Le CAFE
 

I'm trying to understand why so many magazines, blogs, etc. are saying new cars like the Camaro, Challenger, G8, RWD Impala, etc. are doomed because of CAFE. If CAFE is a fleetwide average, couldn't the auto makers just up the MPGs on other cars to make up for the lower mileage of others? I know total production also plays into it. But is it really as doom and gloom for us enthusiasts as they're making it out to be?

It impacts us, but not as greatly as they're saying, I don't think.

And when gas guzzling SUVs were the craze, other les fuel efficient cars (like the f-bodies) got the axe. Now that SUVs aren't really selling as well, there is more room in CAFE numbers.

People have to want to buy the higher mileage cars. If they make a car that gets 100mpg but no one buys it, it won't help.

Problem really is cars are getting heavier & more HP. IMO probably 95% of the cars today could lose 35% of their HP and have no impact on their drivers. The average car has too much HP now. $0.02

Yes cars are making a hell of alot more hp than before but its all in the tune and torque managment. If you gave these people that power with out all that garbage more than half the people driving those cars would never be able to handle that kind of power.

They are, more or less, using it as a cover and a handicap.
Could GM create a bunch of tdi Cobalts getting 50mpg? Hell yeah they could.
They are looking at it wrong. Instead of increasing gas milage of high volume cars, they are cutting the big gas guzzlers.
Viper is dead. Hemi's life span is over
GM is using this CAFE thing as more of a bs cover. The Ultra V8 they cut wouldnt have hurt CAFE, it was just getting very expensive to make, and GM will eventually move back to it once things stablize.
GM also cut the Impala not cause CAFE, but because of the popularity of a FWD Impala in the market. If you look, a V6 G8 weights about the same as a V6 Impala.
Again...diesel V6 getting 35-40mpg could goa long way. But America doesnt like diesel engines, and I dont think that GM wants to invest that much money in a diesel car, hoping that people will buy it.

I agree, different arguement, but I agree.

This may be a stupid question but do companys like Mercedes, Austin Martin and other high end car companys have to conform to cafe?

Yes they do. They currently pay off the fine, but the fine for not meeting CAFE numbers is going to go up big time. GM missing CAFE by 1mpg will cost them 2.1 billion dollars.