http://www.just-auto.com/news_detail.asp?art=44608
Very good article, I thought, bringing to our attention not only Europeans' differing reactions to fuel price hikes, but also related debatable issues, such as whether Hybrids or Hydrogen will really fly in Europe. GERMANY: Europeans' car preferences reduce fuel price shock 03 Jun 2004 Source: just-auto.com editorial team Europeans' preference for smaller cars and their embrace of fuel-sipping diesel engines mean high oil prices are not as much of a problem to car shoppers, compared with the US, especially when high taxes mask the impact of price changes at the pump, a Reuters report said. "Because gas is so expensive here anyway, Europeans tend to drive around in smaller cars. I really don't think it's a major issue," Stephen Cheetham, an auto analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein Ltd, said of surging crude oil prices, according to the news agency. Analysis of 20 years of fuel prices, vehicle demand and stock return data yields little evidence that higher petrol prices are either good or bad for European auto stocks or car sales in the US and major European markets, he reportedly said. Renault executive vice president Georges Douin told Reuters last week that European manufacturers would escape damage given the popularity of diesel plus new speed limits in some places that were limiting fuel consumption. [etc.] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Yahoo! Domains - Claim yours for only $14.70 http://us.click.yahoo.com/Z1wmxD/DREIAA/yQLSAA/FGYolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/biofuel/ Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/biofuel/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/