US pain at the pumps

07 April 2004: Americans may be paying in dollar terms the highest pump prices for gasoline in history, but in real terms they are still cheaper than in 1981.

And the high prices haven't deterred them from continuing to prefer gas-guzzling large pickups, SUVs and luxury-level cars.

Large sport utility vehicles represented 5.48 percent of all sales in March, up from 5.15 percent a year earlier. Large pickups rose to 14.4 percent from 13.2 percent 12 months ago.

Porsche sold more than twice as many 'trucks' as cars in the first quarter, reflecting the unexpected success of its Cayenne.

Regular gasoline now costs 28 cents more a gallon than it did three months ago.

©2004 irishcar.com