what do you think about europen cars?

[Deds]

i just wanted to know the american opinion about french cars, spanish cars, italian cars, because those are the cars that doesnt exists in USA

i think that the french Renault, Peugeot and the spanish Seat are the best, in design

[capriceman]

Personally i think they are overpriced and underpowered.

But as a city runabout they are pretty good. I could never use one for anything but a go to work and back car.

[Oracle of Delphi]

The French have cars? Oh and welcome to C&G Deds!

Edited May 21, 2007 by Pontiac Custom-S

[Camino LS6]

Honest answer?

None of those pictured would get a glance from me.

Now an M5...

[Oracle of Delphi]

I prefer Opel und BMW! However I'm more German than American! I'm what you call a Hybrid!

Edited May 21, 2007 by Pontiac Custom-S

[Satty]

Seats aren't bad although I'm certain there is no room for them in the states. The Renault Avantime is one of my favorite quirky designs of all time.

[Bimmer325]

Whenever I'm in Europe I find myself fascinated by the cars.

There's a certain quirkiness about European subcompacts, a garish sense of design that our small cars lack. There's always been a certain flair about them that I can't help but find charming, and I never did until I experienced them firsthand while staying in Europe.

[Flybrian]

Since I'm a fan of the larger cars, not much European really grabs me aside from higher-end makes that most people like anyway (Alfa-Romeo, Maserati), but I do have a penchent for 'executive' Citroens and Peugoets.

[Cory Wolfe]

Does Alfa Romeo count?

Otherwise, they certainly have some intriguing vehicles. I always like Peugoets, as well, but I generally like vehicles from the brands that we do get, like BMW, Saab, VW, etc... as well european vehicles offered by non-european brands.

[Deds]

well in 2009/2010 alfa romeo will be sold in united states again, with the alfa brera, 159, spyder and GT.. well yes they are underpowered but here gas is very expensive not 1 dollar per galon, here is moreless 5 dollar per gallon.. so huge cars, huge consumption.. here diesel are the new trend lool vokswagen is ruling the diesel engines in europe with the 2.0 TDI 140hp, is the worse engine ever, and is in audi, dodge caliber, jeep compass, chrysler sebring, skoda, seat, and others.. is giving many problems with electronic and turbo... my mother's car is a volkswagen touran 2.0tdi and is having many many problems, but buying a gasoline car is the worse choice ever because here 1L ( is 0.2 galons) is 1.56 euros... moreless 2 dollars or more.. veryyy expensive

[Deds]

here some pics of the first portuguese car brand, vinci, with the vinci GT is a super car with more then 300hp well this is a dummy car but the original will cost 300.000dollars and will only be made 1000... its a start for a portuguese car brand... lool

[Z-06]

I think personally the closest I will get in buying a car with a French name is a Chevrolet.

In my opinion French cars are not my cup of tea. They may be good, but I think they are emotionless and ugly. I do not know too much about Seat, so I cannot comment on it any. Italian cars, well other than Maserati, Lambo, and Ferrari, I do not think I like any other. Although there are some Alfas, I may be interested.

Just like P-C-S, for me German Cars are the European cars I will buy, if GM did not exist.

[Sixty8panther]

Motorsport BMWs, hardtop Mercedes Benzes & rear engined Porsches are cool stuff.

Peugeots, Renaults & Fiats? Pretty much my only reaction is:

[Oracle of Delphi]

Funny, I get that feeling looking at French or Jap cars!

[Sixty8panther]

I think personally the closest I will get in buying a car with a French name is a Chevrolet.

Louis Chevrolet was Swiss not French.

[Z-06]

Louis Chevrolet was Swiss not French.

Yes, but the origin of the name is French.

[Sixty8panther]

I just wanted to clarify for the peanut gallery. :AH-HA_wink:

[Z-06]

I just wanted to clarify for the peanut gallery. :AH-HA_wink:

Was it clarified thoroughly? :AH-HA_wink:

[Deds]

Motorsport BMWs, hardtop Mercedes Benzes & rear engined Porsches are cool stuff.

Peugeots, Renaults & Fiats? Pretty much my only reaction is:

well if you have money for those good for you xD peugeots renaults and fiats are cheap cars...

[Deds]

another thing the most comfortable cars in europe are french.. this is my opinion, but americans think that everythink that come from the old country is luxury, like clothes and all that stuff, french cars should get the same opinion lool that is why PSA (peugeot, citroen) and renault dont invest in USA lmao

[Deds]

with this conversation im not saying that i dont like american cars, because i love them, chrysler and chevrolet, but the cars that are sold here suck... just go to www.chevrolet.uk and you will see the chevroltets that we have here... just to exceptions, to chevrolet captiva and epica, those are cool

look at this intirior reanult velsatis, citroen c6, peugeot 607

is there any american car that have a sensor that tells you that your getting out of your driving way? head up display? auto brake? inteligent lighting sistem? auto parking? and this arent extras are included in the equipment..

