8th Mar 2014, 18:47
Different markets, different countries, different target audience. I, for one, don't like the cramped feeling of tiny European cars - no offense intended. The European manufacturers who sell cars here market US-spec cars that are comparable in size to many of our compact and mid size domestics. Bigger roads, and yes, bigger people = bigger vehicles. I spend a total of two hours in my car each day commuting to and from work, and I appreciate the extra space as well as the comfortable ride provided by my Grand Marquis. Different strokes for different folks.
27th Nov 2007, 11:09
I agree completely with that statement. GM and Ford sell diesel powered cars in Europe, but not here.
There are some emissions regulations that have to be overcome. There is also a pricing system in place in Europe that could be used here: If a fuel/engine design is more efficient than the other, than this fuel should be lower priced at the pump. That is not the case here.
What really hurts is that they don't even offer fuel efficient diesel powered cars! The car manufacturers, emissions regulators and Big Oil would have to sit at a table and make a "new deal". The regulators should take in consideration a "pollution per mile" ratio rather than pollution as a % of emission. And Big Oil should develop clean Diesel capabilities. With that in place the manufacturers could be sure to sell the quantities needed to make the Diesels desirable and profitable.
BTW: getting 52 miles a gallon on the Autobahn and Autoroute cruising at 90 mph last summer was a blast!