"Since the end of World War II, the American automobile industry has had numerous opportunities to capture the economic and environmental high ground of building better cars and trucks. Yet at least once a decade over the last fifty years, Detroit's best and brightest missed the mark. GM, Ford, and Chrysler repeatedly missed economic opportunity, missing becoming technological leaders, and missed the change to cast their products and companies into an entirely different political light."

"Detroit failed to pick up the mantle of automotive leadership not because GM, Ford, or Chrysler lacked ability or technology, but rather, because they were too comfortable to change, were reluctant to take risks, refused to innovate, and lacked meaningful competition to make them perform any differently." During the golden years, 1950 through 1960s, GM, Ford, Chrysler accounted for 95 percent of the vehicles sold.

Japan became the world's largets automaker in 1980 after Americans discovered these foreign imports were fuel efficient and high quality. The Japanese cars were a product of solving problems associated directly with engine design and driveline technology. Japanese engines were built from the "ground up" using home grown engineers capable of thinking about tough fuel efficiency issues. Quality improved and processes streamlined. The Japanese used time without waste and implement robotic automation giving them time to learn how to manage the technology.

"The modern era of front-wheel drive automobiles began in the 1950s in Europe. British Motor Corporation built ... the Morris Mini, a small car that utilized a fuel-efficient transverse engine - a sideways-mounted engine place over a front-wheel drive system." Front wheel drive was more fuel efficient, space saving, and reduced weight by eliminating the drive shaft, large rear axle, and rear suspension. Front wheel drive vehicles were quieter, smoother, and offered better handling. "These cars did not enter production line until April 1979, as America entered the second energy crisis."

An another key technology relevant to fuel efficiency and emissions is fuel injection. In 1954, Mercedes Benz 300 SL proved fuel injection was better; having taken the technology from the airplane technology. "A fuel injector, by comparison is more elegant and more efficient, spraying the fuel more precisely direction into each cylinder." "After the energy shocks of the 1970s, Detroit began working on fuel injection." "Even into the 1990s, Detroit was still diverting precious engine R&D into power, not fuel economy." The EPA reported that 0 to 60 acceleration, since 1986, is up 19 percent, average weight up 20 percent. Fuel economy, meanwhile, fell by 7 percent." Quality costs, in 1992, GM spent $3 billion on warranty repairs, or about $829 a vehicle in the US."

"The Big three had said in order to pass the ULEV standard, cars would have to burn an ultra-clean fuel, like natural gas, which would boost the cost of cars by $2,000 or more compared to gasoline models." "Honda, however, had certified it Accord with no such caveat. Honda met the ULEV standard by adding $200 to $300 in new emission hardware - essentially a beefed up catalytic converter moved closer to the engine so it would heat up faster. Honda also became the first automaker to begin selling gasoline-powered cars under the LEV standard in October 1995," Honda has spent 100 million in advertising to promote cleaner car brand. Honda desired a cleaner engine and working on ways to cut pollution emitted. In 1971, the "Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion engine", CVCC gave Honda the capable to satisfy US Clearn Air Act emission standards. Soichiro Honda said, "At our company, let us try to clean up the exhaust gases inside the engine itself without relaying on catalytic converters." and that is exact what CVCC does. What the engine did was essential burn the fuel twice, pre-burn a portion of the fuel in a smaller chamber followed by a second burn within the cylinder. "It prolonged the burning of the gasoline air mixture, burning out more of the impurities." The N-600 came in at 42 miles per gallon and the Honda civic followed. In 1977, Honda civic CVCC was ranked first in fuel economy of all models by the EPA. Honda CRX-HF was the first vehicle to break the 50 mpg barrier. Politician, Senator Richard Bryan opposed a 4 percent mileage improvement for CAFÉ, saying, "We do not believe consumers are ready to accept such a big change in vehicle size and performance, especially when accompanied by prices increase which are inevitable." Crazy talk. Detroit counter back that the fuel efficient engines would only work in small vehicles. "If Honda would introduce in the mid-size Accord an engine that showed an improvement of 6 miles per gallon, or about 20 percent, in EPA tests, that would really get my attention as an engineer" says David Cole.

GM's geo mater built by Suzuki for GM was the highest mileage car sold in the US, rated at 53 city and 58 highway. "Yet as tighter CAFÉ standards in the US market seemed increasingly less likely given the continued blockage in Congress, Honda quietly backed away from some of its most fuel-efficient models." In 1995 Honda pulled its 56 mpg Civic VX from the market and GM back away from its high mileage metro.

Honda Insight was a "pumped up three cylinder 1.0 liter direct-injection gasoline engine, an ultra capacitor capable of storing and delivering electric power faster than a battery, a continuously variable transmission, regenerative braking, and other features. This Honda prototype achieved a 70 miles per gallon fuel economy."

1997, Honda unveiled its 2.3 liter, four cylinder Honda Accord ULEV engine, Honda added high-tech variable valve timing, new computer controls, and a new dual function catalytic converter. The Honda ZLEV registered reduced smog producing hydrocarbons 0.004 grams/mile verse .04 g/mile and .25 g/mile for average car.

1998, Honda unveiled a two-sea, lightweight aluminum vehicle meeting California ULEV standard. The new hybrid had a small small three-cylinder ICE, nickel metal hydride battery, and capable of 600 miles per tank full. The car weighted 1,700 pounds with an EPA mileage of 61 mpg city and 70 mpg highway.