[Z-06]

Deds,

1. The concept of small cars in USA is different than across the Atlantic Ocean. In Europe, only size is the difference between a smaller car and larger car. Otherwise people expect and pay for the same utilities and amenities found in a larger car. In US, small cars are cheap and basic transportations. Although the thoughts and people's buying habits are changing, we are still a long way to go to adapt to small, "luxurious" cars as you are referring to and that is the reason why Peugeot and Citroen will not be able to make a case of selling their small vehicles here. If you look at the statistics, apart from Mini, no other small luxurious car is doing well here, not even an Audi A3. That is why MB abandoned A and B classes and BMW is taking a long to put the 1-series in market here.

2. Regarding the Chevy sucking in Europe, may be you should demand more from GM :AH-HA_wink: . Chevy is basically taking over where Daewoo left. Personally I do not like that idea, but GM execs see Chevy as an entry level brand and thus are pursuing its cars from Korea. I think they should sell the RWD Camaros and Impalas (when it becomes available) and even Malibus in small numbers in Europe. May be brutes like Silverado in limited quantities and diesel won't hurt.

3. The interiors of Renault, Peugeot and Citroen may be working and even efficient, but they are .

[Oracle of Delphi]

with this conversation im not saying that i dont like american cars, because i love them, chrysler and chevrolet, but the cars that are sold here suck... just go to www.chevrolet.uk and you will see the chevroltets that we have here... just to exceptions, to chevrolet captiva and epica, those are cool

look at this intirior reanult velsatis, citroen c6, peugeot 607

is there any american car that have a sensor that tells you that your getting out of your driving way? head up display? auto brake? inteligent lighting sistem? auto parking? and this arent extras are included in the equipment..

For those that want to look at Chevy in the UK the address is http://chevrolet.co.uk , they are just rebadged GMDAT's (Daewoo's), nothing special.

Odd that Chevy is selling the Captiva and Vauxhall is selling the Antara in the same market.

http://www.vauxhall.co.uk/vx/carsandvans/b...randName=antara

http://www.chevrolet.co.uk/captiva/

Here is my version of the Opel Antara that I love!

Edited May 21, 2007 by Pontiac Custom-S

[Deds]

Deds,

1. The concept of small cars in USA is different than across the Atlantic Ocean. In Europe, only size is the difference between a smaller car and larger car. Otherwise people expect and pay for the same utilities and amenities found in a larger car. In US, small cars are cheap and basic transportations. Although the thoughts and people's buying habits are changing, we are still a long way to go to adapt to small, "luxurious" cars as you are referring to and that is the reason why Peugeot and Citroen will not be able to make a case of selling their small vehicles here. If you look at the statistics, apart from Mini, no other small luxurious car is doing well here, not even an Audi A3. That is why MB abandoned A and B classes and BMW is taking a long to put the 1-series in market here.

2. Regarding the Chevy sucking in Europe, may be you should demand more from GM :AH-HA_wink: . Chevy is basically taking over where Daewoo left. Personally I do not like that idea, but GM execs see Chevy as an entry level brand and thus are pursuing its cars from Korea. I think they should sell the RWD Camaros and Impalas (when it becomes available) and even Malibus in small numbers in Europe. May be brutes like Silverado in limited quantities and diesel won't hurt.

3. The interiors of Renault, Peugeot and Citroen may be working and even efficient, but they are .

well smart is starting to sell the fortwo in us market...

and you're just right, some impalas and malibus should be sould in europe but only with diesel engines, they sould use the 2.0vcdi and im shore that would give a chance to amercan models in europe, the trail blazer and silverado are only sold in some markets.. infiniti should be sold in europe also, and they are thinking of that, but without diesel engines they wont go far... lexus is starting to improve their sails with the is220 diesel, they put a 2.2 D-cat from toyota in a lexus, now they are seling much more..

[Deds]

just another thing, why are americans criticizing the ideia of volkswagen starting to sell the 1.9TDI there? they sold some jettas but now if you go to http://www.vw.com , you wont find a tdi in jetta either in passat.. was volkswagen making experiences? saab is seling their 1.9 TiD also... they are seeing what americans say about that.. the incovinient of tdis are the noise, and the smoke... but if you see a mercedes ML 320 cdi or a cls 320 cdi those are very silenced engines.. here we have special diesel to reduce the smoke lool

[ZL-1]

Olá Deds!

