Why don't we buy American cars?

[toppstuff]

The new Corvette and Mustang have both decent performance and decent handling.

The criticisms of the past are becoming less valid now, although the cart spring suspension remains an issue.

Still, it is hard to argue against the fact that they go well and are good value.

So why are'nt they more popular?

Personally, I think it is more likely that I will chew my own arm off or be the father of Cameron Diaz's love child before I buy a Corvette.

Why do I feel this way? I don't really know. Guess its the styling and the image, or something. I have driven a recent Corvette when on holiday, and it was alright. But for some reason I cannot figure out why I would never buy one.

In any event, they remain very rare and pretty unpopular in the UK. And I don't think that this will change.

Why are so many of us prejuduced against these cars? It is deserved or not?

[yertis]

Too big, too plasticky, too thirsty, the styling doesn't travel IMO. American cars are only cool here when they're at least twenty years old.

[alexkp]

I think it is because historically they are poor cars, and this perception will take long while to change.

They are also very uneconomical.
Also Left Hand Drive.
Little dealer support - and they are not really marketed over here.

And finally they have rather crass image, whether deserved or not.

[julianhj]

I really like the idea, but as has been said, they are not properly executed. The LHD issue seals it for me, otherwise I'd be very tempted.

[GavinPearson]

Aside from the RHD / LHD issue there should be no reason not to buy a Corvette. The latest (this year) ones are very, very good.

Mustang is a different kettle of fish. If you want a cheap car that can accelerate to 60 in under 6 seconds but isn't required to go to a track day then this could be the car for you. As many Mustangs are drag raced where the dream set up is a live rear axle it's best used for drag racing. The Cobra has independent rear suspension and the latest have a 390 bhp supercharged engine. They are fast, and they handle, and cost about $40,000. An EVO 8 etc may be quicker round a tight track though, but then again, they can embarass most Porshes anyway.

As pleasant cars that you can drive every day to work with no reliability hassles they are both very good. My 2001 Mustang V8 used to get 22 US MPG - that's about 27 British MPG, and it would be driven fairly hard.

Personally I think GM and Ford ought to put a bit more effort to marketing the cars in Europe, if they are adapted for European tastes primarily in the handling dept that can only improve them. One of the big problems may be the 'big' engine though. No answer to this, really, surely the important issue is the fuel consumption? I figure the Greens exist only because they are just envious.

[Marquis_Rex]

From an Engineering point of View the new Vette C5 is an outstanding piece of kit. I have to be honest and say I'd prefer it to any TVR. It has a transaxle like a Porsche 928 but is lighter, it also has double wishbones alround and the engine is great!

[ only problem is that the Euro-bureacrats have forced it to have a muzzled up exhaust-easily solved though!]

The Mustang at the right price over here isn't bad, specially the new shark nosed one- nice to see someone get away from insidious stupid bew edge triangular lights that go up to the wing mirrors! At the right price- It would be great, even in V6 form easily preferable to the omni-present bug-like over styled Hyundai Scoupes!

Again, the big problem is LHD. I think in this country too, there is unfair prejudice against US cars and some prejudice against the US in general.
I know this Chav scum and he has this disgusting Sierra RS Cosworth and he has made a right mess of it- well he's the type that will always slag off Americans and American cars-although he's never been there. Like him, some people still picture the US as it was from Kojak and Starsky and Hutch- with wallowly 7.5 litre barges making 20 Hp per litre with peak power at 3500 rpm! Alot of the lower market cars aren't great- little Geo Metros, or Grand Ams, but again at the right price, (with the strength of the pound that is conceivable)- I don't see the problem. People buy Kias and Protons And Daewoos....

[Marquis_Rex]

Gazboy said:

If Ford sold the Mustang in RHD for 20k with the ST220 V6 and a decent 4.0 V8 upgrade, they'd sell like hot cakes. But that would be too easy, Ford would rather spend 3 Billion develping yet another lemon in the Probe/Cougar catagory.

Probably ALOT of politics involved in putting THOSE engines in *LOL*

[ScoobyZoom]

In the grand sceme of things the English market is tiny... We are smaller than most states.

They wont bother developing a RHD car for such a limited market place, plus the fact most cars have an engine the size of a small house under the bonnet will put the majority of punters off. That and along with our petrol prices...

American cars suit american attitudes and lifestyles not ours I think..

