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SEERA UY ANNES 3 BP

Buying habits challenge low-emission prototype © i

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AUTOMOTIVE REPORTER Greg Wilson talics to a mechanic as

he examines the Mazda Miata’ 8 hydrogen-burning engine.

1994. LEXUS.ES300
LEASE 34s

The Relonsles Pursuit OF HapPetion.

John Gelhede
443-9092

Sue McArthur’
880-0733

REGENCY I LEXUS

en Burrard
1770 Burrard at 2nd Avenue D3S07C

739 ~ 1212

848 | MONTHS. $8, 000 DOWN 1 iP. $31 452 OA. .

AS THE hurdles to clean-car
technology tumble (see Test
Drive page 31), manufactur-
ers and dealers may soon
find themselves offering
technologically innovative
and environmentally friendly
automobiles that nobody

wants.

Designing and manufacturing a
low-emissions or zero-emissions
car is one thing — selling it is
another.

Ask any new cur salesman —~
new car buyers loday are a demand-
ing lot. Second-rate performance
and poor value-for-money won't
cut the mustard with quality-con-
scious, value-driven car buyers,
even for the sake of a cleaner envi-
Tonment.

A case in point: Honda's fuel-
‘efficient Civic VX hatchback was
dropped from Honda’s lineup last
year because of low demand.

The VX had the highest fuel
economy rating of any car in
Canada, achieving up to 72 m.p.g.
on the highway. That’s important, |

AUTOMOTION

because as fuel consumption .
decreases, so does the amount of
pollutants expelled from the
tailpipe. The car is probably one of
the cleanest conventional cars on
the road, using efficient lean burn
engine technology | to make’ the

most use of its fuel.

As well, an aerodynamic under-
body spoiler, and various weight
saving techniques achieve phenom-
enal mileage, considering the size
and weight of the car.

Though its performance was
comparable to a standard Civic, the
VX was not available with power
steering and was rather spartan
inside. Its price of $14,000 was rea-
sonable, but. not cheap.

Car-buyers rejected the VX
because they could buy other cars
that had more power and more fea-
tures for ihe same money or less.

While it’s true that compact cars
are popular in Canada, it’s not
because they’re environmentally
friendly. It’s the stiff price of gaso-
line that keeps us in smailer cars...

In the United States, where
gasoline is considerably cheaper
and disposable income is consider- .
ably higher, consumers buy larger
cars and trucks. In fact, sales of
trucks are increasing in proportion ©
tocars. : a

See more page 37

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