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Path: utzoo!watmath!watnot!watdcsu!haapanen
From: haapanen@watdcsu.UUCP (Tom Haapanen [DCS])
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: layman's view of Europe
Message-ID: <1771@watdcsu.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 20-Oct-85 11:17:56 EDT
Article-I.D.: watdcsu.1771
Posted: Sun Oct 20 11:17:56 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 21-Oct-85 00:46:48 EDT
References: <932@utcs.uucp>
Reply-To: haapanen@watdcsu.UUCP (Tom Haapanen [DCS])
Distribution: net
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 82

In article <932@utcs.uucp> pkern@utcs.uucp (pkern) writes:
>
>A recent trip to Belgium has opened this person's eyes as to
>how limited the North American market is.
>I never realized that in Europe, the VW Rabbit was called Golf all along.
>The Merkur XR4Ti was really from the Ford(Europe) Escort line.

The Merkur XR4Ti is actually a Ford Sierra XR4i with the normally
aspirated six having been replaced by a turbo four.  XR4i has actually
now been replaced by an XR4x4 --- a 4-wheel drive version of the same,
to compete against the Audi 4000 Quattro (there called Audi 80 Quattro).

>There were a lot more types of Escort there than the box one sees here.

Oh?  They have a 2-door, 4-door and a station wagon.  A notchback
version is new, but I believe it has a different name (Orion?).

>The Mazda GLC is really the 323 (?).
>Ford's Aerostar got its shape from Renault vans (amazing likeness).
>VW Polo never made it to N. America, as well as a number of VW large vans.

The large van is the VW LT.  In Canada at least, though, we have
VW-M.A.N. trucks which have an LT cabin and some other components.
VW Polo and Derby (a notchback Polo) were never imported beause they
were considered too small for the North American market.  This may be
changing, though.

>Toyota had the Carina and the Starlet. I'd never seen a Carina and I hadn't
>seen a Starlet in a long while (damn import quotas!).
>Also, Toyota had a more varied line of vans,including one called "Hiace".

The Hiace is a best-selling van in many European countries.  It is
surprising Toyota doesn't import it here.  Or aren't vans outside
quotas?

>Other small vans included Suzuki's mini-van. This was a very small van. It
>was only as long as an economy car but it seemed very practical.
>There were a lot of Opels, Peugeots, Renaults, Austins and Talbots.
> Also something called Diahatsu (sp?).

Daihatsu.  a pint-sized Japanese (about the size of a Honda City/Jazz).

>Ford is really big in Europe. I saw a lot of the ones they call the Granada
>and the Taunus.

The Taunus was replaced a few years ago by the Sierra.  Ford has, I
believe about 16% of the European market, roughly the same as GM,
Renault, Fiat and VW.

>GM and Chrysler are practically invisible. (I saw 2 Plymouths, both looked
>old. Also saw 1 GM product which looked very out-of-place, one of the
>newer 2-door hulks (must have been shipped over)).

Opel is part of GM --- I bet you saw a lot of Kadetts over there.
Chrysler has now sold its overseas operations to Peugeot, but it used
to make Chrysler, Sunbeam and Simca.  The Euro-Chryslers were
completely different models from the ones here.  Simca is now called
Talbot, and I expect you must have seen some Talbot Horizons.  Didn't
they look suspiciously like Dodge Omnis?

>It seems that European drivers use their brains more often than do N. American
>drivers. The driving there seemed to be more freestyle than one can find here.
>I get the feeling that people here drive as if a police officer will pop out
>of nowhere and ticket them for some obscure reason.
>Also, the Belgian freeway speed limit was 120 km/h (70 mph) but I noticed
>many doing 160-180 km/h (mostly BMWs and Mercedes but a few Renaults, too).
>
>I really enjoyed driving in Europe, Europeans drive with intelligence.
>
>P.Kern
>..!ihnp4!utcs!pkern

Sorry if this looks like I'm trying to crush all your arguments.  I
just wanted to correct and elaborate on some of the information...


				   \tom haapanen
				   watmath!watdcsu!haapanen
Don't cry, don't do anything
No lies, back in the government
No tears, party time is here again
President Gas is up for president		 (c) Psychedelic Furs, 1982