[GavinPearson]

Marquis_Rex said:

Gazboy said: If Ford sold the Mustang in RHD for 20k with the ST220 V6 and a decent 4.0 V8 upgrade, they'd sell like hot cakes. But that would be too easy, Ford would rather spend 3 Billion develping yet another lemon in the Probe/Cougar catagory. Probably ALOT of politics involved in putting THOSE engines in *LOL*

Yeah, well after you managed to assemble a new team to engineer it after the previous one had died of laughter they might tell you that the 4.0 V6 makes more power and torque than an ST220, and that the V8 is a 3 valve/cylinder engine and makes 300 bhp.

[Marquis_Rex]

ScoobyZoom, but bear in mind we're a population of 60 million though.
Also, Britain culturally has ALOT in common with the USA, in some ways much more then it has with the rest of Europe.
Imagine, for instance, how much BMW would lose if it pulled out of the UK market....

[GavinPearson]

ScoobyZoom said:

In the grand sceme of things the English market is tiny... We are smaller than most states. They wont bother developing a RHD car for such a limited market place, plus the fact most cars have an engine the size of a small house under the bonnet will put the majority of punters off. That and along with our petrol prices... American cars suit american attitudes and lifestyles not ours I think..

60 million people represents 20% of the USA and Canada combined. Hardly a small market. Yes, Britain has a small land mass, but lots of petrolheads in it.

BTW they made a batch of converted Mustang V8s for Australia last year in RHD.

[ScoobyZoom]

I know we have a lot culturally similar to the states but not in driving style or taste was what I meant.

I hear what your saying but they must also weigh up how much they'd have to invest in to the GB market compared to what they'd return...

[thebluemonkey]

ScoobyZoom said:

I hear what your saying but they must also weigh up how much they'd have to invest in to the GB market compared to what they'd return...

Also Australia, which would probably be quite a big market as they seem to like these sorts of cars, and Japan if they could detune them enough.

[ScoobyZoom]

and being as they have dipped their toe and nothing more, its been deemed "not worth it"

[GavinPearson]

That's because the 3.8 has no power. And why everybody who wants to go somewhere in a hurry has the V8. The 3.8 is pitched at girls who want a cheap convertible. Precisely what my sister in law bought - a 3.8 convertible with auto and big stereo. Perfectly adequate for cruising to the shops with the top down and checking out guys along the way.

For the latest model the power problem is largely fixed. A 200 bhp base model and a 300 bhp warm model. A 'hot' model to follow. If the last one had 390 bhp then presumably they want at least 400.

[willmcc]

Might be wrong but I think the Mustang is already sold in RHD form in Oz.
They were/are? assembling them there with RHD I think.
Still the roads in Oz and much of the US have a lot in common so they probably go down well.

[chris watton]

I think that one of the probs concering US sports cars is that they are hugh, in comparison to a TVR (was parked next to a stunning Viper at Pistonfest), the Dodge looked massive compared to mine!

My Tam can barely get through some roads around here because they're so narrow!

>> Edited by chris watton on Saturday 31st July 14:14

[v8thunder]

No idea. I intend my first car to be a Pontiac Fiero (either that or an X1/9 but the Fiero has the advantage of not rusting). I reckon the Fiero could've been badged a Vauxhall, worked over by the GSi bods and turned into an MR2 MKI-thrasher, a VX220 for the '80s.

As for the latest Corvette - undercuts most rivals by over half, is practical for what it is and returns 23-35 mpg from a 6-litre V8. If that isn't progress I don't know what is. Read the Torygraph road test this morning and it's just gone to the top of my wish list.

And we have had some American cars, or rather some dual-market cars with an American flavour that have been badged differently. To name a few:
-Vauxhall Omega (Cadillac Catera)
-Vauxhall Senator (Cadillac Cimarron)
-Vauxhall Monaro (Pontiac GTO)
-Ford Capri (Mercury Capri)
-Ford Cougar (Mercury Cougar)
-Ford Scorpio (Mercury Sable)
-Vauxhall Sintra (Pontiac Trans Sport)

IMO the main problem with American cars in the past has been their suitability on British roads. They are, by and large, made for flat, straight, smooth, wide roads where auto transmission is the norm and petrol is cheap.

[Boosted Ls1]

I'd definately consider the latest vette if it was RHD. It's one heck of a car! LHD is all that stops me. Could maybe get one from Oz but it would be a lot dearer as somebody would have had to pay for the RHD conversion.

[GavinPearson]

Tonker - a fair assessment I would say. Most Americans aren't really interested in paying a lot for their car so they seem to put up with mediocre product. Persuading people that a good product may cost more but get so many rave reviews that you don't need an advertising budget or rebates to flog it is lost on most of Detroit's management.

The situation will only perpetuate itself until the imported brands get the bulk of the market at which point somebody will wake up and 'get it'.