The Chevy Volt is “a car for idiots.” Really? Dem be fightin words, Johan de Nysschen.
The Audi of America President talked to MSN autos and had some strong feelings about the upcoming Chevy Volt. He states in part that the Chevy Volt will fail because there isn’t enough idiots to pay a $15k premium for a car that competes with the Toyota Corolla. Serious. The whole article is worth your time if you’ve been following the Chevy Volt saga.
But he also makes very valid points that modern diesel engines can provided a huge environmental impact right now. Best of all, the technology is already available, and simply stuck across the pond in Europe. Only government lobbyist and conspiracy theory nuts know why we aren’t already driving around in such cars.
Will the Chevy Volt fail? Maybe. But it’s more likely that it will coexist with other vehicle technology including clean diesel.
[via Jalopnik]
now this is news. lol id10ts, only id10ts would buy a volt.
Chevy drivers know that Toyota can’t compete with it’s new line up of cars and trucks. My ex wife keyed my Chevy so I cracked her in the face with the car jack from her brand new Toyota. Dislocated her jaw. Never mess with a man’s Chevy!
Actually if we really cared about the environment we’d get a bicycle.
As for comparing diesel to gasoline, diesel only wins when you compare by gallon. If you compare by CO2, they’re about the same.
1 galon of diesel can make a small car run for at least 100 miles and costs, last checked, lower than a gallon of regular unleaded gas.
1 galon of diesel = 2.5~3 galons of gas
if you throw in some hybrid power into the diesel engine, you get yourself a vehicle that will make all big oil company’s execs shoot themselves.
Who the hell are you…Al Gore?
The reason there are no diesel cars (or at least very few) in the US/Canada is entirely GM’s fault.
Way back in the late 60’s/early 70’s, when GM tried out diesel engines, they took the standard petrol engine block and put a diesel head on it. As diesel requires cylinder pressures many times higher than petrol, these “diesel-like” engines were notoriously low powered, when they didn’t leak like sieves. This soured GM against producing diesels, and earned diesel an undeservedly bad reputation with the US public.
CHEVY will smash the competition. Honda is already closing plants because the new Malibu is killing Accord sales by the truck load. They just can’t duplicate Chevy’s unsurpassed quality and engineering. It is the envy of the world.
I actually laughed out loud when i read that. i’d like to thank my crotch err mike krotch for this witty gem.
Diesel is also between 10 and 100 times worse for airborne particulate in its exhaust. I’m sure that doesn’t have anything to do with the present condition, mind you, but it should have something to do with the future.
If it more than $30000,then it will fail.Because Japanese cars are cheaper than that.And Toyota & Honda will come out with hybrid cars wich will give more than 100 MPG.
Just wait & Watch.I prefer European Cars and then Japanese,but not an American.Their design & Technology is not good,and looks cheap.
Shut up! Chevy is the world’s most perfect automobile!
I agree with you there man
I think I’ll wait until the american car companys car actualy make a realiable gas motor before Id jump into the electric. Oh Volkswagen will have the first hybrid diesel hybrid in 2013. American cars suck.
Drive your Volkswagon off a cliff you Nazi!
Audi’s President is just plain scared.
The Volt is what is going to turn the US car industry around.
The 15k premium does not even matter. And the reason is simple—The price of batteries will eventually come down and the Volt and others like it (there will be others) will then be able to compete at the same price point as cars like the Corolla and other mid-sized sedans. Once that happens, Diesel cars are going to be a hard sell. And if companies like Audi, do not take GM’s lead, then they are going to be the laughing stocks.
The most important thing is that GM has the guts, or just plain needs to, to take the first leap into this class of cars.
Mark my word electric cars are the future.
You are another fine American!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The future of what?
Unless an electric car it completely self-sufficient, explain to me how this is the future? If you have to plug that sucker into an outlet, guess what my friend, you are still using fossil fuels. Where do you think electricity comes from? The air?
Currently the US has coal plants, nuclear plants and hydroelectric plants to generate electricity – so explain how plugging your car into an outlet being supplied electricity by a coal burning plant is better?
And then why don’t you check into what happens with that lovely electric car is in need of a new battery pack? What kind of environmental waste does that generate?
And as for Chevy being the savior of our auto industry – grow up – the US Government and its’ partner in crime (Big Business) want is for the citizens to spend themselves into oblivion – our government has become a fascist-plunderaucracy and we are the dolts that let it happen.
We should all be ashamed of ourselves.
I couldnt agree more your right on the money also you have to pay for these hybrids to be placed in a junkyard what junk i love chevy but hate hybrids there useless
My brother-in-law just bought a Chevy.
I think he’s an idiot.
Your just a hater. What do you drive a Kia?
watch the documentary “Who killed the electric car?”. Then tell me how much you like GM and not to mention that even if you don’t buy this car it is all your money that is paying for it, IE the bailout.
Don’t be hatin’ Beamer boy!
President of Audi:cars
President of Bulgaria:countries
CHEVY. There is no other car.
@don smith
Who cares. That was, what 15-20 years ago. I bet only a few of the people who were in charge then are in charge now.
I agree that they really screwed it up back in the day. But the Volt is going to change things.
Now this is a real American! Buy American!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chevy all the way! American cars blow imports out of the water. My Monte Carlo has over 300,000 miles on it and it runs like a goddamn clock. Try getting 25,000 trouble free miles out of a Saab or some other Euro crap. I also have one of the original Cavs. This beauty’s got 455,000 miles and prrrrrrrrrs like a 21yr old stripper! All you communists can keep your Toyotas. Its ride or die with Chevy!
hahaha. it stays funny
Saab is own by GM !!!!! you should educate yourself before wrtting
I hate progress! Bahrrrrrgh!
