American, British, German, French, Italian, Japanese or Australian?

[GilesGuthrie]

Originally posted by M5Power
French is always number one in styling.

WHAT???

Have you seen a Renault Kangoo, or Twingo? They're horrible things! The Fuego was dated before it was produced, the 18 was a shocking heap of junk, and the Safrane looked like a whale that was in need of the SlimFast plan.

The only two decent looking cars Peugeot have ever made (205 and 406 Coupe) were both designed by Italian Style houses (Bertone for the 205 I think and Pininfarina for the 406C) and whilst the 505GTi was a cracking drive, it was a pig to look at. And the 405 had a worrying tendency to snap oversteer in quick corners.

And what the hell's going on with the current Citroen range? They're all hideous!

The French have always been good at bog basic runarounds that go on forever, as our twelve year old 5 proves.

 

[Racer001]

The British make some pretty wild machines too. Like the Cerbera.

 

[slip2rock]

The super seven is still built too. Caterham though not Lotus. But that's a hand built jobbie so doesn't really count.

What's the engine / running gear on an Elise?

But i suppose TVR and Morgan are the only real Brit sports cars left.

Sad really.

Slip

 

[TVRKing]

What's the engine / running gear on an Elise?

K series Rover 1.8

 

[TVRKing]

Originally posted by Racer001
The British make some pretty wild machines too. Like the Cerbera.

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

In the British (TVR) sense: nobody beats the Speed 12 (esp. the prototype version).

TVR is one of the last great pure UK vehicles on the road.

German cars are really tecnologically based, they innovated many things in the automotive world, like ABS. Thats why M-B, Porsche, VW and BMW are setting the trend in tecnology and innovation

 

[Shannon]

UK vehicles I give the :thumbsup: to:

McLaren F1
Jaguar XJ220
Lotus Elise

Speed 12 is only good for it's 800 horses

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

And its (Speed 12) race illegal.
I like the trio that you put on, but the TVR is the real UK owned and built not like McLaren (fmr.BMW now M-B), Jaguar (Ford), and Lotus (Proton of Malaysia)

 

[Shannon]

Well, TVR's just don't appeal to me. I think they are ugly. Just like some people think the Viper is ugly

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

I agree with you 'bro

 

[aljones]

Tough choice, a lot of countries make such great cars. The Italians are great purely from a visual point of view, the Americans are great purely from a power point of view, the Germans are great from a quality point of view, and the British just seem to have some sort of 'thing' to them that makes them very desirable, especially TVR's and Aston Martins. Personally I hate most French cars, and Australia doesn't produce much that other countries produce more of. They do that Holden HSV though which is a cracking car. Overall, I'd have to pick the Americans, 'cause they make some good looking powerful cars that I'd love to own.

 

[1X83Z]

Styling is about more than how it looks on the outside. The Multipla's ugly as hell, but it's styled so that it's one of THE MOST practical vehicles ever.

 

[aljones]

Originally posted by The Vanishing Boy
And its (Speed 12) race illegal.
I like the trio that you put on, but the TVR is the real UK owned and built not like McLaren (fmr.BMW now M-B), Jaguar (Ford), and Lotus (Proton of Malaysia)

I didn't think Mercedes or BMW have ever 'owned' McLaren. The McLaren F1 road car just 'used' a BMW engine from what I remember. And Lotus are owned by General Motors as well.

 

[1X83Z]

Yeah, yeah I forgot about TVR. Why don't they start selling cars outside of Europe, then we'll take them seriously.

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

Not much $$$$$$$$$. Thats why.

 

[1X83Z]

I know.

 

[Shannon]

TVR a pit poor?

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

Not that poor, they can still export through Europe.

 

[Shannon]

someone will eventually buy them out (20 bucks says it'll either Ford or General Motors)

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Originally posted by aljones


I didn't think Mercedes or BMW have ever 'owned' McLaren. The McLaren F1 road car just 'used' a BMW engine from what I remember. And Lotus are owned by General Motors as well.

Mercedes Benz own 40% of McLaren.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Originally posted by eddy_2790
someone will eventually buy them [TVR] out (20 bucks says it'll either Ford or General Motors)

I disagree. Because TVR is owned by one man (Peter Wheeler), who has a very clear vision, they're doing quite well at the moment. He's guiding them to do things the way he wants them done, so as long as he retains his sanity, the company will create desirable cars that sell in sufficient volumes to make the company profitable, and that's all he wants. He's already a millionaire, so has no need of a megabucks buy-out from a cars-as-white-goods manufacturer. I just can't see TVR losing its independence any time soon.

Originally posted by M5Power
Yeah, yeah I forgot about TVR. Why don't they start selling cars outside of Europe, then we'll take them seriously.

When the rest of the world starts taking a more responsible attitude to product liability, TVR will export more cars. Also, I think they're selling as many cars as they can make at the moment, and they don't want to massively upgrade their production facilities.

Finally, how you can be so dismissive about a company that has done so much with so little, and created a four-car product range with almost entirely original parts, including engine options, gearboxes, chassis and electrical/electronic systems, I really don't know. All the other 'independents' have been bought over. TVR are succeeding where Bentley, Rolls Royce, Morgan, AC, Lotus, Marcos, Volvo, Nissan et al all failed. The fact that they don't sell cars in the US does not make them a two-bit manufacturer.

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

If Daimler-Benz owns 40% McLaren.........

How come the new Lincoln LS McLaren, Lincoln owned by Ford, and McLaren is owned by a different company.

 

[Shannon]

big there