American cars, did they ever make a good one?

[Nanuq]

Oh come on..... don't you want to see my photo of Angeline Jolie draped over the fender of a Duesenberg?

[dieselpower]

Oh go one then.... if you insist. But I'm only going to look at it through one eye and even then against my better judgement.

[Nanuq]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

(scurries off to find Angelina Jolie photo)

[dluddy]

I'm still stuck on the Cadillac girl above....yowzers

[JoeyB]

Nanuq, have you any pics of a sexy lady draped over the fender of a Yugo? Did the Yugo have a fender?

[dieselpower]

@ Nanuq

We're waiting here..... where are you 'scurrying' to - Toronto? Can you put a little more urgency into your scurrying please

[Nanuq]

Nanuq, have you any pics of a sexy lady draped over the fender of a Yugo? Did the Yugo have a fender?

You know what the marketing department was going to call the 4-door version of the Yugo?

The Wego.

And in Texas? The Y'allgo.

[Nanuq]

@ Nanuq

We're waiting here..... where are you 'scurrying' to - Toronto? Can you put a little more urgency into your scurrying please

Okay okay okay .... don't get your knickers in a bunch. Here goes..... it's not quite a Duesenberg and they're not really draped per se....

[Jkay]

As much as I love Top Gear, Jeremy is the same bleeding asshole who has everyone saying that "All Audi drivers are cunts" .. so I have to say that his anti-American bravado is in the same vein.

That's not to say that many American cars aren't complete shit. They certainly are. Your friend, however, is giving way too much credence to Jeremy's humorous opinions. And that's what they are .. humorous entertainment. Not the true opinion of a mature adult.

[Ephry73]

Oh boy I got to tho post late.

Fiat, oh Fiat. I remember a 110 my mom bought when I was just 6yo after a harsh divorce and how that thing being brand new was always plagued with electrical issues and always had carb problems. Then a Lada ( or shall I say a Russian Fiat?) then there was her 2002 BMW that always had carb issues and always needed new suspension bushkngs( I remember because I had to push that car a lot) Subaru, yet another VW spinoff who although great in engineering, feels cheap and not really alive unless you get the top of the line, but the the MPGs start to decrease.

American modern cars are not what they use to be. If you want an example of great American engineering with witty home engineering skills, go to Cuba. You'll see how and why the American car industry was at one point the epitome of great car craftsmanship. Hands down no bull crap and very little compromise.

Then there is Mr Shelby, who taught some old carriage makers what the "American way of doing things" is all about. Took a great little car that had no soul and slapped in a nice 289 motor and woke the heck out of it. If American greatness is not innovation, then I'm crazy. Innovation is what is all about. A great idea without proper implementation is crap. I can go on an on, but it's pointless. You'll always have haters and lovers. Some like small cars, some like bigger cars. Myself, I love an old Jeep(talk about great design for the time there). 1/4 vehicle that can go anywhere. I have raced old air cooled VWs and Porsches and love the small horizontally opposed engines with odd weight bias. Love them.

Peace

[Ephry73]

As much as I love Top Gear, Jeremy is the same bleeding [censored] who has everyone saying that "All Audi drivers are [censored]" .. so I have to say that his anti-American bravado is in the same vein.

That's not to say that many American cars aren't complete [censored]. They certainly are. Your friend, however, is giving way too much credence to Jeremy's humorous opinions. And that's what they are .. humorous entertainment. Not the true opinion of a mature adult.

I say, who cares about the aholes on that show?

[sarkazz]

Americans cars? More like american death traps.

[maxman]

"...especially the Brits" Odd. I don't recall American Auto manufacturers using any Brit ideas. For starters, we put the steering wheel on the correct side. Lucas "electrical systems" that were a step down from a cigarette company lab rat on a hamster wheel certainly weren't "pinched". Brit Leyland cars of the `60s and `70s were epitomized by the Triumph Stag, a car whose engine never learned to be internal combustion. And while Brit sports cars were fun little toys, I owned a TR4a and a Spitfire, it took an American engine placed in an AC Bristol to make the Brit car go. And it went ballistic. Even the iconic and admittedly gorgeous sexy Jaguar was finally made road worthy by American ownership. You can actually drive one almost every day! We will see if it goes 'Tata!'.

