As if more evidence were needed of the recent tectonic shifts in the automotive marketplace, American car buyers have begun to opt for vehicles with smaller engines, hoping to increase the fuel consumption. In May, four-cylinder engines, the powertrain of choice for almost half of new car buyers, a near doubling of its popularity in the last four years.
The hard figures are impossible to ignore. According to JD Power and Associates' Power Information Network, 45.6 percent of retail buyers in May 2008 chose four-cylinder engines for its new car or truck. This figure was only 38 percent in February 2008 and was at a low of 28, 2 percent in May 2004. Today, less than 20 percent of newly purchased cars run on eight-cylinder engines, with six-cylinder engines also declining-both were in the popularity of four last month. JD Power, says that the May figures represent the highest proportion of four-cylinder engines sold since it began the pursuit.
The change of engine choice, a strong market presence shift to smaller, more fuel-efficient cars, many of which are only with four-cylinder engines. Subcompact small cars and compact SUVs and distribution are the only bright spots in a market already beaten by a weak economy and high gas prices. This shift comes as the quality and selection of smaller engines was always better. Automobile manufacturers are introducing direction injection, turbocharging and variable value timing to boost power and fuel economy.
Given the lifetime of the vehicles and challenging economic conditions, smaller engines are likely to continue for a larger share of American vehicles in use. The market for hybrid gas-electric vehicles is constantly increasing, even if only by around one percentage point per year. Meanwhile, the transition to four-cylinder vehicles than mainstream low-cost high-end option-mpg with a greater reduction in the national oil use and environmental impact.
The hard figures are impossible to ignore. According to JD Power and Associates' Power Information Network, 45.6 percent of retail buyers in May 2008 chose four-cylinder engines for its new car or truck. This figure was only 38 percent in February 2008 and was at a low of 28, 2 percent in May 2004. Today, less than 20 percent of newly purchased cars run on eight-cylinder engines, with six-cylinder engines also declining-both were in the popularity of four last month. JD Power, says that the May figures represent the highest proportion of four-cylinder engines sold since it began the pursuit.
The change of engine choice, a strong market presence shift to smaller, more fuel-efficient cars, many of which are only with four-cylinder engines. Subcompact small cars and compact SUVs and distribution are the only bright spots in a market already beaten by a weak economy and high gas prices. This shift comes as the quality and selection of smaller engines was always better. Automobile manufacturers are introducing direction injection, turbocharging and variable value timing to boost power and fuel economy.
Given the lifetime of the vehicles and challenging economic conditions, smaller engines are likely to continue for a larger share of American vehicles in use. The market for hybrid gas-electric vehicles is constantly increasing, even if only by around one percentage point per year. Meanwhile, the transition to four-cylinder vehicles than mainstream low-cost high-end option-mpg with a greater reduction in the national oil use and environmental impact.
