day.

    If anything is true, most Americans want a dead reliable vehicle that requires virtually no effort to maintain or drive. (They are NOT Bangshifters)

    And clearly plug-in electrics can be added to diesel-powered hybrids almost as easily as to Atkinson-cycle powered whips, should Mr. Audi America have spilled his "shaken, not stirred" martini on his designer polo shirt when he dogged the GM's "Reddy Kilowatt" Kruiser.

    I predict the real action in America won't be Diesel OR plug-in.

    It will be mild hybrid combined with improvements in internal combustion engine efficiency (Miller cycle and HCCI, turbocharging (i.e. EcoBoost), cylinder deactivation, enhanced variable valve timing and phasing (perhaps even solenoid activation), variable geometry induction, direct alcohol injection with ultra high compression).

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    • #3
      Re: Audi President Says Chevy Volt is a Car for Idiots; We Think It Sounds Like a Perfect Fit For Hi

      Something as radical as the Volt, will require genious marketing to get high volume sales with Americans.
      Ultimately, success or failure will have to do with engineering, quality, price and demographic audience at the very least.

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      • #4
        Re: Audi President Says Chevy Volt is a Car for Idiots; We Think It Sounds Like a Perfect Fit For Hi

        Sorry, but the arrogant Mr. Audi is probably right.
        Agreed.
        Act your age, not your shoe size. - Prince

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        • #5
          Re: Audi President Says Chevy Volt is a Car for Idiots; We Think It Sounds Like a Perfect Fit For Hi

          No, he isn't. We Americans know that diesel engines are used in trucks, and we have a lot of trucks with diesels in them. Probably more than there are little diesel eco cars in europe. At least ours use up more diesel fuel....which probably is why diesel costs more than gasoline now here.

          My fabulous web page

          "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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          • #6
            Re: Audi President Says Chevy Volt is a Car for Idiots; We Think It Sounds Like a Perfect Fit For Hi

            Originally posted by squirrel
            ... ours use up more diesel fuel....which probably is why diesel costs more than gasoline now here.
            I remember when diesel was significantly less expensive than gasoline.
            I wonder what happened in the manuafacturing process to cause such an increase in cost of production ?
            Nothing, it's supply and demand ...

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            • #7
              Re: Audi President Says Chevy Volt is a Car for Idiots; We Think It Sounds Like a Perfect Fit For Hi

              Originally posted by Speedzzter.blogspot
              The Volt will appeal to some early adopters looking for the "next thing," but average folks -- the ones who don't lie awake at night fretting over "climate change" -- simply won't pay the premium for a plug-in. Nor will they hassle with actually plugging in a car every day.
              I'd say that is the whole point of the Volt - it's not supposed to be mainstream, but rather an expensive proof of concept / production exercise that would be used to study how plug in hybrids work and hopefully bring down the cost of building future versions. It doesn't have to be in every garage to be a success.

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              • #8
                Re: Audi President Says Chevy Volt is a Car for Idiots; We Think It Sounds Like a Perfect Fit For Hi

                Originally posted by studemax
                Sorry, but the arrogant Mr. Audi is probably right.
                Agreed.
                X2.

                Mr. and Mrs. Smug will run out and buy one, the rest of us will yawn.

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                • #9
                  Re: Audi President Says Chevy Volt is a Car for Idiots; We Think It Sounds Like a Perfect Fit For Hi

                  Originally posted by White Monster
                  I remember when diesel was significantly less expensive than gasoline.
                  I wonder what happened in the manuafacturing process to cause such an increase in cost of production ?
                  Nothing, it's supply and demand ...
                  I think is has more to do with EPA mandated low sulfur diesel. That is a mfg change. And I hear a lot of griping from the diesel guys about how it ain't worth a sxxx.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Audi President Says Chevy Volt is a Car for Idiots; We Think It Sounds Like a Perfect Fit For Hi

                    Originally posted by Matt Cramer
                    I'd say that is the whole point of the Volt - it's not supposed to be mainstream, but rather an expensive proof of concept / production exercise that would be used to study how plug in hybrids work and hopefully bring down the cost of building future versions. It doesn't have to be in every garage to be a success.
                    I'm with Matt. I think the Volt will succeed as long as GM doesn't try to crank these out as fast as they do pickups, and as long as they work as well as intended and don't suffer quality problems. The folks who feel guilty driving a Prius because of it's gas engine will be in love with the Volt (nevermind all the coal that's burned at the power plant to send that electricity to their garage...)