What pulls Americans away form diesels is essentially prejudice (they see diesels as noisy fuming engines with little power) and to some extent price (diesel isn't subsidized by the government as it is in Europe, indirectly through less fuel taxes).

[trinacriabob]

Bemvindo, Deds! Uma outra pessoa do Portugal ... eu fui em Lisboa seis vezes! Gosto muito da sua cidade!

I think that, first and foremost, there is an American obsession with European things as being "cool" or "the way to be."

I will say that their "upper end" cars are impressive cars. However, their entry level cars are highly functional but not suitable for American driving conditions, except in maybe the densest of cities. (When I see these cars, the first thing that goes through my mind is that I would not want to be clipped by a Cadillac or an SUV).

About specific European cars I know:

Italian:

- one cousin in Florence IT has a Punto; this is the bread and butter Fiat car. It seems to serve her well...

- Lancia Ypsilon - uglier than sin; it looks like a caricature (in Italy, it is nicknamed "L'Elefantino")

Spanish:

- I think the S.E.A.T. Ibiza coupe (the model in existence about 3 to 4 years ago) is the best looking of the bread and butter entry-level European cars

French:

- another cousin in Sicily has a Twingo; it seems to work well for him; it is unusual looking in the front, like it's sad or something...

- I am expecting to have a Citroen C-3 on Gran Canaria this summer

German:

- I have Mercedes Smarts reserved at most of my European destinations this summer (being that they are automatic instead of manual)

- obviously, Mercedes makes impressive cars but they just don't feel right to me; if I had money to throw away on a car, I'd buy a Cadillac DTS in Ice Blue Metallic

Another thing to keep in mind is that European cars are very costly here (to buy, to insure and to repair).

Edited May 21, 2007 by trinacriabob

[Deds]

well thanks, portugal is fine but i want to go to USA new york, new york is like a small planet in just one city, i love new york.. well those models are the worse models of hich brand.. the fiat grand punto is inspired in a maserati, the new twingo is e stylish and super compact car.. well and about the european car beeing expensive and expensive maintenence, is the same thing that o said about american cars..

[Deds]

Olá Deds!

What pulls Americans away form diesels is essentially prejudice (they see diesels as noisy fuming engines with little power) and to some extent price (diesel isn't subsidized by the government as it is in Europe, indirectly through less fuel taxes).

mekie?! és donde? bem isto tem mesmo piada carros europeus pa eles BAHH xD

[Oracle of Delphi]

Sim, sim, nós todos falamos o português aqui!

[Deds]

Sim, sim, nós todos falamos o português aqui!

' enganei me LOL pareceu me washington DC afinal é germany kek andas a fazer por ai??

[trinacriabob]

Sim, sim, nós todos falamos o português aqui!

Voce e louco, isso e a verdade!

[Oracle of Delphi]

Voce e louco, isso e a verdade!

Lapsus linguae!

[Z-06]

Penso que você fará alguém louco outra vez.

[ZL-1]

mekie?! és donde? bem isto tem mesmo piada carros europeus pa eles BAHH xD

Moro em Linda-a-Velha. E tu?

Para a maioria dos americanos, carros europeus só de marcas "premium". Carros como o Renault Alliance nao deixaram boa impressão nos EUA. E há a questão do tamanho: grande = bom nos EUA, não tanto na Europa.

Edited May 22, 2007 by ZL-1

[Deds]

Moro em Linda-a-Velha. E tu?

Para a maioria dos americanos, carros europeus só de marcas "premium". Carros como o Renault Alliance nao deixaram boa impressão nos EUA. E há a questão do tamanho: grande = bom nos EUA, não tanto na Europa.

Lol yaa mas é engraçado ver a opiniao deles ficam todos stressados kuando falo nos carros europeus k sao bons loool bem eu sou de sintra, mais especificamente de mem martins...

[Deds]

other thing, and you think about the small cars of the international brands? like mercedes A-class, B-class, Csport coupe, Volkswagen Fox, Golf, Golf Plus, BMW 1 serie, mazda 2, toyota avensis, toyota auris, etc

[Robert Hall]

other thing, and you think about the small cars of the international brands? like mercedes A-class, B-class, Csport coupe, Volkswagen Fox, Golf, Golf Plus, BMW 1 serie, mazda 2, toyota avensis, toyota auris, etc

I've driven a previous generation A-class...interesting little car, even with the diesel and an automatic it had enough grunt to move along quickly on the autostradas and around town. I like the Golf (Rabbit in US) quite a bit, esp. in GTI form... the others I'm not familiar with beyond what I've seen in British magazines and seen on the roads and in parking lots when in Europe as a tourist...I'm looking forward to seeing the Opel Astra when it comes to the US as a Saturn.