I haven’t had a Question of the Weekend for quite a while, so I thought it was time to bring back this feature. We ran a couple of postings over the past several days about vehicles that have were never available here in the US. Let’s see, there was the Shelby Maverick, then the Ford Capri Tickford, the Vauxhall Firanza, and the Turkish Askam AS 250. There are several makes that are currently not available that you may want. Maybe you would like a Lada Niva, or maybe an Australian Ford Falcon.
So tell me, if you had the means and you were head of a major car company, what car or truck would you bring into North America?
Question of the Weekend: What Car Brand that's not available in the North America would you like to see here?
By Jim Brennan
Feb 27, 2011
Jeff Glucker
I will second that vote. Solid engineering and quirky design puts it over the top. I love the DS3 and the C4, and how cool would it be to blast down the highway in a C6?
Side note: we need to merge NHTSA and NCAP regulations.
Aparently, it's coming. Buried in NAFTA is a harmonization of Canadian/American/Mexican vehicle standards. Mexico already follows European Common standards. Thus, it is theoretically possible to import European cars to America and Canada via Mexico.
For More:
http://forum.ivoac.ca/showthread.php?t=2321
would love a C6. Taking current production across the entire planet, it's the least German luxury car of them all.
I liked the old C4 coupe. The replacement, not so much.
<img src="http://carbl.com/im/2010/08/citroen-ds4-560×373.jpg" />
This is not a replacement, this is a DS4.
<img src="http://www.tornado.mx/img/tornadoCamioneta.png" width="600">
From Mexico, the Chevy Tornado. I see these on the freeway here in L.A. visiting from Baja. It's what I need as a commuter vehicle.
Probably not Jimmy, they are build over here but the ones that realy can do the job in this pickup size class are the Fiat Strada.
<img src="http://www.carplace.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/nova-fiat-strada-adventure-locker.jpg">
Not really Brands but models. I'd love to see Australian Ford and Holden vehicles in the US. Current dream car is…
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/FPV_F6_%28FG%29_ute.jpg/800px-FPV_F6_%28FG%29_ute.jpg" 600="" width="600/></div> <br />or <br /><div style="overflow: auto;"><img src=" <a href="http:// ;http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/ss-v-090-1024×768.jpg"" target="_blank"> ;http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/ss-v-090-1024×768.jpg"</a> width=">
or
<img src="http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/ss-v-090-1024×768.jpg" width="600">
Turbo Straight 6 with a ZF6 vs LS2 with a T-56. I don't know which sounds better.
We came so close with the G8… Pontiac went as far as to hold a contest to name the G8-Ute. The wagon looks awesome too.
Either of those – with a six-speed stick, regardless of powerplant – would make a nearly-perfect daily driver for me.
Conspiracy Theory: Has anyone ever seen an FPV Falcon F6 and a Renault Megane RS250 in the same place?
….
I didn't think so.
<img src="http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt237/jskitter/hooniverse/FPVFalconF6.jpg" width="500">
<img src="http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt237/jskitter/hooniverse/RenaultMeganeRS250.jpg" width ="500">
Fiat Strada Adventure
Škoda, if they could keep them priced below VWs.
<img src="http://www.topgear.com/uk/assets/cms/a906dadb-9a06-46c2-a5db-253500447ea8/Large%20Image%20(optional).jpg" />
<img src="http://www.autospectator.com/uploads/Skoda/2007/Roomster/07Skoda_Roomster_scout.jpg" />
Yes! The Superb Sedan with its two-mode ninja trunk/hatch would be, well, superb.
<img src="http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/03/Skoda_Superb_TwinDoor.jpg" width="500" />
It saddens me deeply that all sedans don't have that feature.
Since Clarkson's review, I've probably had 15 inquiries if we could "order" a customer a Skoda Yeti.
Yes. It's the Volkswagen Tiguan. What colour would you like it in?
Oh, you actually want the Yeti? Okay, well, they cost about £17k. That's about $27k Canadian, and that's about the starting price for a Tiguan. And then you'll have to pay a few grand to import it. By which point, you're looking at… oh right, the same price as a Tiguan.
I think my choice(s) would be obvious…
<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5172/5483045902_23ef03631b_z.jpg" width="600">
<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5051/5482483133_e215a57934_z.jpg" width="600">
How am I just noticing the cage and slot mags on that 2CV? Definite thumbs up there…
I'd basically like to see Ford's sold everywhere but the U.S. I base this largely baseless blanket statement primarily on Euro hatches and down under muscle (and a certain Maverick), having absolutely no knowledge of any of the other cars marketed elsewhere.
Since it looks like the Mahindra deal fell through, or at least I haven't heard anything new concerning them, I'd like to see those Turkish Dodge trucks that we learned about here the other day, being imported. Simple, tough, diesel, and ugly. Just what I like in a truck. They'd make excellent work vehicles.
