Sign in to follow this  
Followers 0
TConnolly

OT: Coming soon to a Walmart Near You: Chinese Cars.

10 posts in this topic

A video of the new car model can be seen here.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
---> ---> Funny...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
lol - I don't know what to say! First computers in your shopping cart with the groceries - now Chinese cars.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
i've heard Chinese hired former IKEA designers...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I stopped by my father's house the other day to visit and he was more dressed up than usual. "Got a date ?", I asked. "No, I had lunch with Einer Handeland and Alan Mullaly today." "Seriously, Dad, you're looking sharp. What's the occasion." "I told you. I had lunch with Alan Mullaly today." After a few more rounds of this (Dad loves to tease about this kind of thing) he revealed that he'd been at a Rotary luncheon where Mullaly spoke about the American auto industry and the proposed bailout. It turns out that Ford doesn't need this as badly as GM does. The most interesting thing Dad related was about Mullaly's efforts to get the EPA and NTSB to allow Ford Europe's cars to be imported to the States. They've got a 65 MPG Fiesta... but they only sell it in Europe. Ford Europe's cars are just too small to pass American crash-safety tests, where we have to have the same safety ratings flying down the Interstate at 70 MPH as we do inching through downtown. And the European diesels are super-efficient, but they can't pass the American limits for particulate emissions for passenger cars. I think the Obama Administration is going to find itself in the curious position of having to actually relax environental and safety standards in order to improve the American fleet economy and help return to profitability one of the oldest American car companies. And they'll have to also provide some liability protection for when people start crunching up those Euro-size tinboxes on American highways. It'll look like an old-fashioned Detroit sellout, but it will end up being one of the things that helps reduce the American gasoline appetite.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Just more food for thought, my Dad's 1972 - Mercedes Benz 240D weighed in at 3,200 lbs empty gross and 32 MPG highway when loaded with 5 passengers and luggage. This was a variable temper forged steel frame and one of the safest cars of its era.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
My dad still has his 1975 240D slowly oxidizing in a side yard ! Just sit in one of those and pull the door shut; it's the most solid mechanism I've ever seen on a car. Those bad boys are *stout*. Around Seattle there are a lot of biodiesel enthusiasts and the old D-model Mercedes command pretty good prices.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Hint Hint - In the 30's when Benz started doing "crash" tests, they drove a test car into a block wall at 30mph. The Senior Design Engineer who was mandated to drive the car had to walk away or production would not be approved. I've seen the old 16mm B&W film footage of these tests. KEWL Stuff.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
we have a car named "nano" from maker TaTa Funniest toy !!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Interesting the comments about the Ford Feista, we have a new one (well just one year old, had it from new). I get about 52mpg average, thats town driving, main roads, and a bit of motorway driving, however I do drive with a heavy right foot. Wife averages 55mpg, she has a lighter right foot! Remember the UK gallon is bigger than the US gallon, so divide the 55 by 1.2 that gives about 46mpg, very different from 65. Ford claim 72 mpg at 55mph, but that assumes a level straight road, no changes of speed, lights off, air con off. You are unlikely to encounter these conditions in the UK. Having said that the car is cheap to run, because it is 'low emissions' car tax is £35/year instead of £125 for the next category up. Perfomance is adequate, but certainly not sparkling. Having said that there is enough power there to collect a speeding ticket on a main road! (sorry Mr Plod, didnt realise how fast I was going, 86mph on a 70mph road) Engine is 70bhp I think. Having said that I get nearly the same fuel consumption from our Ford Focus TDCi, this has a much more powerful 115bhp turbodeisel engine, and is a much better drive on a long run. Translating these cars to the US market, well they both have manual gearboxes, 5 speed or 6 speed, I am not sure how they would cope with an auto box. They both passed the european emmisions and safety tests, not sure how these relate to the US ones

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!


Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.


Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  
Followers 0