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                    • #11
                      Re: Audi President Says Chevy Volt is a Car for Idiots; We Think It Sounds Like a Perfect Fit For Hi

                      Originally posted by White Monster
                      Originally posted by squirrel
                      ... ours use up more diesel fuel....which probably is why diesel costs more than gasoline now here.
                      I remember when diesel was significantly less expensive than gasoline.
                      I wonder what happened in the manuafacturing process to cause such an increase in cost of production ?
                      Nothing, it's supply and demand ...
                      Diesel prices are affected by supply and demand. However, the price of diesel tends to be more reactive and seasonal (demand for heating oil distillates used in the Northeast play a role in this). The diesel price spike of a couple of years back was also influenced by the imposition of the "ultra low" sulphur fuel standard.

                      http://www.logisticsmgmt.com/article/CA6289163.html (explanation of the 2006 price increases)

                      http://www.eia.doe.gov/bookshelf/bro...sel/index.html (Government explanation of the components in diesel fuel pricing)

                      http://www.nafa.org/Content/Navigati...actSheet2a.pdf (information on the ultra-low diesel fuel standard)


                      Originally posted by squirrel
                      No, he isn't. We Americans know that diesel engines are used in trucks,
                      Actually, anyone who has ever driven a modern turbo-diesel car quickly realizes that they are very well suited for about 90-95% of the driving habits and demands of Americans.

                      Diesels have lagged in the U.S. for several interrelated reasons:

                      First, the early U.S. passenger car diesels were grossly underengineered and lacked reliability -- this failure "innoculated" millions of American consumers against diesels.

                      Second, U.S. fuel prices have historically been so low that diesel cost-of-ownership hasn't been advantageous enough to off-set the higher initial purchase price and increased maintenence costs.

                      Third, after the early '80s, none of the Detroit 3 or the Japanese have developed a modern light turbo-diesel for passenger car/SUV/minivan use in the U.S.A. (even though all the major manufacturers offer a wide variety of diesel-powered models in Europe and elsewhere).

                      Fourth, diesel fuel tends to be a bit oily, messy and smelly, which, in the absence of a large cost-of-ownership advantage, remains a turn-off.

                      Fifth, many opinion-leading "gearheads" (who recommend lots of vehicle purchases) are afraid of the complexity of diesel.

                      Sixth, U.S. emission and fuel regulations have lagged behind Europe, which has delayed diesel market penetration (CARB's myopic view of diesels has been a significant problem until recently)

                      The 2012-2016 increases in CAFE may offset some of these traditional "barriers" to the adoption of turbo-diesels for passenger vehicles in the U.S. However, fuel prices are probably still the big variable. Sustained high gasoline prices (whether from market demands or taxes) will cause the U.S. to track closer to Europe.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Audi President Says Chevy Volt is a Car for Idiots; We Think It Sounds Like a Perfect Fit For Hi

                        Originally posted by Swepty
                        [The folks who feel guilty driving a Prius because of it's gas engine will be in love with the Volt (nevermind all the coal that's burned at the power plant to send that electricity to their garage...)
                        Of course, to get any meaningful range out of Willie Wiredhand's Wee Whirring Whip (a/k/a the Chevrolet Volt), the tiny gasoline ICE has to run.

                        Aren't most of the greeniacs who would sign up for a Volt already paying extra on their electric bills for "renewable power?"

                        BTW, Falcon67's new photo of the "windshield shot" of that awesome Thunderbolt scoop is electrifyingly great!

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                        • #13
                          Re: Audi President Says Chevy Volt is a Car for Idiots; We Think It Sounds Like a Perfect Fit For Hi

                          another awesome thread here!


                          I think Diesel is where we should be focusing our efforts. I know for sure, one of the big reasons so many OEMs have pulled back in the USA is because we have what many consider to be "bogus" emissions legislation.

                          www.realtuners.com - catch the RealTuners Radio Podcast on Youtube, Facebook, iTunes, and anywhere else podcasts are distributed!

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                          • #14
                            Re: Audi President Says Chevy Volt is a Car for Idiots; We Think It Sounds Like a Perfect Fit For Hi

                            Lots of salient points being made here with respect to the technology and the future.

                            For the record, I still think the guy is a douche.

                            Brian
                            That which you manifest is before you.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Audi President Says Chevy Volt is a Car for Idiots; We Think It Sounds Like a Perfect Fit For Hi

                              anyone who likes audis is automatically a douche, that goes without saying

                              (I'm sure some audi lover will pop up now and defend the marque)
                              My fabulous web page

                              "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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