As I wrote elsewhere, in the U.S after WW2 Italian cars introduced us to the world's first disposable cars, Japanese cars rusted through by your 4th car payment, German Cars used as taxi cabs in Europe sold here for more than Cadillacs. I didn't mention the Peugeot or the Renault. I'm trying to be nice... OK, not so nice.

And then there was the Yugo. This must be what your friend considers a 'classic European Automobile'. The Yugo could singlehandedly take Europe's auto making reputation down 3 notches, minimum. It was rivaled only by the Volga and Lada. When they stopped running and people tried to plant flowers in them, the flowers died.

Why do Yugos have a rear window defroster? So you can keep your hands warm while you're pushing it.

What do you call a Yugo at the top of a hill? A miracle.

What do you call the Yugo owner's manual? The bus timetable.

How can you double the worth of a Yugo? By filling its gasoline tank.

What makes a Yugo go faster? A tow truck.

What is the difference between a Yugo and a golf ball? You can drive a golf ball 300 yards.

Yes, it is quite understandable that your friend would lack respect for American Cars. He only gets to see them from behind...

Well said and well done .

[maxman]

Americans cars? More like american death traps.

I know..I know...we just can't keep up to the Polish when It comes to making safe cars.

[Rick James]

My daily driver is a lightly modded 2009.5 Pontiac G8 GT which I love. To be fair it's Australian, known as the Holden Commodore SS. Best american cars from the later model classics would probably be Fords, ie Escorts, etc... I know they were not amazing and I'm not a Ford guy, but they were good cars in terms of build and what you got for your buck. You also can't forget the Ford GT40. If we're looking at originality and innovative design I'd say the GT40 had that. The problem with many chevy's is the lack of innovation. The corvette still rocks leaf springs if I'm not mistaken. At the same time if you want horsepower, bang for buck, you can't go wrong with american muscle, mustangs, camaros, corvettes, g8, the new SS that's supposed to be coming out, and don't forget the CTS-V.

[KB]

Just for the record Jeremy Clarkson is a Pom and I'm an Aussie, I read his books and watch Top Gear because they are fun.

The reference to his opinion on American cars, is just that, his opinion not mine.

Ken

[hambone]

Here is another insignificant American car, The 1967 Carrol Shelby Cobra. Ooops, This is one of the greatest race cars ever created. It rules the road.

[tomhorn]

I would second the Corvette and CTS-V, but the Ford GT40 is a carbon copy of a Ferrari concept car which a guy I know that owns the only one in existence (that he knows of). When I first walked into his garage I said, 'oh, you've got a GT40' and he said, 'look again'. The Ford Mustang was also evolved from a Ferrari concept car (which he also owned and was another 1 of 1 in existence).

One could also argue the Willys/Jeep CJ qualifies, and I am a huge fan of the Packards and pretty much anything Carol Shelby had his hands in.

Edited September 11, 2012 by tomhorn

[Rick James]

I would second the Corvette and CTS-V, but the Ford GT40 is a carbon copy of a Ferrari concept car which a guy I know that owns the only one in existence (that he knows of).

Which Ferrari was it cloned of? As far as I remember it was made in order to compete with Ferrari in endurance racing, but I don't remember it being a clone. I do know for sure that there are more than 1 left in existence. They go for quite a lot of money though, over a million, maybe even 2. Though to be fair it was a British-American venture.

Edited September 11, 2012 by Rick James

[maxman]

Woa woa woa, hold on there! Firstly I would like to apologise for causing any ill feeling. It was not my intention. I thought by the tone of my topic title that it was pretty obvious to all that I had my tongue firmly in my cheek. My mistake. The Brits are famed for their sense of humour and their ability to laugh at themselves. I can now see that this is indeed a rare characteristic and something to be treasured. As to my opinion of American cars? If you read what I said about the '56 Thunderbird you'll see. I think it's best we close the book on this one. I've certainly learned something.

I guess It's time for that flak jacket.

