EVEN THE RIGHT CAN'T STOP THE MARKET:

New Cars Seen Raising Gas Mileage Levels (KEN THOMAS, 8/31/07, Associated Press)

New vehicles are expected to set records for average gas mileage in driven by improved technology and demand for fuel-efficient vehicles, the government reported.

Vehicles from the 2007 model year are projected to average 26.4 miles per gallon overall, a gain of 1 mpg over the previous year and above the previous record of 26.2 mpg in 1987.

The increases are attributed to higher demand for hybrids and more fuel-efficient vehicles with gas prices hovering around $3 for much of the year.