Hyundai improves engineering while Big Three whine

Hey, both Obama and McCain, before you give in to the Big Three TittyBabies demands for not only $50bil in loan guarantees, but also their push to loosen last year’s toughening of CAFÉ standards, read this from the Wall Street Journal.

Or, read this, since I found it first, although it’s French.

(Google Translator helps you out)

“The Hyundai group is able to meet by 2015, the standard fuel consumption of 35 miles per gallon (6.7 litres per 100 kilometres) which must apply to the USA in 2020 without recourse to hybrid vehicles,” said Lee Hyun-soon, head of research and development division of the Korean manufacturer.

Well, that’s pretty plain English.

If that’s not good enough for you, Schmuck Talk Express™ and Just.Another.Politician.™, here’s more from that same story.

Hyundai says it can do this by a combination of using more lighter materials, dual valve variable valve timing, and – eight-speed automatics.

Now, Lee’s comments about hybrids aside, Hyundai has a hybrid partnership, in Korea to start and coming here in 2010, with Kia.

I found the general story line referenced in this week’s issue of Gregg Easterbrook’s always-interesting Tuesday Morning Quarterback column at ESPN.

Oh, and the WSJ aside, WHERE is this in the American media?

And, ask me again why I plan on voting Green?