Originally posted by Domesticated
America has never produced a car worth owning. End of story. Ugly, technologically backward, poorly made.
Kind of reminds me of something Jeremy Clarkson said when he was testing the Viper SRT-10: "It's internal combustion, with a hint of spontaneous combustion. It's wayward, it's backward, and I just don't care."
He ultimately walks away with favorable impressions, despite spending the largest percentage of his airtime with it listing grievance after grievance. I think it's the 'raw simplicity' (which he alludes to) of some American cars that endow them with so much appeal.
the best top gear was when jeremy reviewed the chrysler crossfire...hilarious!
Fledz
Just because a car goes fast doesn't make it good. It can still have a ty interior, rubbish reliability, terrible design and more.
R!CH
quote:
Originally posted by Paradox Lost
Kind of reminds me of something Jeremy Clarkson said when he was testing the Viper SRT-10: "It's internal combustion, with a hint of spontaneous combustion. It's wayward, it's backward, and I just don't care."
He ultimately walks away with favorable impressions, despite spending the largest percentage of his airtime with it listing grievance after grievance. I think it's the 'raw simplicity' (which he alludes to) of some American cars that endow them with so much appeal.
Top Gear tested the Challenger, ZR-1, and CTS-V a few seasons ago on the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Each came away incredibly impressed. James May went to far as to say the CTS-V was by leaps and bounds the finest American Car he's ever driven.
It also, by the way, holds the title as the fastest production sedan to go around the 'Ring. I've had the pleasure of driving one..what a friggin' beast!
In the end though, it's easy to point to our supercars to use as an example. But what was said overall above about the arguement that American cars are crap should be applied 15-20 years ago is exactly on point.
Take a look at today's Ford Fusion (and Hybrid). It just won Motor Trend's Car of the year for 2010. I'd take that any day over a comparable Honda or Toyota. The quality is there, plus you get a little sportiness and excitement too. My dad and I were at a local auto show a few weeks ago, and it was amazing how when we reached the Honda and Toyota sections of the show, there was just nothing to get excited about in their current lineups in the way you could then walk over to a Camaro, Vette, or CTS, for example. It's probably why both Jap. companies are scrambling to get out a rear-drive sports car as quickly as they can.
New 2010 Buick Regal vs. a Lexus ES 350 - Buick has been wining comparisons hands down.
Buick Enclave vs. any comparable small-midsize SUV, wining as well.
Point is, from the range of $$$$ to $, you can no longer make generalized statements as Domesticated did and have any credibility among gearheads. (Unless you're talking Chrysler, so help us all.)
:p
Moongoose
quote:
Originally posted by Paradox Lost
Oh man, my mistake! Fixed, immediately.
Anyway, I worked at a Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep dealership for a while, and yes, I can vouch for the absolute and utter mechanical ridiculousness that is the 300 lineup. I once took an SRT-8 out, and a block away from the dealership, the power steering went out. Apparently, that was a recurring problem with the 300's, so much so that the service technicians were used to it by now. Oh, and the interior felt like I was riding in a glorified bicycle.
Still, though, compared to the 'luxury interiors' of American cars from the mid to late 90's, I will gleefully roll around in one of their 2009 offerings.
As for the Cadillac you drove, did you drive the base model CTS or CTS-V? I can't verify this at the moment, but I'm fairly confident that the CTS doesn't have the 6 and 4 piston Brembo's that the CTS-V comes equipped with, which will most certainly produce a difference in stopping power between the two cars. There are also some blatant differences in interior materials.
I drove the base CTS but still, we are talking about an reasonably upper market car here, it should not have brakes made out of butter (im exagerating a bit here the CTS does not have brakes made out of butter of course...the 300C does). Even the bottom of the range should be quite decently equipped. I wont bring out a BMW for comparison again, so i will bring out the bottom of the range E-Class instead the E200 diesel. That car was not in any way bult for speed, its suspension is soft, the engine barely turns, it takes two weeks to get from 0 to 100...bottom of the range what can one say....but the brakes they work, and the soft suspension about which you are not too sure about when driving works under braking as well. And for me, that just puts it in the lead. You may not need excellent brakes every day, o ever for that matter but one day they might come in useful and then spending a couple of thousand more will seem as a bargain compared to the alternative. I use that philosophy on my car as well. SUre it may only be a small fiat, and sure there may be a bit of rust here and there that i cant be bothered to fix because i plan to drive the car untill it falls apart and then ill replace it with another small beate for city use but the breakes and the tires...they are always in top condition.
Also theres a reason why the Buick regal gets good reviews...thats thats actually an european car :D
Also the Caddy is not the fastest sedan around the ring anymore...the germans have allready reclaimed that honour with the panamera turbo :)
And not all of american cars are rubbish. Some are quite good...for instance the Current gen Ford mondeo or the Ford Focus RS, Or the Ford S-max which may be the 2nd people carrier ever made that is not so embarrasing to drive that you want to shoot yourself. So not all american cars are rubbish...just most of them :p
fbgdavidson
quote:
Originally posted by R!CH
why settle for a mustang when the corvette is the best car to ever come out of Bowling Green, Kentucky?
Fixed :p
quote:
Originally posted by Moongoose
Also i saw one of these today going for less than 20k
4 seat Ferraris really do depreciate as fast as they accelerate. So, going by that in a few years time the 612 will cost less than a decent family sedan. Excellent, ill be standing in line.
20k what? That sounds seriously cheap, at that price I'd almost park it in my driveway and just admire it :D
If there is an online ad I'd be interested in seeing it for my own amusement...
Top Gear tested the Challenger, ZR-1, and CTS-V a few seasons ago on the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Each came away incredibly impressed. James May went to far as to say the CTS-V was by leaps and bounds the finest American Car he's ever driven.
It also, by the way, holds the title as the fastest production sedan to go around the 'Ring. I've had the pleasure of driving one..what a friggin' beast!
In the end though, it's easy to point to our supercars to use as an example. But what was said overall above about the arguement that American cars are crap should be applied 15-20 years ago is exactly on point.
Take a look at today's Ford Fusion (and Hybrid). It just won Motor Trend's Car of the year for 2010. I'd take that any day over a comparable Honda or Toyota. The quality is there, plus you get a little sportiness and excitement too. My dad and I were at a local auto show a few weeks ago, and it was amazing how when we reached the Honda and Toyota sections of the show, there was just nothing to get excited about in their current lineups in the way you could then walk over to a Camaro, Vette, or CTS, for example. It's probably why both Jap. companies are scrambling to get out a rear-drive sports car as quickly as they can.
New 2010 Buick Regal vs. a Lexus ES 350 - Buick has been wining comparisons hands down.
Buick Enclave vs. any comparable small-midsize SUV, wining as well.
Point is, from the range of $$$$ to $, you can no longer make generalized statements as Domesticated did and have any credibility among gearheads. (Unless you're talking Chrysler, so help us all.)
:p
Yes but why do your designers insist on making every car look so damn muscly and boxy? They must have taken the word "sleek" from their vocabulary.
It seems that the trend in American cars over the years has always been petrol guzzling, off big, muscle cars.
R!CH
quote:
Originally posted by Fledz
It seems that the trend in American cars over the years has always been petrol guzzling, off big, muscle cars.
are you surprised by that? our culture is very masculine, our roads are very wide and straight, our gas is very cheap. american cars have been like that pretty much since the 1930s. we invented automotive racing, top fuel, hot rods, derbies and the monster truck. it's ingrained in our culture.
