Comments on: Startup to build NGV cars in Louisiana penned by Miata designer

By: Bubs Solo

Bubs Solo — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:52:56 +0000

several years ago Iran converted all of there vehicles from gasoline to natural gas… so it can be done.

By: jdasch1

jdasch1 — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:25:16 +0000

CNG has legs where the pipeline is built out. Some towns like mine don’t have much build out because electricity is so cheap…3 cents a KWH. The only problem with CNG is the recertification of the high pressure tanks when they age. The mainenance on CNG is minimal otherwise. The oil doesn’t even get dirty after 10k miles…still looks like new. Engines last twice as long….emissions are the lowest around. Still going to cost billions to build out the supply system, so congress is going to need some backbone to get it done. Talk about shovel ready projects. We need this to happen.

By: MercMark

MercMark — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:40:23 +0000

There is a natural gas infrastructure. I heat my house with it!
How hard to have the corner gas station add a CNG pump next to the others?
Finally someone is doing something about Saudi Arabia & OPEC!

By: StepAhead

StepAhead — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:24:41 +0000

r Tom Matano I believed was still at Mazda design california. Did’nt realised he left.

By: RaineMan

RaineMan — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:04:21 +0000

Now only if there were a Natural Gas pump on every corner… I might just be interested.

Why do people continue to put money into cars that don’t have an infastructure to support them? It’s not like tires or something… where one place in town is okay… it’s fuel, and driving 20 miles or more just to fill up is stupid.

By: jayjc08

jayjc08 — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:33:19 +0000

How about they build a car that will run on E85 and gasoline first, so they can turn a profit on the first vehicle they produce? How about they develope and market a car that will run on both natural gas and regular gasoline? Something that will work in today’s ordinary environment…

A4- That’s a stupid statement, why would anybody feel stupid for asking if they meant natural gas or gasoline? Obviously they just clarified it for anyone who was confused.

Hyperion- Sporty predecessor? The new one is much more fun to drive than the old one. Old one was horrible to drive.

People seem to have this idea that all the recent reincarnations of vehicles are worse than the old ones…

By: Hyperion

Hyperion — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:06:38 +0000

This sounds like it could be good news, however I don’t understand how having the designer of the Miata penning a “Fiat 500-esque” car suggests this vehicle will be anything remotely like a Miata.

The article wasn’t clear: is this car more like the 1950’s rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive Fiat 500 or more like the new, front-engined, front-drive Fiat 500 that has nothing in common with its sporty predecassor?

This is going to be competition for the Yaris and Smart if the company succeeds at the time of their launch but it’s not going to be trading in on any sportscar heritage.

By: sprockkets

sprockkets — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:07:22 +0000

Maybe the best selling roadster of all time, since no one else save for GM recently sold one, but iconic car of the past 20 years? No.

By: carstuff

carstuff — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:44:19 +0000

Yes, but too bad he has no distribution system.

By: shaver

shaver — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:14:05 +0000

T.Boone is pretty smart he has natural gas interests, this is like being a battery manufacturer and starting an electronic toy company to consume your batteries.

By: Kid Icarus

Kid Icarus — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:07:14 +0000

Left field indeed

By: johnnycanuck

johnnycanuck — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:03:05 +0000

THE iconic car of the last 20 years? I don’t know but there’s about a jillion Crown Vics out there so I beg to differ.

By: A4

A4 — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:51:10 +0000

And I’m sorry, but when I think last 20 years.. I don’t think Miata. In fact the only time I think Miata is when someone mentions Corky Romano.

By: A4

A4 — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:49:24 +0000

Well I bet all of you that complained about LLN’s loose use of the term “gas” in the last post about this feel pretty stupid…

By: JakeK66

JakeK66 — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:49:12 +0000

I miss Tucker – now that guy was a visionary. These people now just keep copying each other with there electric/natural gas powered cars that will never make it anywhere. I’m sorry – but you have to have tons of capital that even T Boone Pickens can’t reach to create and design a inexpensive car for the masses that is reliable and attractive and can be fixed just about anywhere, let alone be charged/filled up anywhere.

By: 2morrowdesign

2morrowdesign — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:35:45 +0000

Matano is the man !!!
I can’t wait to see it !

By: Borat

Borat — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:31:47 +0000

Proved me wrong. I was betting on Hyundai.

By: zfenderguy

zfenderguy — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:28:43 +0000

You heard it here, the Miata is THE iconic car of the last 20 years.

Oh well, at least now we have something to do with all the CNG that is available at every gas station in ready supply for vehicle consumption…

By: bigs4610

bigs4610 — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:26:20 +0000

didnt expect that

By: shaver

shaver — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:20:50 +0000

Wow, talk about left field.