Uhh.. didn't Subaru just come out with a new 'Brat'-type vehicle??
http://www.subaru.com/servlet/showro...TrimName=TURBO

Eric
"Carl Taylor" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> This is a request for Subaru, Jeep, Toyota, etc. to produce something
> like the old Subaru Brat, which was essentially a 4WD car with low
> range gearing. With today's engine technology it could get gas mileage
> in the low to mid 30s on the highway, while having true off-road
> capability.
>
> Today's options are limited to "cute utes" or "soft utes" which lack
> low range and are designated AWD rather than 4WD (Honda CR-V, Toyota
> RAV-4, Ford Escape, and so on). To get offroad-capable 4WD, you're
> forced to buy a truck or SUV that can only get MPG in the teens to low
> 20s. There are plenty of conservationists who want to go off-road and
> they shouldn't have to buy a bloated rig.
>
> The 2005 Toyota Tacomas and Nissan Frontiers show the trend toward size
> over efficiency. Engineers managed to maintain mediocre fuel mileage
> while making them as big as possible (using vvt, etc.) , but they could
> have made them smaller, more agile and more efficient. A truck that
> went from compact to midsize and became 5" wider with a 10" longer
> wheelbase is not "better" off-road just because of a fancy new
> drivetrain.
>
> Jeeps, including the Liberty, are still gas guzzlers and the ancient
> Wrangler styling could be made a lot more aerodynamic. I see a lot of
> potential for redesigning the Wrangler into something that could manage
> mid to upper 20s MPG and wouldn't even have to be a hybrid.
>
> A powerplant with "only" 150 HP and similar torque could get the job
> done in the right chassis. We need to stop building bigger engines just
> to move bigger trucks or satisfy high school egos. People did fine with
> less before they were hyped into "needing" 200+ HP to keep up with the
> pack. For nitwits, tailgating someone on a 7% grade at 80 MPH may be
> perceived as vital, but when you're off-road, excessive power is rarely
> needed. Low-end torque (relative to body weight) is more important, and
> lighter vehicles need less of it. Smaller engines reduce weight also.
>
> My perfect vehicle would have AWD aspects (auto torque split based on
> wheel spin) but would also be a tough off-roader with at least 9" of
> usable ground clearance; not just at the high points. The current
> Subaru Outback is rated at over 8" of clearance but the frame sits too
> low to make that very useful. I also see a practical use for ghetto
> car-hopping technology. They could use hydraulics to lift the frame on
> dirt roads and drop it back down for aerodynamics on pavement.
>
> C.T.
>