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Old 09-09-2008, 05:59 PM   #1
adam555
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Default Bringing Europe's economic cars to the USA

I was discussing this the other day with some friends of mine while watching one of my older WRX Review vids. I think it was the Seat Leon Rally car that brought about my interest in this.

Peugeots, Fiats, Seats... they all make cool, compact, sporty cars. Not only that, but they seems to have a crap load of other less "sporty" models that would be great on gas, as well as some nice looking ones (see Peugeot's 407 and 607)

Subaru did it with the WRX a few years back now, and given the gas prices and the way they are heading, do you think that we will see any of these products anytime soon in the USA?

They would have plenty to contend with and be up against a lot of other long standing manufacturers that have earned America's trust, but I am not certain they would fail.

some pics of the cars in question:



www.seat.com
www.fiat.com
www.peugeot.com

I probably missed some, but what else is out there? I miss reading through my old Euro car mags and seeing all of these cars we dont get over here.
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:01 PM   #2
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A3 Diesel, yes please.
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:01 PM   #3
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What's wrong with what we have now? The Yaris, Fit, Aveo, etc... aren't good enough?
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:03 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smithsmithy View Post
What's wrong with what we have now? The Yaris, Fit, Aveo, etc... aren't good enough?
Compared to what's available? No.

But of course, blah blah blah diesel in America isn't good enough, blah blah blah no market blah blah.
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:03 PM   #5
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What's wrong with what we have now? The Yaris, Fit, Aveo, etc... aren't good enough?
Those aren't Euro... psshaw!
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:03 PM   #6
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i've often wondered why those companies aren't in the US, I also wonder why we never get any of the cool versions of cars.
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:04 PM   #7
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Who is going to sell Puegots, Fiats, and Seats in the US? It's not just an issue of getting them over here, it's an issue of marketing, crash testing, mechanics training, and parts distribution.

car fanbois =/ businessmen.
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:04 PM   #8
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Americans are just now starting to realize that they don't need an SUV or full size sedan to drive themselves to work every day. In a few years, you'll see many more small cars on the road.

The other problem is those small cars are built for european roads...not the highways of USA.
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:05 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smithsmithy View Post
What's wrong with what we have now? The Yaris, Fit, Aveo, etc... aren't good enough?
Ever been in a 6spd turbo diesel ford in europe? No comparison to those cars you mentioned.
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:10 PM   #10
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true, the marketing needed to pull it would be tough. but, as gas goes...the market might change significantly. discuss...
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:13 PM   #11
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they don't have to have all the same style as the European models, but it would be nice to have the same functionality and features.

Japans best cars are not over here, the JDM versions are better.


Why shouldn't America's best cars be available to Americans? why does everyone crap on us?
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:14 PM   #12
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true, the marketing needed to pull it would be tough. but, as gas goes...the market might change significantly. discuss...
We've already seen the top end of what Americans will pay for oil before they significantly alter their behavior. And there isn't a mad rush for 40mpg+ cars that everyone thinks there is. I see just as many trucks and SUVs on the road as I did a year ago.

Bringing over one of those cars is a business/logistical nightmare. Not to mention if those companies really saw a market in the US, they'd already be here or would have stayed when they tried the first go around. Perhaps some companies simply don't want to deal with the US market.
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:16 PM   #13
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they don't have to have all the same style as the European models, but it would be nice to have the same functionality and features.

Japans best cars are not over here, the JDM versions are better.
According to who? JDM fanbois?


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Why shouldn't America's best cars be available to Americans? why does everyone crap on us?
Why do you think it's personal and not a business decision?
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:16 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by FiveDoorSVT View Post
Americans are just now starting to realize that they don't need an SUV or full size sedan to drive themselves to work every day. In a few years, you'll see many more small cars on the road.

The other problem is those small cars are built for european roads...not the highways of USA.
Funny I thought the same thing till I was on the Autobaun in Spain driving a Fiat Panda at 80mph and getting passed by small Mercedes - BMW's Peugots like I was driving mrs daisy.

