Tooling? What happened to just producing vehicles that are efficient?
Funny really, a Rolls is quite a bit more luxurious than a Ford Ka, yet the KA is far, far more economical.
Has anyone had a go about the Rolls? No, they have a go about 4x4s.

The manufacturers have known for many years about how green things need to be. How long does it take to get the tooling done? New cars are designed, new tooling done, still bad emissions.

Yet people still want to drive cars, regardless of emissions. Far more convenient than other forms of transport much of the time.

The car industry is affected by governments. And who do they turn to when they need help? The government.
The car industry also responds to consumer demand. Where has that lead us? Better cars – generally not brilliantly efficient though.

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Well said CHRIS – this pursuit of “green” – whatever it is – will never be over as long as there is financial and political gain to be made from it. Since 1990 when I believe the use of Catalytic Converters was made mandatory in the UK, cars have by definition been “cleaner” and presumably, therefore, “greener”. Similarly, advancements in technology and manufacturing processes and changes in emissions legislation – have led to manufacturing and product efficiencies which Companies have had to adopt in order to stay competitive, compy with the law and attract and retain shareholder interest. However, it suits, and will always suit, the government of the day to regard the vehicles of the day to be just as inefficient and polluting as they were 20/30/40 years ago, as to them, the motorist is an endless source of untapped wealth and oppotunity for mass mind-control and ripe for continual persecution.

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The EU set voluntary emission standards at the end of the 90′s (after long discussions with car makers). About 2005, they set mandatory standards due to the lack of progress by the car companies (mostly the German ones – French and Italians were quite good).

So it’s hardly as though any of this was a surprise to the car makers and their own (lack of)actions condemned them to the current situation

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More than a more efficient way of moving people, woolibuga, how about people just live closer to where they work, or work closer to where they live? Instead, people think it’s their right to be able to work in Birmingham city centre and live in Kinver or Knowle, and then complain about congestion and fuel prices…

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Rebecca! …….. There are those that Cannot See! … and those that Will Not See! …… it’s a No Brainer! ….. if you put one person twixt four wheels and a ton of plastic and metal and multiply this concoction by many millions of times and then allow him/her to try and navigate already jampacked paved roads then you are inviting a recipe for frustration and ultimately disaster.

Of course people will want to live in a place of there choosing and commute to a place of work ……. your illustration of example of a City Centre as a place of work is already being done in much larger Cities than Birmingham … millions travel daily from the City Centre of London to the suburbs by Underground and Rail ……… over a Century ago Britain had a rail infrastructure that was the envy of the world …. and why shoudn’t it be! …. they invented it! ……… until the “The Great God Ka” usurped it’s importance and caused it’s shortsighted decline ……. well re-invent it and with 21st century technology it could be just that again ….. the envy of the world! …….. and bear in mind it costs a heck of a lot less to build a mile of railway than it does to build a mile of road!………

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So -ok i work in London city centre and i live 20 miles outside in essex. Can i afford a half a million pound property closer to work? I suppose i could find a job on my door step ,one i could role out of bed into that sounds a great idea in theory. I suppose i could sell up and yes as you say move one i can afford in todays current economic climate. You are right, but only i’m afraid in theory because practically it’s a no brainer isn’t it? Don’t you think everyone would like a job on their door step, and do you think they travel for the fun of it? Come on Martin the only people who would consider moving closer to work are people who get jobs abroad or jobs that are hundreds of miles away.

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For a distance of 30 miles each way for my wife, we would move house. For me, I simply work from home or work within reasonable bus travel distance. Though my jobs are all over the country, hers is a little more specialised so a lot less employer options.

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