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Less is more

Posted September 12, 2008

As I heard reports of gas prices climbing past $5 per gallon (and that's wholesale), the cold, hard brick of reality pegged me in the temple yet again. Oil prices may have been down (they actually dropped a penny below $100 per barrel today), but the storm in the gulf reminded me how vulnerable we all are to gas prices.

Which leads me to my point (and it goes without saying): You've probably seen your last 300-horsepower minivan. Carmakers, pining for a handout from the feds after balking at CAFE regs for years, are shelving big-buck performance projects while trying in earnest to import its high-mpg European fleet here. Cerberus, the corporate schlub that now owns Chrysler, is shopping for buyers for its iconic Viper brand. Word has it that Saleen and Roush are interested, but don't be surprised if it gets hawked to some foreign firm — much like every other domestic business.

In other news, GM is already pitching four-cylinder engines for the reborn Camaro, even before the new ponycar makes its showroom debut. The four-pot mills will make the Camaro more relevant, but GM's past mistake with this formula involved a limp-wristed 90-horse Iron Duke engine. One article I've read in Motor Trend suggests that future Corvettes could be — are you ready for this — four-cylinder knockoffs of the Pontiac Solstice. Or at least they could have their V-8s neutered to 4.7 liters.

Nowadays, the major news leaking out of manufacturers isn't of 700-horsepower monsters but the introduction of thrifty, high-tech engines. Volkswagen's been making waves with its 1.4-liter "twincharger" four-banger — an engine that's both turbo- and supercharged. Chevy's proposed Volt would be the first available plug-in hybrid, should it make it to the market by its 2011 target. Clean diesels from companies like Subaru and Honda are expected to arrive shortly — even in states typically opposed to the more pollution-prone oil-burners.

Nearly every article and blog I've read lately suggests this new wave of MPG-minded vehicles won't be like the '70s, where the only option was to shrink and stink. The new engines won't necessarily mean sluggish performance, but it might be easier on your pocketbook. After all, some of the most iconic classic cars weren't the biggest or fastest, but the ones that offered the most overall driving satisfaction.

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