"Bert Robbins" wrote in message
. ..

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 25 Mar 2006 15:11:10 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


Ford's development of a hybrid SUV is an attempt to control behavior?
Please
explain this conclusion. They'll still be selling the "regular" kind,
for
people who actually need a truck-style power train, but sales of those
will
be reduced to levels they were at 30 years ago, when they were mostly
purchased by people who needed the 4WD and the gear ratio.

Don't get mired in that paragraph. Explain your conclusion.

I was reading in the Times this morning about hybrids and the really
curious part is that they aren't that much more "efficient" than a
regular car - maybe a mpg or two at most.

Emissions are about the same.

So far....but they will address the need. It's obvious that they see it,
or they wouldn't be spending money trying to build something better. It
has to be obvious to anyone but a total idiot that the vast majority of
SUVs are NOT being purchased by people who tow things or clamber over
bolders and drive through streams for fun. Luggage space and driving in
snow are two reasons which hold no water, so we can safely eliminate
those.

Some of us don't fit into regular cars. My legs and torso are long most of
tyical sedans I can't fit into. Therefore, I buy vehicles where I can
comfortably sit in the drivers seat and operate the vehicle without
contorting my body.

I'm not talking about changes to the size of the driver's seat, or the SUV
in general. According to an interview with a Ford representative on the
radio news a month ago, neither are they. Their goal is to maintain some of
what they know to be the main selling points for many buyers: Size.

What they ARE trying to do is two things: Build a hybrid SUV (what's under
the hood, in other words), and make major changes to the drive train.
Besides aerodynamics, those are obviously the two major detractors from
better gas mileage. The majority of non-sports-oriented buyers have no need
for 4WD or towing capability.