Question:
(Benchmarks; research; writing) In 2002, a green engineering case study about automobile emissions and saving energy was performed. The study generated designs for both gasoline- and diesel-powered automobiles with the following characteristics: a mid-size sedan that would get 52 miles per gallon when equipped with a gasoline engine and 68 miles per gallon when equipped with a diesel engine. The automobiles were also designed to be capable of achieving a "Five-Star" crash safety rating based on the anticipated 2004 safety standards, and would cost no more to build than tradition-ally engineered mid-size sedans.
a. Use the Internet to obtain miles per gallon and crash test ratings for five new automobiles (either gasoline or diesel). How do these automobiles compare to the benchmarks of the 2002 case study?
b. What might cause the differences between the ratings for the automobiles selected and the benchmarks?