Merc Hit With Efficiency Fine
Luxury car makers fined for fuel economy
US authorities have released figures on fines levied against import manufacturers who fail to meet federal fuel efficiency standards – and Mercedes has once again topped the bill with an eye-watering $28.9 million charge.
Last year the Corporate Average Fuel Economy – or CAFE – fines (levied for ‘transgressions’ in the 2007 model year) totalled more than $37 million for six carmakers. VW forked out $4.5 million, Porsche and Maserati paid $1.2 million, while Ferrari coughed up $1.1 million.
Merc’s bust was the second largest CAFE fine on record, being narrowly beaten by the $30.3 million the company had to pay in 2007 for vehicles sold in 2006.
While the CAFE economy standards hit luxury carmakers hard, other importers like Honda are believed to be sitting on a healthy stack of credits as they already beat the mileage targets.
However unpopular the fines are, the CAFE system is reckoned to be a useful force in moving the industry in a ‘greener’ direction – with the 35mpg average standard required by 2020 pushing even luxury makers towards hybrid and electric vehicles.
Just shows how many big engined cars get sold in US by merc.
Just shows how many big engined cars get sold in US by merc.
If this is the case I cant see how it makes the slightest bit of difference as the vast majority of cars in the US are american.
If this is the case I cant see how it makes the slightest bit of difference as the vast majority of cars in the US are american.
No to Kyoto.
No to agreeing to set targets on climate change.
Yes to profiteering from setting ineffectual targets for companies to meet.
G eorge B ush
G ordon B rown
both have big wrinkly heads you'd like to punch, both have stupid voices and both have less of a grip on how to run a country than they do on reality.
Ok, I vote we find the factory that produces nigh on criminally incompetent world leaders, and we blow it up.
Argh wait I bet I can't say those names and that term in the same text on an internet forum because of course it'll flag up at GCHQ in between keeping a copy of my itmeised phone bill and checking who I send my emails to.
f*ck this.
Just shows how many big engined cars get sold in US by merc.
So 30 million really is a bit of a pointless exercise is what I am saying.
Ah well. I reckon M-B could probably GIVE AWAY a Smart car to everyone who buys an S-class. That would improve their average mpg enough to remove the fine and possibly cover the cost of the Smarts
Pretty sure they made a loss this year and their cars are piling up on US shores, complete withdrawl would certainly be an entertaining threat.
Wikipedia tells you how it's calculated: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAFE
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