Comments on: Snuffed out http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/2008/12/12/snuffed-out/ The greatest writers on the world of cars from the BBC's Top Gear Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:04:27 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Elle http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/2008/12/12/snuffed-out/#comment-1437 Elle Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:27:22 +0000 http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/?p=317#comment-1437 Morty, chill out. The Prius gets ridiculed because hybridising a car makes it heavy and expensive, so putting such a drive-train in a small family car is daft. Put hybrid technology in a heavy, expensive SUV, and the increases in weight and price become less of an issue. That's the reason hybrid SUVs exist. Back on topic, do you think that Ford will finally succeed in attaining a global range of cars? Morty, chill out.

The Prius gets ridiculed because hybridising a car makes it heavy and expensive, so putting such a drive-train in a small family car is daft. Put hybrid technology in a heavy, expensive SUV, and the increases in weight and price become less of an issue. That’s the reason hybrid SUVs exist.

Back on topic, do you think that Ford will finally succeed in attaining a global range of cars?

]]> By: My mind thinks... http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/2008/12/12/snuffed-out/#comment-1426 My mind thinks... Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:01:31 +0000 http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/?p=317#comment-1426 Let's start a mass panic so the value drops futher and more people will be interested in a bankrupt gm with no pentions or heathcare overheads and lots of developed cars for the future all at a rock bottom price, or private equity firms buy them and sort the mess and sell everything off Let’s start a mass panic so the value drops futher and more people will be interested in a bankrupt gm with no pentions or heathcare overheads and lots of developed cars for the future all at a rock bottom price, or private equity firms buy them and sort the mess and sell everything off

]]> By: RG http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/2008/12/12/snuffed-out/#comment-1425 RG Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:38:50 +0000 http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/?p=317#comment-1425 I just hope the Yanks know what they're doing. Because if they don't make the right decsion, it's pretty much Bye bye Detroit and Australia I just hope the Yanks know what they’re doing. Because if they don’t make the right decsion, it’s pretty much Bye bye Detroit and Australia

]]> By: Morty http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/2008/12/12/snuffed-out/#comment-1424 Morty Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:25:35 +0000 http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/?p=317#comment-1424 Shamzahm: "The Big 3 have invested billions of dollars in future fuel efficient automobiles." Oh yes? Then why are they 5-8 years behind on hybrids? And why do they only place hybrid technology in their big SUV's? There are no small, fuel efficient cars build by the Big 3. There never have been (look up the AMG Pacer). And there never will be if they have their way. Go ahead and try to buy a Big 3 car with a Diesel engine (to use bio-diesel). You can't. They don't offer it. Soon there will be a PORSCHE with a Diesel! A PORSCHE!!! And let's not even START about quality and durability! What good would a U.S. fuel efficient car be if it breaks down all the time and is ready to be scraped in 5 years? Mercedes, BMW, VW, Honda, Toyota, even Landrover, are more eco-friendly overall because you can drive them for 10, 20 years. PS: At least i know the answer to my second question: because their gasguzzlig SUV's would be ILLEGAL (in terms of EPA's fleet MPG) if they didn't! Thats all! Not for the benefit of the customer, only to get around a regulation! Great companies they are, aren't they? Shamzahm:
“The Big 3 have invested billions of dollars in future fuel efficient automobiles.”

Oh yes? Then why are they 5-8 years behind on hybrids? And why do they only place hybrid technology in their big SUV’s? There are no small, fuel efficient cars build by the Big 3. There never have been (look up the AMG Pacer). And there never will be if they have their way.

Go ahead and try to buy a Big 3 car with a Diesel engine (to use bio-diesel). You can’t. They don’t offer it. Soon there will be a PORSCHE with a Diesel! A PORSCHE!!!

And let’s not even START about quality and durability! What good would a U.S. fuel efficient car be if it breaks down all the time and is ready to be scraped in 5 years? Mercedes, BMW, VW, Honda, Toyota, even Landrover, are more eco-friendly overall because you can drive them for 10, 20 years.

PS: At least i know the answer to my second question: because their gasguzzlig SUV’s would be ILLEGAL (in terms of EPA’s fleet MPG) if they didn’t! Thats all! Not for the benefit of the customer, only to get around a regulation! Great companies they are, aren’t they?

]]> By: italian car fan http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/2008/12/12/snuffed-out/#comment-1420 italian car fan Sun, 14 Dec 2008 23:10:03 +0000 http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/?p=317#comment-1420 I went to the enfield car pagent two years ago. I saw panda blue morris 1300. I told the owner, when I was 10 my oldest brother brought one. My thoughts were ,what dispeakable piece of shit. But now that I'm thirty years older, I believe it's got to be the most grotesck piece of elephant dung ever built. they should all be crushed along with the owners and the designers and all the other employees. P.s. that marina got it's just deserves, please burn more of theses B.L. car. I don't remember bodie and doyle and B.L. cars, so there you go. I went to the enfield car pagent two years ago. I saw panda blue morris 1300. I told the owner, when I was 10 my oldest brother brought one. My thoughts were ,what dispeakable piece of shit. But now that I’m thirty years older, I believe it’s got to be the most grotesck piece of elephant dung ever built. they should all be crushed along with the owners and the designers and all the other employees.

