# Do you guys see many American cars over there?



## Guest (Jan 19, 2004)

Anyone know the UK price on a corvette?
I'm guessing you see ALOT more fords than anything else, yes?

Doesn;t it aggrivate you at all that Ford owns two of the best british names? Jaguar and Aston? I know it does me. Not that they didn't more or less save Jaguar in the late 80s but its still an insult. I think anyway.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Corvette price is about $s t0 Â£s equivalent. Paradoxically an Audi, BMW etc shipped from Europe to the US is also about about Â£s to $s equivalent. ie a Â£30K Audi here retails for about $30K in the US. European manufacturers cross-subsidise their home markets in order to sustain their US pricing policies.

Check out Bauer Millet in Manchester for Yank Tanks. Corvettes, Vipers, Camaros etc. Not very many here mainly due to RHD and petrol being nearly $7 a gallon.  

Ford and Vauxhall (GM) sell biggest volume of cars in UK, although the Germans re catching up.

Ford also own Volvo and Land Rover. GM owns SAAB.
Fiat owns Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Lancia. VW owns Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley, Bugatti. We live in a world of automotive consolidation and economies of scale.

Porsche are the only independant manufacturer true to their roots. It shows in the quality and focus of their cars - although one suspects there may have been one too many Steering Commitees involved in signing off the Cayenne shape - but then VW were involved...


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## Guest (Jan 19, 2004)

7$ a gallon?! OUCH! I didn't think it was at that point yet. 
I also didn't expect the costs to be more or less equal. Thanks for the info. I didn't think GM did much bussiness at all in europe besides heavy equipment. My fiancee and I are hoping to spend a month or so in Germany and the UK for our honeymoon. If I can find a cheap enough shipper I WILL be bringing my TT. Hehe. Theres no way you could keep me away from Audi HQ either pal!

I really hate the fact that everybody is owned by somebody. I'm waiting for ford to place a bid on Gm or visa-versa. Then it'll just be silly. But its nice to see that alot of the companies are really doing thei rbest to reatin their uniqness. I'm very please with the TT because it really sets Audi apart in a way that their VERY impressive sports sedans simply can't. Honestly my TT has spoiled me. Now I realize what low quality interiors our Fords and Chevys have... and I'm a muscle car guy for goodness sake!!

I think its hilrious that the same company that makes the Beetle owns Lambo. Haha! Which I hate by the way.

You know I've never been impressed with the older porsches I've sat in but I've yet to test out a new one. I simply don't have the cash and I wouldn't settle for a boxster.


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## nutts (May 8, 2002)

BulliTT, did you know we have our very own Bullett

http://www.dialynx.co.uk


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## BreTT (Oct 30, 2002)

I owned a 70 Vette (350/350) for 10 years (90 - 00). Insurance as a classic car was cheap but limited me to 3,500 miles a year. That, as it turned out, was not the limiting factor at all. The cost of fuel (as Gary pointed out) was the main issue and as a result, in ten years I did around 8,500 miles!

Bought it for Â£10k, sold it for Â£6k....just couldn't get a buyer and needed the money for a deposit on my flat at the time. :-/


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

There are loads of them around, but you don't seem to see that many driving. Only if you happen to be in the vicinity of an American Car Show.

On another note - isn't Reliant still wholly independant?


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## Guest (Jan 19, 2004)

Oh yes I'm fully aware of the BulleTT. The dialynx one is simply amazing. Thats where I got the idea. I took that and the classic American car movie Bullit and just meshed the two for my personal tag. But now every kid in a Honda wants to push me.

6k is low for a 70 vette in that sort of condition over here. You could expect to take in 8-10000 USD for one in great condition with such low miles.


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## BreTT (Oct 30, 2002)

> Oh yes I'm fully aware of the BulleTT. The dialynx one is simply amazing. Thats where I got the idea. I took that and the classic American car movie Bullit and just meshed the two for my personal tag. But now every kid in a Honda wants to push me.
> 
> 6k is low for a 70 vette in that sort of condition over here. You could expect to take in 8-10000 USD for one in great condition with such low miles.


Didn't have the time to wait for the right offer to come along at the time. I was about to lose the flat I'd put an offer on, so Â£6k it was. It had about 45k miles on the clock when it went...

I made up for it when I sold the flat two years later at a good profit. ;D


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## phil (May 7, 2002)

Well, as soon as I own a driveway large enough. I shall be purchasing a late 60's/early 70's mustang.


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## BreTT (Oct 30, 2002)

> Well, as soon as I own a driveway large enough. I shall be purchasing a late 60's/early 70's mustang.


[smiley=dude.gif] I still fancy getting a 67 Fastback with a (if I remember correctly) 351 Cleveland engine. I've always liked the Mustang. Only thing that surprised me is how little space there is in the back considering how big the car itself is.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

I can remember when I was a kid, a boyfriend of my older sister having a Mustang Mach1 (I think that was a fastback). I thought it was so cool.

