Clarkson explains some differences between the USA and Europe

[taz_rocks_miami]

I have to say the JC kinda has a point. But our market is different, as it's been said before, the US has a lot more long smooth roads, hence handling has never been a real issue.

Smaller, high reving engines are great in Europe, if you know how to work the gear box, you can get a lot of performance out of them. In the US, cars were generaly much larger and thus heavier, so big torquie engines were the natural choice. When kids started racing they used what roads and engines they had on hand. Long, straight roads, big V8s...drag racing was born. NASCAR was started by moonshiners smuggling illegal booze from one county to another on back roads using those same heavy cars, and one day they got organized and started racing on the beach of all places!! Again, cornering capabilities were not important.

Road racing does have it's place here, but it doesn't have the tradition that drag racing and NASCAR have, so our performance cars have always reflected those traditions. Look at the import (mainly Asian) racing scene here, they drag race for the most part. Impressive to see 4 cylinder FWD Honda Civics run 10.5 second 1/4 miles.

European cars reflect the roads, drivers and types of racing and motoring traditions you have on hand. In other words, it's all good.

[d-quik]

m5 engine, 5 Litres, 507 hp
gt engine, 4.6 Litres, 295 hp

okay the m5 engine is TOTALLY! the same size as the gt engine. its not all about displacement.

Couldn't stop yourselves eh?

Hook, line and sinker.

explain...

[d-quik]

fine...

[Esperante]

okay the m5 engine is TOTALLY! the same size as the m5 engine.

I would hope an M5 engine is the same size as an M5 engine.

[CdocZ]

As an American....I thought that was hilarious, hahahaha. Very entertaining read!! Thank'es.

[rev440]

JC is a extremly biased to those italion stalions! If it doesnt come from italy, german, and Britian he says its RUBISH! The truth of the matter is the Corvette spanks all these german cars around the track and is still cheaper then all the high end cars with same horse! I much prefer fifth gear and old Tiff over Top Gear and JC. Tiff has class JC is just rubish! Plus doesnt that old M5 have 2 extra pistons then the mustang? THey just dont get that americans are rich and if they want a big gass guzling car thats what there gonna have. If its not owned by VW or Ferrari most brits hate it. The truth of the matter is that the best selling car on the market is the Ford F150 now thats a shocker! I dont get whats so good about german cars. We have owned Bmw's driven 996 turbos and have driven and owned many other german cars. Id rather buy a nice Cadi over the bmw 7 series and put the rest in the stock market.

[Zytek_Fan]

4 cylinders are notorious for stalling

[rev440]

Every country has things there good at Japan makes good bikes, Germany makes good handeling high end cars, Britian well they have the Ultima, America we have cars built to beat germans, boats, and the Fastest jet ever, lets not forget Italy the mecca of sports cars. Who cares if our cars dont produce as much per litre stock.

[deffenbaugh03]

I thought it was hilarious. I am very american, but in general I hate our cars. Sure we have the Corvette, Viper, Saleen S7, and they're nice cars. But I don't think i'd ever want one. I have respect for classic american muscle cars too, they're special, there's nothing like a muscle car. I would never want one, but I can see why some people love them. But it's the cars like Ford Taurus and Chevy Impala, who would want one when you could get something like an Accord or Camry.

@Rev440- It doesn't matter that the BMW 5liter V10 has more cylinders than the Mustangs, Number of cylinder's has very little effect on power.

The fact that Manufactures like BMW and Honda can easily extract over 100bhp/l and still keep the car extremely reliable is definitely an accomplishment.

[Matra et Alpine]

4 cylinders are notorious for stalling

HAS to go down as one of the stupidist statements EVER on UCP.

Well done Z

"notorious" for needing drivers who know how to use a clutch and gearbox perchance IS true.

f it up with a clutch and you can stall anything. Put enough rubber on even the BIGGEST V8 and it can stall.

Or are you saying that 4 cylinder automatics stall more often then V6s and V8s ???? ROFLMAO

[The BIG BAD]

Four cylinders dont stall unless you cant drive a manual (stick shift) to save you life

I will admit they are easyer to stall but they are not notorius for stalling but clarkson is right american cars are still in the dark ages compared to european cars

even watching world wildest police chases tonight when a merc was stolen all the police cruisers had there arses swing out the back end while the merc didnt bat an eye lid it was embarassing to thing that american made cars are that bad especially ones desighned for high speed persuite

use impretzas like us here in blighty do and you will catch more crooks of high end vehicals ( mercs,porsches etc)

[Rockefella]

use impretzas like us here in blighty do and you will catch more crooks of high end vehicals ( mercs,porsches etc)

I've never heard of an impretza, who makes it?

[Esperante]

I've never heard of an impretza, who makes it?

I've had an impretza before. It had mustard and salt and-oh wait, that was an impretzal.

[Coventrysucks]

fine...

I can't be arsed to take time out of my busy schedule to make remark to your points.

I'm sorry if you've been brooding over this for the last 2 weeks...

[rev440]

use impretzas like us here in blighty do and you will catch more crooks of high end vehicals ( mercs,porsches etc)

Us Americans have a little thing we like to call Helicopters. When our police cruisers cant catch them we throw a chop up in the air to get them stopped.