My speedometer goes up to 45 mph my actual top speed down hill is 42ish.

One Ford did not take any Tarp money and two the reason they spent the time on the dashboard is called aesthetics. People want cars that run well AND look good. The dashboard is also an effective way to help people become more engaged with being economical with how they drive. Once again anyone that is expecting ANY car company to produce a 100mpg car anytime soon is smoking way too much weed. Also Ford is the only one of the big 3 that had this plan of action in place BEFORE the trip to D.C. .

Car indicators still go above 100 to give a sense of power to the potential buyer. Few people will probably buy a car with a "top-speed" of 60 or 80 (even if it is the real top speed) because it gives an idea of "crappy". I own a Rover which indicates a top speed of 130, I doubt it ever reached that speed, even when it was new (small engine).

Croccydile also has a good point. Digital displays seem much easier to break and much more expensive to repair when they do.

In summary, this looks line a design by Microsoft and it would be more appealing and easier to use if it looked like it came out of Apple's design studio.

Just a thought. TARP money will run out eventually.

Remember when every other car of the 80s came with vacuum fluorescent displays for the entire instrument cluster? Those were not cheap to replace (especially now). I pray that fixing just your petrol gauge in cars like this wont be a $2000+ expense!

This is the "exact" dashboard interface that is going into the 2010 Fusion Hybrid. So if never means end of the year you are spot on.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparison_test/sedans/2010_ford_f usion_hybrid_vs_camry_hybrid_altima_hybrid_and_malibu_hybrid_compariso n_test+page-5.html

My Dads truck has a complicated display that frustrates me because I have never borrowed it for long enough to figure out. I think its neat when the car can tell you information on mileage and such but its nothing that someone with a 3rd grade education cant figure out on their own in about 10 seconds.

where in the world do you see getting greener as a result of more CO2 AND pollutants?

i would buy that nonsense you call irony only if you bike to commute.

On an unrelated note, I had to rent a car and I got stuck with the Saturn Aura. I actually liked it, camry be damned.

How ironic.

Having done third party work on dealer cars, I've had the experience of riding many miles on fumes.

For the fuel indicator, tell me how many gallons are remaining and make an informed guess about how many miles I can drive before running out of fuel (a city estimate, highway estimate, mountain estimate and an estimate based on historical use that factors in my location via GPS).