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From: wdm@ecn-pc.UUCP (Tex)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: layman's view of Europe
Message-ID: <408@ecn-pc.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 24-Oct-85 09:29:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: ecn-pc.408
Posted: Thu Oct 24 09:29:17 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 25-Oct-85 04:04:15 EDT
References: <932@utcs.uucp> <1771@watdcsu.UUCP>
Reply-To: wdm@ecn-pc.UUCP (Tex)
Distribution: net
Organization: Cybotech Product Development Lab
Lines: 65

In article <1771@watdcsu.UUCP> haapanen@watdcsu.UUCP (Tom Haapanen [DCS]) writes:
>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aspirated six having been replaced by a turbo four.  

   So?  The Sierra is a European spin-off of the Escort line.

>>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?).

   Engine/suspension options are much bigger in Europe than they are
   here.

> Aren't vans outside of
>quotas?

   Sorry, no more 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).

   Daihatsu is a company (or a division of a company), not a model.  In 
   the Mid-East I once drove one that was about the same size as a Chevette.
   I was told, although no one would really swear to it, that Daihatsu 
   is a company formed to sell cars to the Israelis without pissing off the
   Arabs.

>[Ford has about 16% of the market]
>Roughly the same as GM,
>Renault, Fiat and VW.

   Well, not really.  Usually, either Ford, Renault or Fiat sell the most
   cars in Europe.  This is actually a pretty big deal over there.

>
>>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)).
 
   Wouldn't surprise me if it were shipped over.  American cars are a REAL
   status symbol to alot of Europeans, probably on a par with a Mercedes
   over here.

>>P.Kern
>
>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...

   Likewise.

>				   \tom haapanen