The retro-styled new 'stang GT concept shown at Detroit I thought worked well - although it's about time they ditched the live rear axle in favour of IRS.

http://www.cardesignnews.com/autoshows/2003/detroit/highlights/h08-ford-mustang.html


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## Guest (Jan 21, 2004)

I happen to be a big lover of 64 and a half to 68 mustang fastbacks. I intend to craft my fiancee a 67 when I have the time and money.

I've poured over every picture of the 05 stang and I simply can't wait to see one in person. I fully intend to take one out for a run and it might just impress me right out of my TT, well maybe. Doubt it, but maybe.

Oh and yes I'm glad they changed over to IRS too but don't be so quick to put down the old 9" solid axle. See ford's first attempt an IRS set-up was pathetic at best and the solid axle was proven to give better quarter mile times in the stang. However I am looking forward to checking out the new IRS firsthand. I hope its top-notch.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> .... the solid axle was proven to give better quarter mile times in the stang. .


I think in Europe people are as concerned with going around corners as the straight line drag. Apart of course from those anally obsessed with 0-60mph times as the benchmark for how 'fast' a car is, and there are a few of those around. 

I do hope they make the 05 Mustang. It's about time the US made some cars that can really challenge Europe in terms of driving dynamics, rather than grunt power per $$$ spent, where US always wins hands down.


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## Guest (Jan 21, 2004)

Personally I am an Auto-x/road-race kind of guy. I believe the mark and measure of a car can only be fully tested on a road-course and have nothing to do with 0-60 times. I mean come on man, thats's just brute acceleration. But yes, that is what we're good at. And most, proud of it. But I much rather gliding through turns an 70 and popping out the other side with a big wide grin on my face. Not that there's anything wrong with being kicked back into your seat while the car gallops up to speed though.... hehe.


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## gcp (Aug 8, 2002)

Had a Ford Crown Victoria hire car last week in L.A.

With products like that no wonder Ford are in trouble, to say it was shite would be a massive understatement.

Many more decent cars in US these days, but still too many f*ing great pickup trucks.

*On the good side*

Went to Donut Derelicts meet at Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, some proper American metal on show there in a relaxed atmosphere. (no bass tubes in sight)
Would recommend anyone going to LA check it out, on the corner of Adams and Magnolia around 6am until 9am every Saturday.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

> Many more decent cars in US these days, but still too many f*ing great pickup trucks.


Half-ton pick-up is the biggest selling vehicle in the States.


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## phil (May 7, 2002)

> I do hope they make the 05 Mustang.


Me too. It's a bit of an animal by the looks of it. The current 1999 mustang's a weed compared to the old ones. OK so there's a 5l cobra but it still doesn't look good. And the interior is truly atrocious. Plastic city. Not that the concept one's much to shout about.

Glad there's some more fans on here.


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## phil (May 7, 2002)

by the way, does anyone else reckon that audis look better in the states? Unlike most european manfacturers they ditch the amber indicators for their US cars. Although the headlights on the TT are ugly compared to the normal ones and the small licence plates always look odd.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

I thought the American TT's had horrible orange indicators right up the sides of their headlights?

If they're not American, where are they from?

I'll try and find a picture.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> Half-ton pick-up is the biggest selling vehicle in the States.


Yep of 8 million vehilcel sales, half are pick up trucks. Dang.


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## phil (May 7, 2002)

> I thought the American TT's had horrible orange indicators right up the sides of their headlights?


Er yes. That's what I said. The tail lights are nicer though as they don't have the orange bits.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Oh I see what you mean now.

When you said,



> by the way, does anyone else reckon that audis look better in the states? Unlike most european manfacturers they ditch the amber indicators for their US cars.


I din't read the bit that said the headlights were naff.

Apologies.


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## moley (May 14, 2002)

One of my neighbours has got a fairly new (51 plate) Corvette - don't know the model though ... and my brother-in-law imported a Corvette Z1 - had a drive in it - fantastic. I think he may be selling it this year if anyone's interested.

Moley


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## BerlinTT (Jan 2, 2004)

> Ford also own Volvo and Land Rover. GM owns SAAB.
> Fiat owns Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Lancia. VW owns Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley, Bugatti. Â We live in a world of automotive consolidation and economies of scale.


And VW owns Seat and Skoda too....

Price for a new '03 Corvette is about 50.000 Euro = 40.000 US$


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## ir_fuel (Jan 10, 2003)

any1 got a pic of a US TT with those "naf" things? I thought there were the same everywhere


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## clived (May 6, 2002)

> Would recommend anyone going to LA check it out, on the corner of Adams and Magnolia around 6am until 9am every Saturday.


Blimey - I'm amazed anyone turns up - last time I was in L.A. the last thing I would be doing at 6 in the morning would be getting up - going to bed more like!


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