Top Gear Returns!

[CAP1]

You should probably not participate in such a discussion unless you've actually been to Europe and seen how devoid of American cars it is. Literally the only American car I saw over there was the Ford KA, which is a little hatchback that they don't even sell domestically (which makes sense, the market is totally different). While it may be a bit different in Britain, they honest-to-goodness don't like American cars over there.

 i'm actually ok with that(as if my opinion really matters). they seem to have two extremes. good performing cars....stupidly expensive....and then the cars that the "normal" people can afford.

[Rash]

It's simple. If American muscle cars were wanted in Europe, by Europeans, they'd build them there. They don't because no-one would buy one. Ford and GM apparently agree because they have absolutely no intention of making muscle cars for a European market.

Repairing a car seems to cost a lot, if it's not made in it's native country of origin.  My dad bought a TR8 in 1980.  The gear box went south in about 20,000 miles. It cost him around 3,000 to fix in 1984; and it took about a year.  The car was only about 12,000 new.  The a/c compressor went out around that time, and it was $600 for the part. 

[Motherland]

i'm actually ok with that(as if my opinion really matters). they seem to have two extremes. good performing cars....stupidly expensive....and then the cars that the "normal" people can afford.

When I was in Germany there were tons of BMW and Mercedes all over the place. I think our idea of accessible is a bit different over here as well. Midrange sedans from mid-high range manufacturers are popular as well, not just tiny hatchbacks and coupes with lawnmower engines.
Of course another reason for the prevalence of domestic autos is protective tariffs from what I understand, especially in Germany. A Chevy Cobalt or whatever can't really compete when it's the same price as a low end 3 series.

I was just looking through my pictures and the only one of an American car I had was a Ford Mondeo that I happened to snap because it had a Luxembourgian license plate... it's funny because I don't recognize many of the cars because so many of them are Renault, Citroen, FIAT, Opel, etc. that we don't have here...

[Rash]

When the host say Merc, whom thinks they mean Mercurys?

[CAP1]

When I was in Germany there were tons of BMW and Mercedes all over the place. I think our idea of accessible is a bit different over here as well. Midrange sedans from mid-high range manufacturers are popular as well, not just tiny hatchbacks and coupes with lawnmower engines.
Of course another reason for the prevalence of domestic autos is protective tariffs from what I understand, especially in Germany. A Chevy Cobalt or whatever can't really compete when it's the same price as a low end 3 series.

I was just looking through my pictures and the only one of an American car I had was a Ford Mondeo that I happened to snap because it had a Luxembourgian license plate... it's funny because I don't recognize many of the cars because so many of them are Renault, Citroen, FIAT, Opel, etc. that we don't have here...

 i think that tarriff thing works both ways, and if i;m not mistaken(which i very well may be?), that is a large part of why bmw, subaru, toyota, and a host of others are now built here in the us?

[CAP1]

SOMETIMEs i just can't let things go...even when i know full well i should.

 someone mentioned that american cars aren't popular in the uk......yet, there seems to be no shortage of businesses specializing in importing them for buyers,.....
http://www.shipmycar.co.uk/2011/03/mustang-uk-buyer-guide/

http://www.mustangsuk.com/

http://www.stangs.co.uk/

 i could put more. i'm also fairly confident that there are just as many importing camaros, and corvettes. or possibly these guys like losing money by importing unpopular cars.

[Motherland]

SOMETIMEs i just can't let things go...even when i know full well i should.

 someone mentioned that american cars aren't popular in the uk......yet, there seems to be no shortage of businesses specializing in importing them for buyers,.....
http://www.shipmycar.co.uk/2011/03/mustang-uk-buyer-guide/

http://www.mustangsuk.com/

http://www.stangs.co.uk/

 i could put more. i'm also fairly confident that there are just as many importing camaros, and corvettes. or possibly these guys like losing money by importing unpopular cars.

If you have to go to a specialized importer to buy something then that means that the market isn't very big, logically. I can buy a Volkswagen, for instance, anywhere...

[CAP1]

If you have to go to a specialized importer to buy something then that means that the market isn't very big, logically. I can buy a Volkswagen, for instance, anywhere...

 this is true....but why would you? i mean....a volkswagen........

 or it could be a way around govt regulations that make it harder to own said vehicles.......

[RTHolmes]

cant speak for all of europe obviously but Tinman has it about right and Tyrannis has plainly never been here.

some UK base prices:

Camaro £32k ($51k)
Corvette C6 £53k ($85k)
Corvette Z06 £68k ($110k)
Challenger £42k ($67k)
Shelby GT500 £49k ($75k)

now bear in mind that something like this for £15k ($24) will be quicker and more fun on our UK roads:

[expat]

cap
Yes American cars are sold in the UK , however the sales figures arent that good .

[icepac]

That's because the tariff causes huge price increases.

Many diplomats, when they are stationed abroad, will get a corvette or american musclecar and bring it with them as thier daily driver car free of tariff.

Then they sell it for big profit and buy a car abroad that is desirable in america because it was never imported and make money on the return trip home.

Camaros, mustangs, corvettes, lincoln town cars, and the big cadillacs are the most popular choices to take abroad.

[CAP1]

cap
Yes American cars are sold in the UK , however the sales figures arent that good .

 I realize that. i suspect that our "small" cars are probably somewhat large for some of the back roads over there too.....

[PR3D4TOR]

There are many American cars in Europe, it's just that most of them are specifically designed and made for the European market. Likewise many European cars that are sold in America are either specifically designed for the American market or modified versions (bigger motors, more equipment etc.) The American and European markets are just too different. Different car culture, different needs and ideas of what a car should do for them, different road and city infrastructure, different laws, different fuel and environment taxation etc.

[PR3D4TOR]

Try doing this in an Escalade 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEd_7sWHCVk&feature=related

[Rob52240]

I really liked the backup motorcycle they had in Vietnam