The car runs on a lithium-ion battery and can accelerate from 0-100 km/h (60 mph) in four seconds. In 2004, the Eliica reached a speed of 370 km/h (230 mph) on Italy’s Nardo High Speed Track.

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/01/28/eliica-8-wheeler-ev-blows-away-mitsu-evo-in-drag-race/

The “Eliica” is unique in that it utilizes individual motors in each wheel, something Mitsubishi has recently abandoned in their electric car development.

Well shit-fer-brains, whaddayathinkofit????

http://www.teslamotors.com/

Acceleration 0 to 60 mph in under 4 seconds
Top Speed 125 mph (electronically limited)
Range About 220 miles
(based on EPA combined city/highway cycle)
Battery Life Five years or 100,000 miles

THE “BIG 3″ CAN GO COLLECTIVELY FCUK THEMSELVES, THANK YOU.

Owned, BMW, Nissan, GMC, Honda, Ford, VW and Toyota.

Hands down, based on value, economy, reliability and integrity, I am and will always be a Honda customer.

One VFR800 moto and one Odyssey van and I’m sold, 100%.

Everything else, dollar-for-dollar, is total shit, ESPECIALLY GM PRODUCTS!!!!

But that’s not the worst part. Lutz claims SUV sales are picking back up. Let’s look at Nov. 2008 vs Nov 2007 numbers. All data is from Automotive News, per Lutz:

Civic: Down 30%
Corolla/Matrix: Down 13%

Chevy Tahoe: Down 55%
GMC Yukon: Down 48%
Trailblazer: Down 67%

Only a relatively small drop for the Silverado pickup (-23%) kept GM’s truck numbers completely out of the crapper.

Boy, you sure told me…wait, no, you didn’t. Beatdown in 3…2..1..

Fact:
Mini Cooper S, $22,600 for base model
29 mph manual (which only about 8% of americans drive.)
26 mph auto.
422 miles per tank
4545 sold in America this year. Hardly the kind of numbers that would say America is Mini crazy.

Wow, stupid & illiterate. Let’s review…the point I was making, which you managed to miss completely, was the marketing aspect. You cited the sales of Minis THIS year, when I, QUITE CLEARLY made the example of Mini sales after the “Italian Job” came out (2003):

MINI USA have reported that year-to-date sales of MINI automobiles have surpassed the 36,036 reported for the entire calendar year 2004. For the first eleven months of 2004, MINI USA reported sales of 38,384 cars, compared to 32,222 cars in the same period a year ago, an increase of 19 percent.

Marketing. (I’ll type it slowly for you, bung: “The big 3 just pushed big hogs.” That was their main source of revenue, and even insiders stated that they were easier to build. (Don’t make me get the quote and spank you even more.)

In other words, buttcake, the American public has been deluged with image over substance, like buying crap skunk-beer instead of the authentic real McCoy…Budwater comes with bikini-clap bimbos. Advertising is effective and the big 3 know this, but real market forces and a poor product have scuttled their campaign, hence, their brand is now associated with tin crap that breaks all the time.

And Ford continues their tradition of trying to fry their consumers:

Ford Recalls Escape SUVs

WASHINGTON (AP) — April, 10, 2007 — Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday it was recalling more than 500,000 Ford Escape sport utility vehicles after receiving reports of engine fires linked to corrosion on antilock brake connectors.

Ford said the recall involved 444,880 Escapes from the 2001-2004 model years in the United States, and about 75,000 Escapes in Canada, Mexico and Europe. The recall does not affect hybrid versions of the SUV, the automaker said.

Ford Motor Co. will recall 6,164 Escape HYBRID SUVs

DETROIT, Oct 10 (Reuters) — Ford Motor Co. is recalling 6,164 Escape hybrid sport utility vehicles from 2006 model year because a drivetrain shaft may fracture…, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Ford is also recalling 6,164 Escape hybrid sport utility vehicles from 2006 model year because a drivetrain shaft may fracture.

If a fracture occurred, it could cause the vehicle to move, even in the park position, NHTSA said.

Ford recalls some 235,000 pickups, vans, SUVs

Vehicles from 2006 model year may have problems with windshield wipers

WASHINGTON (AP) – November 17, 2005. Ford Motor Co. is recalling about 235,000 pickups, vans and sport utility vehicles from the 2006 model year because of potential problems with the windshield wiper motor.

The models include the E-150, E-250, E-350 and E-450 vans, the Escape, Expedition and Explorer SUVs, F-150 and Ranger pickups and Taurus sedan. It also includes the Lincoln Navigator SUV and Lincoln Mark LT pickup and Mercury Mountaineer and Mariner SUV.

It is Ford’s second large recall in two days. On Wednesday, the automaker said it was recalling 220,000 vehicles from the 2005 model year amid concerns a battery cable rubbing against the frame could cause fires and worry that a fuel tank strap could separate after tens of thousands of miles.