Who is this guy with his cool comments?
Warum steckst Du nicht meinen Schwanz in Dein Maul und haelst die Schnauze…?
Mach die Augen auf, alte, amerikanische Technik bringt’s nicht, “made in germany” rules…
;-)
@Mike Krotch – Pull your head out of your last name.
YHBT. YHL. HAND.
With this promising health reform combined with a balancing function for price inflation in operation, Chevy Volt, too, is earning competitive edge in price along the way, together with Nissan Leaf.
I for one believe that the U.S. will lead the way in an EV field as the meaningful investing in a battery tech was made.
Even excellent hybrid cars and modern diesels are not comparable to EVs in light of fuel economy as the current fuel price went beyond the level of these autos and they failed to overcome this great recession, I guess.
Overall, It is solidly believed that Nissan Leaf and GM Volt are saving the world.
Well guys, i am impressed by the knowledge you all have. But dont fight here. Lets wait and see how this Chevy will performance in the real world. Speculations are the part of game.
My vote is for the turbo diesels. Lots of power and fuel economy in a small and relatively cheap package. I’m also pretty sure it was our misguided fear of diesel emissions that stalled the technology in the US. Looks like that’s waning now, though.
One of the problems with diesel is the fuel is more espensive to refine, and even though we have better emmisions standards for it now, it carries a terrible stigma with it here in the U.S. I personally wouldn’t mind having a good turbo diesel.
The Volt is a car I have been excited about for a long time, and I hope it does well. It it a perfect, miracle car? Well, no. It carries a very high price tag when compared to a standard car of the same size. But I hope it still sells well, because GM has done a good thing by trying to make it a reality.
I would like to see US automakers become leaders in this field. What they are doing is risky, but it may pay off for them. God knows they can’t just keep doing what they’ve been doing for the past X number of years. Time to try something new.
Diesel is more expensive to refine? Hardly. Because of the way they work (And how they were originally designed), Diesel engines don’t necessarily need “refined” petro-diesel (Which is essentially the junk left over from refining petrol/gasoline) to run. They can, easily, run on used cooking oil just as easily. Or, using “Transesterification” that cooking oil can be converted into bio-diesel.
This is about the best site to explain how to do both of the above. And it’s not an abuse of the engine to do so. When Rudolph Diesel originally designed his diesel engine, it was made to run on peanut oil.
http://www.journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make.html
Gasoline is refined diesel (more or less), which means one less step in the refining process. The only reason you may see it more expensive is due to demand fluctuations.
Volvo V50 Estate DRIVe is a real car that hauls stuff, ass and your family.
62 mpg (US) 70 mpg (UK) turbo common-rail diesel with start-stop, regenerative braking, and it will not be imported to the US.
GM is saved!
After having the unfortunate experience of renting a car recently (do ALL Rental Agencies have American cars only?), a Chevrolet Impala, I have ZERO sympathay for the US auto industry. It was a $36000 piece of uncomfortbale plastic designed for fat people. Why would anyone purchase an American automobile when for the same price real quality is available from so many other manufacturers?
I was checking out VW’s UK site after a thrilling episode of Top Gear and was astounded to see 60mph+ clean desials. Am still trying to figure out why they are not offered here. It may have been pegged with “government lobbyist and conspiracy theory nuts ” though as I’m neither. I think VW would have a bit of a leg up with their product getting 10+mpg over the Prius and considerably more than the Insight.
The odds are 2 to 1 that Volt doesn’t show, even at this point. Furthermore, the last thing you want is to own a 1st gen car that was pushed out the door for political reasons. If you thought GM reliability was questionable before, don’t even think about what the Volt will be like. This is not going to be good.
Sounds like Audi is getting nervous !!!
The chevy volt is just paving the way. I agree any car manufactures 1st gen vehicle is usually a bad idea to own. The volt has a 150hp 273lb of torque electric motor that powers the vehicle at all times. The gasoline motor just powers a electric generator that recharges the batteries. Now that being said, im calling the volt the first “modular” vehicle. Say for example if gasoline becomes to expensive for the common consumer, GM would have to make minor changes to their production line to change from gasoline, to say diesel, or hydrogen cell, or even compressed gas like propane. Gm would not even skip a beat in production if a energy crunch was to happen. The way i see it this is the smartest move GM could make.
Audi CEO is an ass, and here’s why.
Car & Driver recently tested an Audi A4 that cost $47,000. And it came with a 2 liter turbo 4 cylinder. That engine comes straight out of a Jetta costing half as much.
Who would pay the premium for that, particularly when the competition (BMW, Infiniti, Lexus) offer a much smoother-running, equally efficient six cylinder?
Hypocrite…his brand makes its bread and butter from selling overpriced VWs (A4 and TT).
Hey Krotch, i think your toyota got keyed in the parking lot. why don’t you smash some old lady’s face in for it?
If checy volt enthusiasts are idiots…
Then why is Honda and Toyoya desperately trying to rush to market pur plug in hybrids.
They seriously have nothing when Chevy is the only car that is a combo plug-in/gas car. These means that there is no real need for an entire country to change its infrastructure for plug-ins.
And isnt it a bit hypocritical when Audi themselves are trying to hurry and produce their own electric?