On Mon, 13 Jun 2005, MC Pee Pants
Pfft. The technology was there. It wasn't as polished as it is now, but it most certainly was there. When strict emission control laws took effect nationwide in '72-'73, foreign automakers equipped their cars with fuel injected engines rather than carbureted ones. When even stricter laws took effect in the late '70s and early '80s, foreign makers added feedback control to their fuel injection systems.
Meanwhile, Detroit was still farting around with idiotically complex, ultra-lean carburetors and highly restrictive intake and exhaust systems (GM pellet-type catalytic converters, anyone?) that caused cars to run like poo and get garbageful gas mileage.
Yeah, I'm really curious about this one, too, since it's made up.
Y'sure about that? The B-body Cadillac was nothing but a gussied-up Caprice Clbuttic after '81. Don't know GM FWD body nomenclature, but most Cadillacs of the '80s were nothing more than facelifted Oldsmobuicks.
Sure they do, now, and now they're decent-to-good. But it hasn't always been so on either count. Those J-body cars used the pukeworthy 2.8 V6. And the B-bodies in their final twelve years used nothin' but Chevrolet 305s.
The Honda Ridgeline, by about 20 months from now. Mark my words.