P.s. that marina got it’s just deserves, please burn more of theses B.L. car. I don’t remember bodie and doyle and B.L. cars, so there you go.

]]> By: kimbo http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/2008/12/12/snuffed-out/#comment-1419 kimbo Sun, 14 Dec 2008 19:05:49 +0000 http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/?p=317#comment-1419 Dear Evan (Mr. Nice) re Vanwall Thanks for that - I've been looking for the name for nearly a year but never found it! Cheers Kim Dear Evan (Mr. Nice) re Vanwall
Thanks for that – I’ve been looking for the name for nearly a year but never found it! Cheers
Kim

]]> By: ACE http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/2008/12/12/snuffed-out/#comment-1418 ACE Sun, 14 Dec 2008 18:46:10 +0000 http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/?p=317#comment-1418 like hamster's new challenger i meant like hamster’s new challenger i meant

]]> By: ACE http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/2008/12/12/snuffed-out/#comment-1417 ACE Sun, 14 Dec 2008 18:45:37 +0000 http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/?p=317#comment-1417 if chrysler and gm do go bust...things like the new hamsters challengers are gna be rare ...REALLY rare if chrysler and gm do go bust…things like the new hamsters challengers are gna be rare …REALLY rare

]]> By: ssrat http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/2008/12/12/snuffed-out/#comment-1416 ssrat Sun, 14 Dec 2008 17:50:10 +0000 http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/?p=317#comment-1416 From the US here(though an ex-pat Aussie) That SPECIFIC Senator got 2/ 2/3 of his hard and fast rules met, and is only off in the specific dates for the UAW to take their pay cuts (2010/11 instead of 09) While I WANT them to get stripped to the bone so then can toss off a lot of things that they have refused to do before hand, no one in the WORLD can afford for the big3 to die out, especially right now. Ignoring just the company jobs, the COMPETITORS need them so that suppliers can keep enough lines going instead of them cutting back and over time getting out slightly less quality parts (the electric engine in toyotas - US) Bush will give them the loan, no choice From the US here(though an ex-pat Aussie)

That SPECIFIC Senator got 2/ 2/3 of his hard and fast rules met, and is only off in the specific dates for the UAW to take their pay cuts (2010/11 instead of 09)

While I WANT them to get stripped to the bone so then can toss off a lot of things that they have refused to do before hand, no one in the WORLD can afford for the big3 to die out, especially right now.

Ignoring just the company jobs, the COMPETITORS need them so that suppliers can keep enough lines going instead of them cutting back and over time getting out slightly less quality parts (the electric engine in toyotas – US)

Bush will give them the loan, no choice

]]> By: shamzahm http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/2008/12/12/snuffed-out/#comment-1415 shamzahm Sun, 14 Dec 2008 16:48:00 +0000 http://foreman.blogs.topgear.com/?p=317#comment-1415 Morty: "I do not believe that the Big 3 can be rescued. The reason is they don’t WANT to learn. The WANT to build old gasguzzlers." You live under a rock don't you? The Big 3 have invested billions of dollars in future fuel efficient automobiles. They know that gas won't be $1.50/gallon in the near future, they're not stupid. And what Chyrsler did with Mercedes help wasn't smart, but Mercedes sucked the blood out of Chrysler. It gave them the underpinnings of an outdated car and asked chrysler to do their best with a limited budget. The Chysler 300C was created and it sold very well, but under the management of Mercedes, who was just looking to further expand in the American market, an opportunity to cater to the global market was non-existant. That is the reason why Chrysler only cared about its American costomers who loved to buy V8's.Thats why there was no spectacular deisel or I-4 turbo, or even a sensible hybrid. Overall, the only way Chrysler can survive is a short term loan from the government (theres a lack of credit folks), not a "bailout" while Cerburus finds a company willing to buy the Chrysler. Hopefully it will be some one like Nissan who wants to expand in America and will allow Chrysler opportunities to expand globally. Morty:
“I do not believe that the Big 3 can be rescued. The reason is they don’t WANT to learn. The WANT to build old gasguzzlers.”
You live under a rock don’t you? The Big 3 have invested billions of dollars in future fuel efficient automobiles. They know that gas won’t be $1.50/gallon in the near future, they’re not stupid.
And what Chyrsler did with Mercedes help wasn’t smart, but Mercedes sucked the blood out of Chrysler. It gave them the underpinnings of an outdated car and asked chrysler to do their best with a limited budget. The Chysler 300C was created and it sold very well, but under the management of Mercedes, who was just looking to further expand in the American market, an opportunity to cater to the global market was non-existant. That is the reason why Chrysler only cared about its American costomers who loved to buy V8’s.Thats why there was no spectacular deisel or I-4 turbo, or even a sensible hybrid.
Overall, the only way Chrysler can survive is a short term loan from the government (theres a lack of credit folks), not a “bailout” while Cerburus finds a company willing to buy the Chrysler. Hopefully it will be some one like Nissan who wants to expand in America and will allow Chrysler opportunities to expand globally.

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