GM: New CAFE regulations could make supercars an ‘endangered species’

That statement is bogus. If the current Corvette/Z06 is any sign of what the ZR-1 will acheive, the ZR-1 will get much better mileage than a typical SUV. The real vehicle to die is the SUV. It is not like they will prodice 250,000 Corvette ZR-1s.

except that SUV's are considered trucks by the government, and as such as exempt from the same regulations cars are. Anyone know if the new law addresses that? Or are SUV's and trucks going to slip through the same loophole? If so then the new law won't affect them.

Currently, SUVs and trucks are exempt. For this new plan, it looks like the whole fleet will have to acheive 35mpg, including light trucks and SUVs. There are still distinctions to be made, however.

'Super Cars' are not so 'High Volume' as to really be much of an issue... At this time, but the near future may prove to be a very different situation.

Well-With the ramp up of diesels and hybrids and plug in hybrids I can't see that much of a conflict here. What would have to happen is that most passenger cars sold in the US should have some diesel option right now. By doing this the fuel economy should be pretty close to the corporate average of 35 MPG. Then you make 50% of these diesels hybrids. I believe it is doable much sooner then later. In Europe owning a diesel is a way of life. The other point is that the US car makers are going to have to produce trucks and suv's that are more aerodynamic and make 95% of them diesel. This idea of a Ford Lightening type vehicle has got to go by the wayside. However,I think it can be done even producing a small amount of of high performance cars in the mix.That includes Corvettes,Camaros,Challengers,and Mustangs. But I would say if diesels become the standard engine in most trucks and SUV's this issue would be partly solved.You tackle then the aerodynamics and then make hybrid diesel trucks and suv's. There should be start/stop technology in every car that comes out in the future. I think the auto makers are concerned because the general public won't like it. The fact is they should not be given a choice.

Many car manufacturers miss the current standard and pay the fine. Why should that change?

... Handily passing said 'fine' on to the consumer.

Let me echo a comment by previous posters. These cars will be fine, buyers will just pay the fine, same as they are doing now.

This is a red herring argument designed to scare people into thinking that mfrs cant adhere to the new standard. All major mfrs can. For several reasons. One, the 35 mpg is based on the old EPA rules. Two, mfrs will use E85 to artificially inflate their mpg.

THAT NEW 35 MPG STANDARD IS ON THE 2008 AND LATER STANDARD WHICH IS THE SAME AS 40 MPG ON THE OLD STANDARD ALSO IT INCLUDES SMALL TRUCKS AND SUVs SOMETHING THE OLD CAFE STANDARD DID NOT DO ALSO THE YEAR 2020 IS 13 YEARS AWAY BY THEN THEY WILL HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE FUEL EFFICIENT VEHICLES THAT ARE ALSO POWERFULL ALSO THEY CAN MAKE A SPORTS CAR THAT WILL RUN ON E85 ONLY ONE OF THE SELLING POINTS THAT THE EPA IS USEING FOR E85 IS THAT IT IS 105 OCTANE THIS WILL ALLOW THEM TO RAISE THE COMPRESSION RATIO TO 12 TO 1 OR ALLOW THEM TO USE A SUPERCHARGER OR A TURBOCHARGER WITH REAL HIGH BOOST AND THEY ONLY NEED TO MAKE 28 MPG WITH E85 WHICH IS DOABLE.