German Cars Don't Deserve Dirty Reputation,
#1
01-11-2008, 12:28 AM
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Huntsville, AL
Posts: 5,613
German Cars Don't Deserve Dirty Reputation,
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,...048843,00.html
Ordinarily I would not pay much attention to an article like this but then there was this quote:
Bob Wilson
German Cars Don't Deserve Dirty Reputation, Expert Says
Are German car makers doing enough to keep up with consumer tastes? Or should they be setting an example? DW-WORLD.DE spoke with an expert on the industry's current approach to environmentally friendly vehicle design.
Henning Wallentowitz has chaired the Institute for Automotive Engineering (IKA) at Germany's elite RWTH university in Aachen since 1993. In a conversation with DW-WORLD.DE ahead of the Detroit Auto Show, which opens Saturday, Jan. 19, he explained why German cars are small enough, and why engineers are waiting for consumers to set the pace for further green development.
. . .
Are German car makers doing enough to keep up with consumer tastes? Or should they be setting an example? DW-WORLD.DE spoke with an expert on the industry's current approach to environmentally friendly vehicle design.
Henning Wallentowitz has chaired the Institute for Automotive Engineering (IKA) at Germany's elite RWTH university in Aachen since 1993. In a conversation with DW-WORLD.DE ahead of the Detroit Auto Show, which opens Saturday, Jan. 19, he explained why German cars are small enough, and why engineers are waiting for consumers to set the pace for further green development.
. . .
"The Japanese are selling hybrids in America. But we are quite sure they don't earn money with them. The price for those cars is too cheap to make a profit.
Some people in America have made hybrids into a cause; from what I hear it is a lot of artists and actors. But hybrids make up just one percent of the market. And that isn't going to change in the near future. . . ."
No one has a monopoly on hubris. Still, I guess that makes us all "artists and actors."Some people in America have made hybrids into a cause; from what I hear it is a lot of artists and actors. But hybrids make up just one percent of the market. And that isn't going to change in the near future. . . ."
Bob Wilson
Last edited by bwilson4web; 01-11-2008 at 12:33 AM.
Re: German Cars Don't Deserve Dirty Reputation,
#3
01-11-2008, 07:03 AM
Ridiculously Active Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Atlanta, Ga
Posts: 1,797
Re: German Cars Don't Deserve Dirty Reputation,
More quotes:
They make it seem that hybrid news is good news- All I've read (Except from actual owners) are that they are slow, too expensive, are worst regarding EPA estimates and too complicated.
Take the same article- All the batteries make the car too heavy, and the batteries are not developed well enough.
They say Japan is loosing money on hybrids, yet most articles say they are too expensive.
Can they have it both ways? I wonder which one is it?
-Steve
Why aren't they selling here now? In the US it seems hybrid cars are constantly in the news.
Take the same article- All the batteries make the car too heavy, and the batteries are not developed well enough.
They say Japan is loosing money on hybrids, yet most articles say they are too expensive.
Can they have it both ways? I wonder which one is it?
-Steve
#4
01-11-2008, 07:30 AM
Re: German Cars Don't Deserve Dirty Reputation,
Anyone Google that in 2007, the Prius outsold the Ford Explorer? 
#5
01-11-2008, 12:32 PM
Re: German Cars Don't Deserve Dirty Reputation,
More quotes:
They make it seem that hybrid news is good news- All I've read (Except from actual owners) are that they are slow, too expensive, are worst regarding EPA estimates and too complicated.
Take the same article- All the batteries make the car too heavy, and the batteries are not developed well enough.
They say Japan is loosing money on hybrids, yet most articles say they are too expensive.
Can they have it both ways? I wonder which one is it?
-Steve
They make it seem that hybrid news is good news- All I've read (Except from actual owners) are that they are slow, too expensive, are worst regarding EPA estimates and too complicated.
Take the same article- All the batteries make the car too heavy, and the batteries are not developed well enough.
They say Japan is loosing money on hybrids, yet most articles say they are too expensive.
Can they have it both ways? I wonder which one is it?
-Steve
Despite that, I doubt Toyota is losing money on each one, but I seem to recall in another thread that Ford likely is (sorry, no reference link).
rcomeau
#6
01-12-2008, 08:54 PM
Re: German Cars Don't Deserve Dirty Reputation,
#7
01-13-2008, 06:38 AM
Re: German Cars Don't Deserve Dirty Reputation,
Hybrid hate will not fade away soon. I'm neither a doc nor an artist... I'm actually a Chemist, so I guess the writer of the article might want to include scientists on his list.
I've had co workers try to claim hybrids get worst mileage than the EPA estimates. I've proven them wrong on a daily basis. I actually believe the estimates for the TCH are at least 4 mpg lower than they should be because I consistently get above 38mpg even in cold weather.
I've had co workers try to claim hybrids get worst mileage than the EPA estimates. I've proven them wrong on a daily basis. I actually believe the estimates for the TCH are at least 4 mpg lower than they should be because I consistently get above 38mpg even in cold weather.
#8
01-13-2008, 08:11 AM
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Huntsville, AL
Posts: 5,613
Re: German Cars Don't Deserve Dirty Reputation,
My source reports:
http://consumerguideauto.howstuffwor...yota-prius.htm
Achieving a "per-unit profit" is a major threshold. As for R&D and other costs, it looks like Toyota is getting a great return on their investment. Something every other car manufacturer is trying to copy . . . 10 years late.
Bob Wilson
. . .
Toyota officials recently told Bloomberg News that Prius is turning a small per-unit profit after some 75,000 worldwide sales as of late December 2001. Starting with 2002, the company will increase yearly Prius deliveries to the U.S. by about 40 percent to some 17,000 units. Even so, Toyota says sales will remain insufficient to offset research and development expenses, capital investment, and perhaps warranty costs. . . .
Toyota officials recently told Bloomberg News that Prius is turning a small per-unit profit after some 75,000 worldwide sales as of late December 2001. Starting with 2002, the company will increase yearly Prius deliveries to the U.S. by about 40 percent to some 17,000 units. Even so, Toyota says sales will remain insufficient to offset research and development expenses, capital investment, and perhaps warranty costs. . . .
Achieving a "per-unit profit" is a major threshold. As for R&D and other costs, it looks like Toyota is getting a great return on their investment. Something every other car manufacturer is trying to copy . . . 10 years late.
Bob Wilson
#9
01-13-2008, 01:19 PM
Re: German Cars Don't Deserve Dirty Reputation,
"The Japanese are selling hybrids in America. But we are quite sure they don't earn money with them. The price for those cars is too cheap to make a profit.
Some people in America have made hybrids into a cause; from what I hear it is a lot of artists and actors. But hybrids make up just one percent of the market. And that isn't going to change in the near future. . . ."
Some people in America have made hybrids into a cause; from what I hear it is a lot of artists and actors. But hybrids make up just one percent of the market. And that isn't going to change in the near future. . . ."
Apparently, we won't be seeing any competitive hybrids from Germany!
#10
01-13-2008, 01:38 PM
Re: German Cars Don't Deserve Dirty Reputation,
Doesn't the old saying go something like this - you gotta spend money to make money?
Toyota already made losses on the old Prius. After 10 years, they're raking in the profits.
Toyota already made losses on the old Prius. After 10 years, they're raking in the profits.
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