Are French drivers particularly patriotic about which makes of car they buy?
On a recent long weekend in Paris I eventually noticed that there were very few Ford or GM (Vauxhall or Opel) badged cars. Obviously the French are patriotic and therefore almost all cars were Peugeot, Citroen or Renault. My wife and I eventually played a game, spot the Ford. I saw maybe 10 in total in a 4-day stay. I assume that the French tax Ford and GM cars at a higher rate, or is there another reason? In the UK about 20 per cent of our cars must be from Ford and another 20 per cent from GM at least. I don’t believe that Ford or GM are inferior to French cars. In fact, I prefer them. One of life’s little questions, which hopefully you can answer.
Asked on 9 January 2012 by DW, Northwich
Answered by
Honest John
The French are very patriotic about their cars. There was a time when I had more complaints about 1990s Renault Meganes than anything else. I was on Legian Beach at Bali and a South African woman who knew someone I knew had a French husband who was a minor diplomat. She asked me about her Renault Megane and I sensibly declined to comment. She pressed me on the matter, so I told her what the reader response had been. Her French husband took greater offence to this than if I had told him his wife had the grace, proportions, beauty and aroma of a hippopotamus. So that's your answer.
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