Why cars so heavy vs 80's

[miata007]

Back in the beginning (time), my 86 CRX Si didn't have power steering and weighs about 1500lbs with 85 horsepower. That's half the weight of my first car (84 300ZX, AT, 2+2, non turbo), 3000 lbs.

Look at today's civc and 350z, where are all the weight gain coming from?

airbags?
nav system?
pwr window?


007

[NSE70]

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[07G35S]

The oil companies and republicans pay the car companies to make the cars heavier and guzzle more gas in order to fatten their wallets ;)

[NissLover]

NSE70 that was a goon one, LMAO!

Features, features, features, + Safety, safety, safety= Weight, weight, weight.

[cdlong]

people want stiffer chassis so companies make them stiffer. extra stiffness generaly requires extra metal, and thus more weight. heavier chassis need stronger suspensions, bigger brakes, more powerful engines. heavier parts require stiffer chassis, the cycle goes on and on.

this is of course in addition to the previously mentioned extra features, airbags, bigger wheels, etc that are common on today's cars.

plus cars are growing in size too, a civic is the size an accord was 15-20 years ago.

[SHIFT_6speeds]

And the people in them are fatter..and fat = weight :)

[WhereHaveYouBeen]

It's because of safety requirements.

Jamie LaReau (jlareau@crain.com)

Automotive News

September 28, 2007 - 6:50 pm ET

http://www.autonews.com/graphics/an_spacer.gif
DETROIT — In an unauthorized revelation today, UAW officials disclosed General Motors’ plans to produce a small rear-wheel-drive vehicle architecture code-named Alpha.

The revelation came as the UAW publicized GM’s (http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55407#) pledge to invest in future vehicles for 16 assembly plants — a pledge the union won this week during its contract negotiations with GM.

GM will build two body styles of the new Alpha vehicle, which will begin production in 2011. GM’s plant in Lordstown, Ohio, will assemble it.

GM has not unveiled a concept version of the vehicle, said a source familiar with the program.

“It’s an all-new architecture that does not exist in the portfolio now,” the source said. “It is in the compact area but bigger than the Gamma. It’s more like a small entry-level vehicle that would be more luxury-inclined, like a BMW (http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55407#) used to be.”

The source would not say which of GM’s eight brands would get the vehicle. GM executives have previously said that Pontiac (http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55407#) would be the brand of choice for “affordable” rear-wheel-drive cars (http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55407#).

News of the Alpha — along with other extensive details about GM’s product plans — were included in the UAW’s contract highlights. The union will distribute the highlights to its members this week in advance of the contract ratification vote.

If the UAW’s contract booklet is to be believed, GM also has big plans for its Gamma world car. The next-generation Chevrolet (http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55407#) Cobalt (http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55407#) car will switch from the Delta platform to the cheaper Gamma platform in 2010.

Lordstown, which produces the Cobalt and its sibling, the Pontiac G5 (http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55407#), will produce the next Cobalt, too.

“Just like everyone’s replacement cars are getting bigger, Gamma gets a bit bigger due to all the safety (http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55407#) requirements,” the source said. “The Gamma product would be a Cobalt replacement. It might go to other brands, but the main one is Chevy.”

According to the UAW highlights, GM also confirmed that it will build the Chevrolet Volt plug-in-hybrid at its Detroit-Hamtramck plant in 2010. GM plans to build a small seven-seat van in Hamtramck for export to other markets, the source said. The van — which will not be sold in the United States — will be a next-generation variant of the Opel Zafira.

[mayhem]

A CRX is probably not a good comparison car either since it was about 2/3 the size of a regular Civic even in 1986.

[gunluvS14]

NVH, safety...

[PooFlinginMonkey]

As long as huge SUVS are being sold, a car company cannot put out lightweight cars without worrying about the crash test ratings.

[Nismo]

Back in the beginning (time), my 86 CRX Si didn't have power steering and weighs about 1500lbs with 85 horsepower. That's half the weight of my first car (84 300ZX, AT, 2+2, non turbo), 3000 lbs.

Look at today's civc and 350z, where are all the weight gain coming from?

airbags?
nav system?
pwr window?

007

Sort of. The real answer is quite simple and comes down to only two things: (1) cars today are SAFER and (2) cars today are BIGGER.

(1) If you were to hit a brick wall at 40 mph, would you rather hit it in a 1986 Honda CRX or in a 2008 Honda Civic?

(2) If you had to go on a 5000 mile road trip with 3 friends, would you all prefer taking that trip in a 1986 Honda CRX or in a 2008 Honda Civic?

[07G35S]

I've ridden in the back of an 87 CRX quite a few times... there is NO SEAT BACK THERE! :eek: ahaha

[M_TYPE_X]

I've ridden in the back of an 87 CRX quite a few times... there is NO SEAT BACK THERE! :eek: ahaha

There's no "there" there. Oh, I thought you were talking about the back of an Altima coupe.