There isn't anything available elsewhere that would improve our market offerings and I'd be happy to lose half of the options that we already have. I used to think getting the Australian V8s would be great, but then we did. I used to think that getting European Fords and Opels would be great, but then we did. I used to think getting state of the art diesels would be great, but then we did. Personally, I am over the grass being greener psychosis.
We had the G8, and it was great, and it is missed.
We got the new Fiesta, and that's great.
We're getting more diesels, and they're great.
Now all we need are the hot hatches.
/glass is half-full
Edit: And utes!
My cup overfloweth. None of the mentioned products wound up making my fleet.
Just give me an Australian-style work ute bed tray instead of the much less useful American box with its easily-dented sheet metal, narrow dimensions, non-droppable sides, and lack of tie points. An Aussie work ute with a torquey but not horsepowery diesel, a wading snorkel, and a tough bed tray is a far, far more usable work truck than the prissy shiny chromed-out trucks we get in this country. But maybe you've heard me rattle on about this before.
<img src="http://duratray.net.au/contages/steel_ute_tray.gif" width="600">
I couldn't agree more. But, since they would never sell in the 'Burbs, it's unlikely we'll see either your Australian ute or the Dodge Turkey truck anytime soon. Sitting on a dealership lot next to a row of, say, shiny F150 crew cabs with leather interiors and chrome rims, these would go over like a turd in the punchbowl.
I think it's just a question of marketing, and really advertising. You have to make the fancy trucks look unmanly, like a magazine model playing a tough guy up against the real, redneck tough guy represented by the truck you're selling. Create a cultural connotation that only wimps drive upscale pickups, and a lot of American men under 40 wouldn't touch them.
I would offer free viagra with the "real" pickups. That should get Joe Six Pack interested.
You'd just have to sell them the same way we sold Humvees.
Of course, that logic would also make my shop clothes fashionable.
These trucks would sell better at maybe a heavy equipment dealership, or an agricultural equipment dealership, alongside other heavy duty diesel machinery. That Dodge Turkey would look great in Cat yellow, with a diesel tank in the bed, parked next to a big Cat front end loader. Or, in John Deere green, next to some badass four wheel drive dirt farmer tractor. Put them in the right context, and then I'd imagine they'd sell.
I will invest in this idea.
No trying to turn industrial strength into everyday cars.
Just selling industrial strength to the people who use it every day.
Does anyone else remember a few years ago when there was talk of russian UAZ jeeps being sold at rock-bottom prices at John Deere dealers? Whatever happened to that? And where are those Mahindras everyone said would be here by now?
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/88/TuckerPlant.jpg">
I think i would love to have a Lada or as Mr Severe and Mr Vega pointed out an ugly purpose built truck.
Hmmm … that's a real headscratcher.
Alfa Romeo. And before Fiat makes them all re-badged Dodges.
Can we please have Seats over here? They're like well-built Alfa Romeos.
In what way? Last time I was paying close attention, they were Spanish built VWs. They weren't well built, and they were pretty clumsy dynamically. I suppose it has been a long time since Alfa made a car worth owning, but better built does not equal well built in this case, unless your metric is French cars or something.
+Aussie Fords and Holdens, for all the obvious reasons.
Beyond that? Not much. Obviously there are a few Euro-spec hot wagons that'd be nice to have, but those aren't brands. All too often we give free points to assorted overseas cars, mostly because they're different. Sure, some are good, but most are underpowered, underbuilt tinny subcompacts that'd suddenly feel very out of place on US roads.
Quite a few cars some to mind but for a full line brand it has to be Tata. I like small, cheap and simple cars like the Nano and would love the opportunity to buy one here. I could also go for a Pak Suzuki Cultus (basically a 1992 Geo Metro 4 door), a Maruti 800 or a Suzuki Wagon R. I'd also LOVE a Lada Niva or Oka or even a UAZ 469. My only request would be that they didn't Americanize it with comfort options, driver aides or nicer interior trim. I don't need leather seats or wood trim when vinyl and hard plastic is cheaper and more durable. I also wouldn't want things like power windows or locks if it could be avoided. Just a basic, third-world spec utilitarian vehicle with no frills and plenty of capability. As always, a hatchback with split folding back seat is a plus as is the ability to go 400k miles with little more than oil changes and minor wear items.
Ctiroen, no doubt about it. The designs are superb, you know they're Citroens the moment you see one and they achieve this without gimmicks like Dodge grafting their Iron Cross on every nose, regardless of if it belongs there or not. The ride comfort is second to none and as the last 13 years have proven me, they're not maintenance nightmares either.
Oldsmobile.
<img src="http://www.aronline.co.uk/images/r40045_08.jpg" width ="500" />
Fiat 500 FTW!
[youtube Ut97fTJwhBc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut97fTJwhBc youtube]