It's time to get mad

OK, I get the point of bailing out the car manufacturers. The estimates are that between 2.5 million and 7 million jobs would be cut, changed to part-time or, at the very least, take serious pay cuts. More mortgage failures would ensue, more people would be out of work, the economy would, perhaps, take too big a hit.  I get all that.

What I do not get is the unbelievable degree of stupidity by our Congressional leaders. They do not know the first thing about making cars or which cars these Big Three already make that could, if they were forced to sell them here, save you and me at least 50 percent or more on our fuel bills.

Think I’m kidding? Check this (and there are dozens more examples, use the Internet and check for yourself and get angry):

Mercedes now sells their clean diesels here, averaging 45 percent mileage improvement per gallon compared to the gasoline models. And California emissions testing, the toughest in the nation, has rated them cleaner than most hybrids. So much for dirty diesels.

A diesel won the race at Le Mans two years running. Diesels are in — smart, strong and reliable.

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Toyota sells hybrid cars here (averaging par consumption, especially for us in the country) instead of the same Toyota models sold around the world (except in the United States) with more efficient diesels, with more power, more acceleration, and way more miles per gallon. For example, the smallest engine RAV4 here averages 28 mpg, whereas the same car with a diesel does 50.4 mpg average in Europe on the city/urban testing, but an incredible 70 mpg in extra-urban environments (like our wide-open spaces). Their stats are found on Toyota’s own Web site (www.toyota.co.uk/bv/1024downloads/FuelConsumption_Emissions_01-06.pdf), but they don’t want you here in the United States to know that.

GM sells Opels  in Europe (or Vauxhall in Britain), the equivalent of the Saturn brand here (same cars really: same platform, same design).  All Opels come with a diesel option, of course. Consumption? Incredible. The Aura equivalent, the Vauxhall Astra, with a diesel does 70.6 mpg extra-urban and 45.6 in the city. Here’s a link: www.carpages.co.uk/vauxhall/vauxhall-astra-29-08-08.asp.

Ford, of course, sells diesels all over the world, but not here, oh no. Why give Americans good economy and help with national security? The best-selling Fusion diesel (called the Modeo in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, China, etc.) does 50.4 mpg, whereas the U.S. Fusion hybrid only does 33 mpg (the regular model does 29 mpg they say). The link: www.ford.co.uk/ie/mondeo/co2_mdo/co2_model_mdo_diesel/-/-/-/-.

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And the list goes on, with Nissan, Chrysler, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Land Rover, BMW, and, yes, even Audi sports cars. Just thought you might appreciate a different perspective. It is worth remembering that gasoline costs more to refine, is more dangerous to store and, with the removal of sulfur in U.S. diesel fuel, is matched for environmental cleanliness by diesel.

Give Detroit $35 billion dollars? Sure, but make them sell those secret diesels they already make and profit from — to boost the U.S. economy and economize at the same time. I, for one, am sick of their whining while they refuse to sell us superior, faster, cheaper to maintain, and cheaper to run cars.

Peter Riva, formerly of Amenia Union, lives in New Mexico.