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A Bad Year for New Cars
Arthur Stamoulis
 Despite
record-high prices at the pump, a looming oil war with Iraq, and 2002
being one of the hottest years on record thanks, undoubtedly, to global
warming, automakers will continue to roll out some of most environmentally-destructive
vehicles ever designed this year.
The Los Angeles Auto Show is the first big auto show of each new year. Traditionally known for showcasing green cars, it was recently described with the headline "Luxury, Size and Power Dominate."
The biggest lowlight of the show was the Porsche Cayenne, a two-and-a-half-ton sports utility vehicle touted for its ability to go from zero to 60 miles-per-hour in just 5.6 seconds. Porsche purists criticized the machine as a monstrosity, but mainly because it is so awkward looking next to a traditional Porsche sports car. Few mentioned or seemed to care that the SUV averages only 12 miles to the gallon.
Ford and General Motors also made anti-environmental waves by unleashing new versions of the GT and Pontiac GTO, respectively. Along with the previously-released Dodge Viper, all of America's Big Three automakers now have "gas guzzler" sports cars that are so outrageous their drivers are forced to pay special federal taxes of up to $7,700. Apparently, the market for these types of automobiles is more lucrative than that for hybrid cars, which didn't catch much notice at the LA Show.
People looking for new cars (or used ones) can compare different model's
emissions at the Environmental Defense Fund's "Tailpipe
Tally". The better alternative still, however, is to avoid driving
altogether and to take public transportation.
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