Unwanted Complexity

Sure, but that's already kind of the case for gasoline engines, except when the manufacturer does something silly. Pick this engine, that transmission, the standard ECU, drop the software for the combination in.

In reality it's often not like that, but that's not for technical reasons.

--scott

My belief is that if you have a software-driven drivetrain, you can program a car to act like anything under the sun, from a small 4 cylinder to a turbo-V6 using the exact same hardware. The advantage in manufacturing is obvious. OTOH, you probably could program a V6 to act like a small 4 cylinder but that's a little wasteful and inefficient.

but that's exactly the kind of concept used with manufacturers like frod and gm on their cast crank engines. they have to be de-tuned about 30% compared to their forged crank brethren of the same displacement.

I understand that engines are de-tuned to increase longevity, however, it's a lot easier if you can do this without changing the hardware. My guess is that these "artificial" HP ratings will be done solely for marketing considerations.

inferior fatigue life is no "marketing consideration".

I wouldn't know anything about that. I'm just guessing that you'll be charged a premium for more performance and it ain't gonna cost the manufacturers a penny, at least for the power part.

yup, you got it.

but that's always been the case - "performance" parts, in quantity to the manufacturer, cost hardly anything more than standard parts, yet finished "performance" vehicle price premiums are disproportionate and significant.

"jim beam" wrote

True with most items, but especially true with cars. As you move up the trim levels, I figure you are lucky to get 50¢ worth of goods for every dollar spent.

The only thing that seems to have come down in price is leather seating. Years ago, it was very expensive, but today, it is common on the better trim packages, even on lower end cars. Probably more hides available since McDonalds is selling billions of burgers a year.

Check the "leather seating" cars have now. It's not top grain leather any more, it's a cheaper suede-like material with a coat of plastic on the top to make it look like top grain. Very, very few cars have top grain leather available, and it is far more expensive than the usual "pleather" crap. The "pleather" does not breathe and is sticky in hot weather, but requires less maintenance.

--scott

more likely, cheaper chinese processing. tanning is a disgusting and health hazardous business - factors irrelevant to the cost equation in a country run by despots where you can't get a business license, loan or export license unless you're one of the

indeed. in fact, full synthetic leathers would be a better deal in that regard - long lasting, breathable, etc.

i never understood why anyone would want to sit on plastic coated crap that makes you sweat. apart from anything else, you slide, which if you want to drive anything other than straight line and use a brake, doesn't make any damned sense.

Persoanally I don't like leather, but my Father liked the slippery stuff. It made it easier to get in and out of the car/truck.

Does anyone remember the "woven vinyl" some manufacturers used it the 70's? It was a sort of relatively thick "plastic" thread woven into a form of cloth. We had it in a big old station wagon and it seem indestructable and breathed well too.

Ed

check out the custom covers at coverking.com i have a set of woven breathable mesh on a civic. great fit, apparently indestructible, and far superior to oem.

I like it 'cause it's easier to keep clean than cloth but isn't as hot and slick as vinyl.

Ford used it well past the 70's; my '93 F150 has it. Still looks good... well, as good as it did when it was new.

nate

I dont like leather either, Ed. It cracks, the surface wears down, and it just looks ratty as the car ages, IMO.

Oil it every six months and it won't crack. It'll wear, but it will look natural when it does so.

It's a maintenance headache, but frankly if you've got an MG, it's the least bothersome of them.

--scott

My MGB seats suffered rainwater damage whether the top was up or stowed.

eMobile is close.

the question is will it ever get exported anywhere once the manufacturer gets the initial 140,000 pre orders for domestic market handled. Concept is one thing, implementation and dealing with the fallout from field testing is quite another.

Things will sort themself out in a few years.

My Russki is kinda rusty but that looks like a hydrogen-fuel cell vehicle. The build looks cheap in a scary way. OTOH, I could dig a primitively honest car like a Meyers Manx. :-)