Here is an excellent article about the economics of the current "gas crisis":

http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/06/news/economy/tully_oil_bust.fortune/index.htm?cnn=yes

The company has been producing with this in mind for the last year. I think what they are seeing now is that the sales of these fuel efficient cars have reached a tipping point, in which even when the inevitable drop in fuel prices occurs, people will not move back into SUV's.

What I would like to see the press do is focus a few stories on the tremendous disadvantage these fuel efficient cars are in crashes with SUV's. I'm shopping for a car right now. I have since 93 always had an explorer. I costed out my fuel consumption and figured that the difference between driving a new explorer and a new fusion is( at 4 bucks a gallon and 12k miles a year) about $800 dollars per year. Now, if I believe the article I just posted, fuel prices will be coming down precipitously... shouldn't I take advantage of the increasing safety discrepancy on the road now? I mean isn't my family's safety worth an extra $65 bucks a month? Come on Ford... Sell the safety!...leak a few stories about Ford Explorers taking out whole families driving in their fuel efficient Prius. That will sell those trucks and you won't lose the market when the fuel prices inevitably plunge. Nothing will sell these SUV's faster than a few stories about decapitated babies.