So what is the modern way of running a car firm? VAG badge engineering/ Russian doll design increasingly bland generic models where the big selling point is infotainment?
We are (sadly) entering the last days of car manufacture as we know, and I love, personally I think the US manufacturers should be applauded for giving us Mustangs, Camaros, Demons etc. More passion in any one of these than the whole VAG lineup combined.
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So what is the modern way of running a car firm? VAG badge engineering/ Russian doll design increasingly bland generic models where the big selling point is infotainment? We are (sadly) entering the last days of car manufacture as we know, and I love, personally I think the US manufacturers should be applauded for giving us Mustangs, Camaros, Demons etc. More passion in any one of these than the whole VAG lineup combined.
Car makers are reasonably good at building cars that each market wants/needs - there may be a big market for Mustang/Camaro/etc in North America but it's minute here, mainly due to the high fuel taxation.
Audi design may well be "Russian doll" but they can be identified as Audi's - unlike many other brands that are all like each other.
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I think the US manufacturers should be applauded for giving us Mustangs, Camaros, Demons etc. More passion in any one of these than the whole VAG lineup combined.
Thrilling cars indeed, but have you forgotten the Audi R18, the VW Phaeton (Ferdinand Piech's answer to the MB 'S' class) and its Bentley derivatives? And what about the Bugattis and Lamborghinis? I think the US covets these more than the Europeans covet US offerings.
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Thrilling cars indeed, but have you forgotten the Audi R18, the VW Phaeton (Ferdinand Piech's answer to the MB 'S' class) and its Bentley derivatives? And what about the Bugattis and Lamborghinis? I think the US covets these more than the Europeans covet US offerings.
Er not all of us, wouldn't give you a thankyou for any of those modern european models, an Arnage or previous square Bentley though? now you're talking, i loved my old '71 Mustang Boss and would far sooner have a modern Mustang V8 in dark green over anything now made in europe.
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..... i loved my old '71 Mustang Boss ......
You should have kept it!!
In 2007, a pair of restored 1969 Boss Mustangs sold for $530,000.[12]
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All of those European sports cars are fantastic, they’re hardly affordable though. The Americans know how to make something a bit special accessible to car fans not just the super rich.
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So what is the modern way of running a car firm? VAG badge engineering/ Russian doll design increasingly bland generic models where the big selling point is infotainment? We are (sadly) entering the last days of car manufacture as we know, and I love, personally I think the US manufacturers should be applauded for giving us Mustangs, Camaros, Demons etc. More passion in any one of these than the whole VAG lineup combined.
If the Yanks are so good at running car companies, why are they downsizing and losing money? Most Americans (and similarly Candians, Aussies and New Zealanders, amongst many others) want reasonably-priced, safe non-gas-guzzling but above all REALIABLE cars and delers that don't rip them off.
Europeans want stylish cars that drive and handle well, Brits want the same but with lots of toys so they can show off to their neighbours and colleagues.
Any Fords (or GM cars) that currently do that? I used to like the Focus (mk2), but now its ugly. The Mondeo's just WAY too big and expensive, so hardly any sell. The Fiesta decent to drive, but a bit bland in the looks dept. They still have quality issues, hence why they regularly feature in the tales on woe on this website. GM's just sold Vauxhall to the French for a pittance and they've pulled out of production in Australia as sales have plrumeted. Bothe still have IMHO lots of problems with the dealership experience.
The Ford Mustang and the Jeep Wrangler have achieved NCAP ratings of 2 and 1 stars respectively. Fiat/Chrysler are desperatvely looking for a partner, but even the French baulked.
Meanwhile, Hyundai/KIA go from strength to strength. Honda have their issues, Mazda outside of Europe are actually doing OK (mainly because they offer they entire range of cars and engines), Toyota/Lexus doing well - steady as you go. Most solely Asia car companies do well with customer service. VAG, despite Dieselgate, are still selling lots of cars. BMW too. Profitability of the German makes will only be hurt if Trump puts tarriffs on them. Whether you think X or Y's cars are good or not doesn't matter, as its sales and profits that ultimately matter.
The really only 'good' Ford in terms of sales and customer approval is apparently the F150 pick-up truck, which is only popular in the US and Canada. It can't prop them up forever. Passion is only good if it makes something good.
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Look, i’m not saying German, Japanese or Korean companies don’t make good cars, they do, my point is that with a few exceptions they don’t have much character. I’m also not saying that Ford Europe are the same as US. Ford Europe do still seem to try a bit harder in making cars good to drive, criticism of the Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo as being respectively ugly, bland and big are just subjective, objectively the Fiesta and Focus are good cars and feature regularly in top 10.
Having a 2 star NCAP rating didn’t hurt Mustang sales, buyers wanted something different and, perish the thought, wanted a car that connects on an emotional level. That’s why I bought mine and 20,000 faultless miles later it’s kept me in love with driving. Something members of a motoring forum should be happy to hear.
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Agreed drd63, my old Mustang was probably the 4 wheel equivalent of the thrill of riding a real motorcycle, raw power from tickover revs and a car needed to be respected and controlled, drum brakes all round and no servo, you had to respect it, the sound and feel of the beast alone was worth it, NCAP rating would have been somewhere well up the minus scale, so what.
In lots of modern euro market vehicles of all descriptions the person behind the wheel is just steering the thing...which might explain why so much emphasis on infotainment systems because the things are boring to the nth degree.
I don't remember if my Mustang had a radio even, not as it would have been switched on at any point, nothing was going to diminish the thrill of the sound and vibration through your whole body of the engine, nor the thrill of the brakes juddering trying to bring the thing to a halt from speed.
I suspect your modern Mustang, apart from it's sheer beauty (to my eyes) still offers that aural and body experience, so enjoy it to the full before the climate industry and their new opportunist political disciples manage to ban such things.
Edited by gordonbennet on 10/06/2019 at 08:39
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GB, it's a shame you don't still have your Mustang, interesting comparison with motorbikes but accurate, even with current generation Mustang you do have to behave a little bit like riding a bike I.e take into account road and weather conditions.
I too find it a thing of beauty and while the radio is good there are prolonged periods when I'm happy just listening to the background rumble.
I intend to keep this one st least until completely legislated off the road.
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