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View Full Version : A Reason to Ponder



p47koji
02-11-2009, 02:26 PM
I debated where to post this... It's more than just Roushes, Saleens, Shelby Cobras... It doesn't fit into the "Discussion" area but if the moderator needs to move it, please do... but I do have an announcement.

While I am concerned with the tenor of the few people recently posting negatives on this site in that I hope they don't start attacking me, I do wish to provide a wee bit of background...

Until 2003, I was the COO of a company called NGV Ecotrans in Los Angeles. We were at the leading edge of alternative fueled vehicle technology, incorporating 100% dedicated natural gas engines into Heavy Duty vehicles - like transit buses and waste hauling vehicles. If you have dedicated natural gas vehicles in your metropolitan mass transit systems, you can thank my Company.

Anyways, we were too early in our effort and undercapitalized. The BOD closed our doors. While I did have a Mustang GT, I drove a dedicated natural gas Crown Vic, right from Ford... It was a great car - nearly zero emissions.

Because of my supposed knowledge of world oil reserves (we've passed the peak, meaning we are using more than pumping out, at least until last year), I bought my '08 Mustang GT with full knowledge that gas supply could not keep up with demand, especially with China and India expanding. I viewed buying it as a last hurrah. I even knowingly added the superb Roush supercharger...

That's one of the reasons why I drive my Roushcharged Mustang daily...besides not having enough moolah to keep it garaged like my good friend Arnold and have another car to drive daily. I wanted to enjoy it while I could...but yes, there was no real sign my foresight on world crude oil supply was even partially correct - until now.

Anyways, to get the the point of this "announcement"... Some may think it trivial but I feel it to be monumental.

When I got home last night, my two littlest kids brought home the latest Scholastic Books order form. You know, that little catalog of paperback books you can buy for your kids and the school gets a piece of the profit. Well, this time around, there were no Lightning McQueen books... not even Bumblebee (the Transformers Camaro) was featured. Instead, there was just one car - just this one poster:

http://i412.photobucket.com/albums/pp201/veilside_mustang/CandC%20POTR/f79db227.jpg

Sure, this is not saying this is the end of the high-performance vehicles but it does send the message our days of enjoying these cars are not infinite as I believed in the 60's. Something to ponder. Time to enjoy our cars, folks. :)

Mr.Fixit
02-11-2009, 02:45 PM
Koji are you saying we may actually see the days of Mad Maxx!:eek:

I do agree it may not be in our lifetime but there will be a day there will be no more combustion engines....at least not as we know them.

Mr.F

lonepalm
02-11-2009, 04:29 PM
I saw the Tesla Roadster on TV. It's quite a car and if the internal combustion engine has to go at least performance vehicles will live on, although quieter. Wait, we could record the sounds of of a V8, put it on our ipods and just wear headphones when are zipping around in our quiet, zero emission supercars! :D

p47koji
02-11-2009, 05:22 PM
I saw the Tesla Roadster on TV. It's quite a car and if the internal combustion engine has to go at least performance vehicles will live on, although quieter. Wait, we could record the sounds of of a V8, put it on our ipods and just wear headphones when are zipping around in our quiet, zero emission supercars! :D

I saw a Tesla (privately owned) at the Woodland Hills Supercar Sunday in December. I saw him leave but didn't hear him. Admittedly, it was dang quick...no dang fast. It was like a sewing machine motor that broke loose. It was eerily quiet but it reminded you of being at a golf course.

And you're right. No rumble. Just the sound of your mother's sewing machine. Engineers will need to do something for the sight and hearing disadvantaged...so that canned rumble (vibration) in some form may be needed.

This is eerie. :eek:

vdubman
02-11-2009, 06:02 PM
I have actually studied up on the Tesla Roadster as part of my due diligence in my day job. It is a landmark deal IMO that something like this has:

1) made it to production.

2) been successful so far

3) seems pretty well made and conceived

4) and now on kids walls in a poster.

As to the end of the high performance muscle car and the Mad Max days? Maybe so maybe not. But for now, we can be glad that what is electric so far doesn't seem like it would be penalizing to own. (except for the price tag)

aaholland
02-11-2009, 11:12 PM
>>...besides not having enough moolah to keep it garaged like my good friend Arnold and have another car to drive daily.<<

just for the record i walk to work, 4 miles round trip. not even my daily driver gets driven daily. just my little way of making sure koji has plenty of go juice for his last hurrah - as if anyone buys that!

p47koji
02-11-2009, 11:19 PM
What's this??? Walk four miles RT to work? Oh... that's right... through knee-high snow both ways... and barefooted! :):)

aaholland
02-11-2009, 11:23 PM
oh no... i stopped all that madness when i left detroit.