Will auto-enthusiasm dwindle in the future?

[s0nny80y]

As fossil fuels will eventually run out, do you think the focus on motorsports, sports performing cars, and/or auto enthusiasm will dwindle too?

I want to ask this question because I'm currently majoring in journalism and am not sure what the future of auto enthusiasm will be. Considering that most of us here have a general interest in the Gran Turismo series, I consider you guys to be auto enthusiasts.

Maybe I should change my major to biochemical engineering inorder to help research the best, most feasible alternative source of fuel.

 

[Sage]

Fossil fuels probably won’t run out anytime soon. Fifty years ago, “they” were saying Fossil fuels will run out in fifty years! Twenty-five years ago, they were saying the same thing. Now, it’s still fifty years from now. Estimates don’t work.

That said, let’s say we did run out: why would that cause automotive enthusiasm to dwindle? We’re not auto enthusiasts because our cars are powered by petrol – we’re auto enthusiasts because we like cars in and of themselves. Does it matter if a car is powered by electricity, hydrogen, or ethanol? Sure, there’ll probably be a transition period where they’ll be slower than previous-gen gas cars (like today’s hybrids), but eventually the technology (whatever it turns out to be) will catch up.

Automotive enthusiasm will never die as long as there are automobiles.

 

[OZZYGT]

Automotive enthusiasm will never die as long as there are automobiles.

[/thread] 👍


Ciao!

 

[s0nny80y]

Fossil fuels probably won’t run out anytime soon. Fifty years ago, “they” were saying Fossil fuels will run out in fifty years! Twenty-five years ago, they were saying the same thing. Now, it’s still fifty years from now. Estimates don’t work.

That said, let’s say we did run out: why would that cause automotive enthusiasm to dwindle? We’re not auto enthusiasts because our cars are powered by petrol – we’re auto enthusiasts because we like cars in and of themselves. Does it matter if a car is powered by electricity, hydrogen, or ethanol? Sure, there’ll probably be a transition period where they’ll be slower than previous-gen gas cars (like today’s hybrids), but eventually the technology (whatever it turns out to be) will catch up.

Automotive enthusiasm will never die as long as there are automobiles.

 

[SS69]

Did you hear about that car the government invented that runs on water? It's got a fiberglass inter-cooler and it runs on water man!

 

[Chris Hendriks]

^(throws empty cans at SS69)

 

[YSSMAN]

I doubt there will ever be a loss for enthusiasm for automobiles, but I think the biggest thing we have to worry about is the shift that is happening in the industry. As times change, so do tastes in racing, and thus the cars themselves, and it seems that this whole import thing has gone out of control.

...Not European imports (I almost consider those to be domestic [American] by my standards), but Japanese.

 

[SS69]

now that i think about it, supposedly fox news aired a report about a guy who figured out a way to extract hydrogen from water and use it as fuel. Im not sure of the validity on it because i cant find any stories on it, just this video:

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/128967/water_as_fuel/


Seems like if it was true it would be all over the news. I dont know.

 

[Wolfe]

Sure, there’ll probably be a transition period where they’ll be slower than previous-gen gas cars (like today’s hybrids), but eventually the technology (whatever it turns out to be) will catch up.

Yup, and we've already survived a period like that... *coughlateseventiesandearlyeightiescough*...we can certainly do it again.

now that i think about it, supposedly fox news aired a report about a guy who figured out a way to extract hydrogen from water and use it as fuel. Im not sure of the validity on it because i cant find any stories on it, just this video:

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/128967/water_as_fuel/


Seems like if it was true it would be all over the news. I dont know.

Electrolysis is not a new concept, but it's not as effective and magical as that report makes it out to be. I looked around, and the verdict on that clip and its premise is that it's BS.

Here's a link for ya: http://anti-rant.blogspot.com/2006/05/simple-truth-about-hho-and-water.html

 

[FoolKiller]

now that i think about it, supposedly fox news aired a report about a guy who figured out a way to extract hydrogen from water and use it as fuel. Im not sure of the validity on it because i cant find any stories on it, just this video:

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/128967/water_as_fuel/


Seems like if it was true it would be all over the news. I dont know.

It was covered locally in my home town and I even created a thread about it but Famine scoffed and that killed it.

He isn't using water as fuel, he is using the gas as an additive in a system much like nitrous would use. He never actually pours water into the car and it still uses 97% gasoline.

They are touting that they hope to have a car that runs purely on what they call Aquagen, but the problem is that it rusts out the engine since you are essentially making water. In order for it to work you would have to use materials that would make the car too expensive.

He's currently testing it out on a 100% Aquagen lawnmower.

He only succesfully sells the stuff as an alternative torch fuel.


As for auto-enthusiasm dying out....only if we lose our ability to make adrenaline and love of mechanics and driving fast. Auto-enthusiasm has nothing to do with oil, rather it is about mechanics and driving and tinkering and moving fast and looking good. If we were to quit using cars completely we would find something to replace that enthusiasm but auto junkies like most of us would keep one sitting around for old-time's sake.

If they eliminated cars I wouldn't care if it was a Daewoo as long as I had one I could still play with.