Gas Prices and The American Nightmare

[lanepono]

Everyone's doing an excellent job with your upgrades; I have lived and worked in Germany for a total of 6 years. European vehicles are made and designed based upon realities that we Americans only now have to deal with. In 1976 while stationed in Germany with the Air Force, my wife and I owned a German made Ford Capri, in 2002 I returned to Europe and purchased a German made Ford Focus, today we have a 2010 Ford Transit Connect. They all are well built and well received by Europeans and Americans. Last year I sold my 2000 BMW Z3 coupe hatchback, it was made by BMW racing team USA and was a piece of crap. Typical of U.S. autos for many years, the USA BMW 2000 coupe was all show, shallow, and superficial; perhaps if it were made in Germany the end product would have been of better quality and integrity. For decades everywhere else but the U.S. has been paying astronomical prices for gas and oil. In 1976 Germans were paying over $2 for a gallon of gas (3.8 liters). Unfortunately we still have some idiots that are totally clueless, have never travelled outside of their own back yards, and believe soap operas are based on true stories. These are the clowns that will not be ready for nor understand the paradigm shift that is upon us today. In Asia and Europe SUV, Big Pick Up trucks, and Soccer Mom Vans are rare to none; nor are they manufactured in Europe or Asia. We still have way too many gas hogs stomping around the streets in America. The reality is; as long as there is a U.S. market for them, the American auto industry will continue to produce them. Note models of vehicles from aboard manufactured and sold almost exclusively in the USA (no one else wants them):

Nissan - Titan, SUV, Vans

Toyota - Tundra, SUV, Vans

BMW - Z4 Roadster, X5 SUV

Discussion open to debate SUV guzzle

[Willie]

I never owned one, but those old Capris were great cars, especially the V-6. I've read that they were intended as the Euro-Mustang.

[davy1shoe]

I had a Nissian Primastar van back in Scotland 1.9 turbo diesel would blow any of these 4.5 van over here and did 47 mpg.

[vintage_vee]

Note models of vehicles from aboard manufactured and sold almost exclusively in the USA (no one else wants them):

Nissan - Titan, SUV, Vans

Toyota - Tundra, SUV, Vans

I believe those vehicles are produced in the USA to avoid the chicken tax on imported trucks - for much the same reason your Transit Connect entered Baltimore as a passenger vehicle and was converted to a truck before it left the dock area. And who says soap operas aren't based on true stories?

Edited April 28, 2011 by vintage_vee

[azdamay]

There is more to this than simple fuel efficiency. As you stated, the European vehicles are designed and built for the European market. Why? Because the needs and wants of a European consumer are different than those of a North American. Different climates, different topography, smaller streets, regional tastes, etc. Frankly I find your tone more than a little condescending, but I'm keeping an open mind because this is the internet and sometimes things don't translate to text well.

Also, BMW designed the Z3, but because it was built by Americans, it was a POS? If it had been built by the Germans and turned out equally crappy, would you make excuses for it? Last I heard, when the Transit Connect is redesigned, Ford will begin building it in the United States as well as continuing to build it in Turkey:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/ford-to-shift-transit-connect-production-to-the-u-s-by-2012.html

Will the "American" Transit Connects be crap because they were built here?

[vintage_vee]

Last I heard, when the Transit Connect is redesigned, Ford will begin building it in the United States as well as continuing to build it in Turkey:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/ford-to-shift-transit-connect-production-to-the-u-s-by-2012.html

That link is nearly two years old --- can't find any news about proposed US production since some articles were published in July, 2009. Got anything more up-to-date?

[davy1shoe]

There is more to this than simple fuel efficiency. As you stated, the European vehicles are designed and built for the European market. Why? Because the needs and wants of a European consumer are different than those of a North American. Different climates, different topography, smaller streets, regional tastes, etc. Frankly I find your tone more than a little condescending, but I'm keeping an open mind because this is the internet and sometimes things don't translate to text well.

Also, BMW designed the Z3, but because it was built by Americans, it was a POS? If it had been built by the Germans and turned out equally crappy, would you make excuses for it? Last I heard, when the Transit Connect is redesigned, Ford will begin building it in the United States as well as continuing to build it in Turkey:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/ford-to-shift-transit-connect-production-to-the-u-s-by-2012.html

Will the "American" Transit Connects be crap because they were built here?

Everybody i talk to over here would love the big Transit for carpets and also in Diesel.

Im might look into shipping one from Portugal (as thats where Ford make them) when im looking for a new truck.