[tomhorn]

Which Ferrari was it cloned of? As far as I remember it was made in order to compete with Ferrari in endurance racing, but I don't remember it being a clone. I do know for sure that there are more than 1 left in existence. They go for quite a lot of money though, over a million, maybe even 2. Though to be fair it was a British-American venture.

Unfortunately I didn't ask the details. In the garage, there were 3 cars that were supposedly 'concept' cars from the late 50's - early 60s, and 3 actual race cars from the 50's.

The other concept car that I thought was a direct influence on Ford looked very much like a Mustang fastback, and one of the others looked a lot like a Jaguar from a distance. They weren't directly copied per se, but you could definitely see the strong influence.

[Nanuq]

Lucas "electrical systems"

Hey JoeyB do you know why our friends the Brits like warm ale?

Because Lucas also makes refrigerators.

[maxman]

It's the end of the video that makes It worth waching...but ZR1 Is the king. If I had my pick as a everyday car? I would take the Nissan.. Then again?

[redwatch]

American cars are for the masses. Cheap, economical and in many cases boring. Yes, the ingenuity of American engineers put man on the moon. However, American engineers also developed the "mass produced" automobile. How to build a car as cheaply as possible. Yes the CTS and CTS-V are nice looking cars but they are so horribly put together. The interior of my co-workers 2012 CTS sedan is horrible. Sure, it looks pretty in the pictures but my god it is poorly made. Same could be said of the 2007 Chevy Corvette that I got rid of last December. A rocket ship, but such a piece of junk inside. It was horrible. And it's still hand made too!

What I don't understand is why are the American exports are so much better? The Holden, Vauxhal, and Euro Spec Fords. I know the Munaro is basically a Ford Fusion but it just seems nicer. Same thing with the Holden Commodore or Vauxhaul VXR8 Bathurst. What a beast of a car!!

[Ephry73]

American cars are for the masses. Cheap, economical and in many cases boring. Yes, the ingenuity of American engineers put man on the moon. However, American engineers also developed the "mass produced" automobile. How to build a car as cheaply as possible. Yes the CTS and CTS-V are nice looking cars but they are so horribly put together. The interior of my co-workers 2012 CTS sedan is horrible. Sure, it looks pretty in the pictures but my god it is poorly made. Same could be said of the 2007 Chevy Corvette that I got rid of last December. A rocket ship, but such a piece of junk inside. It was horrible. And it's still hand made too!

What I don't understand is why are the American exports are so much better? The Holden, Vauxhal, and Euro Spec Fords. I know the Munaro is basically a Ford Fusion but it just seems nicer. Same thing with the Holden Commodore or Vauxhaul VXR8 Bathurst. What a beast of a car!!

I do agree with you brother. The thing is that if the American consumer keeps buying crap and we keep bailing them out when the big names overproduce crap, why change? The formula seems to be working. Personally, I cannot stand what has happened to the Benz group and how bad the cars look and feel. The issue will always be, under which umbrella and for what market these groups are making/building cars for?

This can get as serious as a religious topic. I think the building focus and the energy resources explored is laid on the wrong path. I personally LOVE the internal combustion engine. Why not spend the resources in better diesel oil burners? Corn yields oil, not just alcohol if treated properly. It's not like the farmers will have to change their production quotas drastically. I love how a diesel yields at least twice as much for the same amount of alcohol. Plus, all that torque! The problem is, that biodiesel can be made easier than alcohol to run the cars, thus, making it easier for the average Joe to keep their cars on the road with a renewable fuel source. If you ONLY have alcohol burning vehicles, it makes it a little harder for the average folk to produce the amount necessary to keep the car on the road. Plus, I am sure they would tax the hell out of people doing so.

On the topic of EU cars, I don't even like the new Porsches and VWs that are coming out. I will remain a lover of classic, pre computer days. Even my current Jeep ha waaay more plastic than I like. But as you mentioned, it sure looks good for some people. Once I pay mine off, I will convert it to diesel and strip all of that plastic off. Long live the biodiesel mindset. I will always love the 904 Porsche design and the quintessential Porsche in my opinion, the 356. Topless of course.

E