End of the Road for US Gas Guzzlers

Published: 16-Jan-2007

It is proving a hard winter in Dearborn - the rough, tough home of the Ford motor company. In the icy plains surrounding Detroit, the town is dominated by the carmaker's vast corporate headquarters with its blue oval logo gleaming in the night.

Dearborn's main street, Michigan Avenue, is dotted with strip bars offering "gentlemen's entertainment" and sprawling showrooms championing cut-price cars. At Miller's, a watering hole famous for its burgers, barman Jimmy gives a shrug of his shoulders when talk turns to 45,000 job losses at the 104-year-old motor company. Ford employs more than 300,000 people worldwide.

"It's a whole different deal in 2007," he says. "I'd say pretty much everyone who comes in here is feeling sombre."

	Hybrid Cars Can Have a Future In India Mahindra unveiled India's first SUV with the advantage of a hybrid powertrain called Scorpio-HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) at the ongoing New Delhi Auto Expo.
	Honda Civic Hybrid Awarded 'Best New Alternative Power' A new generation of Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) technology helps the Civic achieve an estimated fuel economy rating of 4.7 L/100km (city) and 4.3 L/100km (highway) - improved from the 2005 Civic Hybrid's figures of 4.9 and 4.6 L/100km.
	Consumer Impressions of New Civic Hybrid The new Civic brings a roomier interior, more spunk under the hood, and fuel mileage around 40 mpg on the highway.