Only difference was their traffic jams were what Californian's call a small slow down.

What it really comes down to is that American Consumers have never seen the value in paying top dollar for a small car - granted the US Auto efforts at a small car were all quite cheap compared to the fully loaded - leathered out machines you see in Europe.

Though last I checked Mini Cooper was still a get in line and wait for your car purchase here in the US. Their cars aren't exactly cheap but they do offer all the goodies in a nicely done package.

Speaking of Peugote I had one for years here in the States a 1983 505 TD 5spd - top cruising speed was around 65mph it needed another gear - but it was a great car fun to drive dispite its tank like weight and it got good milege for its size at that time.

The new Peugot's are nice looking cars the wagons are pretty sharp looking also. The Opel's are like Toyota's here in the US everywhere you look there are at least a couple of Opels.
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:16 PM   #15
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heres the funny thing: ford of europe's compacts are usually better and preferred over these, but look at the crap we have. :/
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:17 PM   #16
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i still want my turbo 650cc kei car dammit
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:19 PM   #17
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Fiat Grande Punto Abarth, please.
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:21 PM   #18
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Quote:
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According to who? JDM fanbois?



Why do you think it's personal and not a business decision?

The JDM versions of these cars usually have better interiors, and are better built all around- this is a fact. they usually even have better electronics inside.

The funny starts when even the watered down crap they sell us, is better and more durable than the garbage the American companies peddle to us.
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:30 PM   #19
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Wirelessly posted (SAMSUNG-SGH-I617/1.0 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.6))

after the wife's scion, i never even want to be in a car with under 200hp again, let alone drive one. i just cant handle cars that take more then high 6 second range to get to 60. *shudder*
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:31 PM   #20
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Wirelessly posted (SAMSUNG-SGH-I617/1.0 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.6))

after the wife's scion, i never even want to be in a car with under 200hp again, let alone drive one. i just cant handle cars that take more then high 6 second range to get to 60. *shudder*


What, does it make you feel like less of a man? That's pretty freaking pathetic, dude.
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:34 PM   #21
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What, does it make you feel like less of a man? That's pretty freaking pathetic, dude.
Why is that pathetic? He likes what he likes. Why should he give up what he likes to drive some 75hp POS so a bunch of people can get some Euro econobox imported here? If you're going to spend $20k+, you really outta be able to get what you want.
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:42 PM   #22
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i've often wondered why those companies aren't in the US, I also wonder why we never get any of the cool versions of cars.
Their crash test dummies don't weigh 300lbs.
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:43 PM   #23
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According to who? JDM fanbois?



Why do you think it's personal and not a business decision?
Business decision? Yeah, a poor one. They've had the chance for the last quarter century to bring good small cars over. They're not worried about selling small cars. They're worried about making their big cars more fuel efficient. You can see their line of thinking with the new Focus. It's a lazy new design on a 9(?) year old chassis, but hey, it's got decent gas mileage and Sync! people will eat it up over the Civic and Cobalt.

And then they waited until the last two years to become a presence in road racing, whereas GM has been using that route to further refine the Corvette and to a smaller extent, the Cobalt. Ford got lazy big time and rested on their Mustang and F-series. They had great small cars that they could have eased into the market when they were booming, but they chose to give the middle finger to innovation. And now they're reaping what they sow. I just wish the Nazi sympathizer was still alive to see his once dominant empire crumble to the ground.
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:44 PM   #24
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Ehhh. I think a big part of these cars' appeal is simply the fact that we can't get them here.

If they WERE over here people would just say "Oh well, the Fit does the same thing and it's blah-blah cheaper."
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Old 09-09-2008, 06:45 PM   #25
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Americans have demanded huge cars for the last 15 years or so. American car companies simply were meeting the demand. Problem is they are so large they are not agile enough to manuever themselves when the market changes quickly. This last gas run up was an EXTREMELY fast occurrence that nobody could foresee. Yes we all know oil is going up, but nobody predicted the spike we saw.
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