The NHTSB, you remember, was the result of our vaunted auto industry’s caring and concern for their customers. I believe you can thank Iacocca and his flaming Pinto for that little chapter in history.

A mini Cooper S as you claim “leaves other cars in the dust with it’s pickup”. Copmared to what? Have you been doing comparisons? Do you have data proving your claims? Or are you making a point based on what you saw in a movie?

Better than that, nosebleed, I drive one. And it rocks. I wouldn’t buy an American (big 3) car if they gave away a blowjob and free pizzas for life. I’d rather not spend my life driving back and forth to the mechanic.

Funny you should say this too, because one of the problems that the Big 3 are currently experiencing is a shrinking market share: Most Americans are now purchasing smaller, efficient cars, most are from Japanese makers -like Toyota, with the Camry being the best-selling car in the US.

This is, by no means, a secret. It’s been talked about in the news for quite some time now.

Funny you should say that, because it is exactly what the Big 3 are doing: Running to the government to force taxpayers to subsidize their inefficient, gas-guzzling ways.

Ironic, ain’t it?

Blame Canada Says:
Most Americans don’t want to drive dinky under-powered cars, and that’s not going to change no matter how much the crazy environmental suckers in this country wail.

So, now you speak for “Most Americans” and even erect a strawman argument for them too? Odd how “Most Americans” aren’t buying the big 3’s products, and there is something to the position of being marketed to: case on point-the popularity of the Mini after the film “The Italian Job” came out. (Hardly under-powered, it leaves other cars in the dust with its pickup.) The big 3 just pushed big hogs.

You may think “Most Americans” don’t want “dinky under-powered cars,” but watching their bug-eyed shock while filling up their gas-sucking manatees to the tune of $80-$100 a pop was enough to call bullsh#t on your claim.

If that’s the best you can do then please stop now before you make yourself look more the fool. Your going to base a false argument on a movie your a fan boy of? A mini Cooper S as you claim “leaves other cars in the dust with it’s pickup”. Copmared to what? Have you been doing comparisons? Do you have data proving your claims? Or are you making a point based on what you saw in a movie? The mini Cooper S is a fine car. Fun to drive, even take to the track for some racing. But it is not what the average American is going to buy and that’s backed up by fact.

Fact:
Mini Cooper S, $22,600 for base model
29 mph manual (which only about 8% of americans drive.)
26 mph auto.
422 miles per tank
4545 sold in America this year. Hardly the kind of numbers that would say America is Mini crazy.

Ford Escape Hybrid, $29,305 base model
32 mpg auto
500 miles per tank

Ford Escape, $20,100 base model
25 mpg auto
404 miles per tank.

Both Ford models sell well more than the 4500 total of the mini. The Hybrid is about 6k more but with tax credit makes it about even with the mini. It gets better mileage and offers more options that Americans are looking for (more room, bigger, more cup holders, ect.)

The standard Escape costs less and averages 1 mpg less yet, sells much better for the reasons stated above.

Please explain why Fiat hasn’t brought over their small cars years ago so they could sell millions of them to Americans you think are secretly pinning for them. With all it’s great marketing (according to you) why hasn’t the mini sold millions in Europe? You probably didn’t know that America is the mini’s biggest market by far and it only sells 4500 cars for the year.

If your argument is that Americans like big cars when gas is cheap and will abandon them for smaller cars if gas prices go up, Ford and GM have your answer. You don’t have to give them up. Both companies make Hybrid SUV’s that get good mileage (better than a mini) and still give Americans what they want. BIG SUV’s!

It’s not Ford, GM, or Chrysler’s job to create a energy policy for America. If the self appointed do gooder’s in this country want a different car then start a company, put people to work, and build the cars you think people will by. That is the American way. If you think you can do it better then do so. Don’t run to the government and try and force others to conform to what you want.

Someone says “what’s wrong with people” that they don’t exercise the power of the purse to drive the market to smaller, fuel-efficient cars. And the answer is that they are using that power — to buy big, boxy cars and trucks.

We aren’t going to see a real swing to fuel-efficient small cars until gasoline prices go to $4 or higher and stay there for years. And it probably will take 2 years at that level to really affect the purchasing patterns.

Thanks.

mp

http://buffalobeast.com/133/bigthree.jpg

So, now you speak for “Most Americans” and even erect a strawman argument for them too? Odd how “Most Americans” aren’t buying the big 3’s products, and there is something to the position of being marketed to: case on point-the popularity of the Mini after the film “The Italian Job” came out. (Hardly under-powered, it leaves other cars in the dust with its pickup.) The big 3 just pushed big hogs.

You may think “Most Americans” don’t want “dinky under-powered cars,” but watching their bug-eyed shock while filling up their gas-sucking manatees to the tune of $80-$100 a pop was enough to call bullsh#t on your claim.