After a week of rolling out green products to wow the assembled media hordes and presidential candidates at the North American International Auto Show, the public got its first look at the show Friday and stiffed the green products.
Ignoring the PC-hybrid, electric plug-in, and hydrogen concepts salivated over by the press just days before at the celebrated “press preview,” a panel of 100 Detroit News readers gave their Best-in-Show awards to big, sexy, gas-guzzling products like the 600 HP Corvette ZR-1, the 20 mpg Chrysler 300C, and the towering Ford F-150 pickup. Not a green car made the list, except for the Honda Civic Hybrid — and only as answer to the News’ “Most Earth Friendly” vehicle category. The full list of winners is here.
The product disconnect is yet another indicator of how out-of-touch America’s elites are with the common folk. Further, it’s more evidence that green priorities are well down the list for buyers when it comes to choosing a vehicle.
And that is why Washington has had to force feed a 35 mpg mandate on auto manufacturers. The media keeps telling us the mandate was in response to “public pressure.” The public’s auto awards bespeak a different reality.