The State of The Car

[Ferrer]

Ferrer, I am wee too (5'8", or 173 cm in communist/logical units, depending on your POV) but how tall (short?) are you?

I'm 172cm (I think). I'm not good with uhmerican length units...

For some reason, ze Germans (especially Mercedes, BMW, and Audi), HATE calling their cars "hatchbacks." I don't know why, but if you've read the press release for the 5 Series GT, they go to great lengths to avoid calling it a hatchback, making up their own word and that whole funky door design. Mercedes and Audi do the same thing. I got the impression people hated it because of the huge lengths BMW went to to to call it a hatch.

Even in generalist (love that word, very Mediterranean, maybe it'll stick...) PR, that aren't UK-centric that is, large hatchbacks are not referred as hatchbacks but rather by their number of doors (saloons 4, hatches 5).

It is a minivan. I drive one every day. Actually been rocking a new B class recently. I don't mind it. Maybe I am drinking the kool aid!

I drove a B about a year ago and it wasn't that bad, except for the weird driving position.

I don't think it's worth the price though.

As for the original threas topic, it brings to mind what every US president says once a year.

The state of the car is strong! Regardless of actually. I am fairly pessimistic about contemporary cars. But damn if a 2014 E Class ain't a great spot to be inside; especially the AMG. Screw 63 which was actually 62, this should be called an E55T AMG. Oh well. The Germans have thrown out logic to preserve premiumness.

Premium. Premiumosity. Premium premium premium. See? It's meaningless now. Henk might argue it was always meaningless.

It's the era with more affordable rear wheel drive cars since Fiat invented the cheap, practical and profitable front wheel drive car and Volkswagen popularised it; we are getting pony cars in Europe with V8s and everything and Alfa Romeo will reintroduce rear wheel drive to its range.

It's the golden era of the motoring enthusiast!

Or something.

Technically Mercedes actually have a "minivan", just not the US style one. V class exists...

I think it's called Viano now.

And it is not a minivan, but rather a proper van with seats where the cargo area should be.

[Ferrer]

Premium. Premiumosity. Premium premium premium. See? It's meaningless now. Henk might argue it was always meaningless.

Yesterday, as I was falling asleep in the couch while watching a Denzel Washington movie, a thought crossed my head.

I wondered what were the differences between the latest Maserati Ghibli and the recently unveiled Hyundai Genesis. I mean, both are large front engined rear wheel drive sports saloons equipped with the latest technology in a similar package. After thinking about it for around 5 minutes I came to the conclusion that actually there weren't any difference, except for a couple of details.

The badge and the price tag.

Of course it is not the same saying "I drive a Maserati" than saying "I drive a Hyundai", and the Genesis will probably undercut the Ghibli by 10 or 20 grand. And it is much the same story with all of the other large executive/sports saloons out there. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is trying to be sporty, the 5 Series isn't as sharp as it used to be, the Jaguar XF looks like a Lexus, Lexus is unveiling F-Sport versions which nobody knows what are they for and the Infiniti M is an amalgamation of all of the others; I mean it's even got a french engine.

The thing is though, back in the olden days, things couldn't be more different. Maseratis had race derived engines, Benzes were sober and quality-laden, BMW's were all about handling, Hyundai made Fords under license and Infiniti and Lexus hadn't even bothered to exist.

The problem isn't that those care are bad or boring, I'm sure they are good and even possibly interesting to drive. The problem is that we live in a sea of uniformity in which to find a little bit of distinctiveness between cars you have to delve into the realms of nitpicking. Which is neither very interesting nor very enticing.

I mean Volkswagen competing with Cadillac! Who would've thought that.

Maybe we should trade a bit of quality for a bit of uniqueness.

[henk4]

Maybe we should trade a bit of quality for a bit of uniqueness.

tell that to the Golf or Audi driver (and they even have not much to cheer for quality wise these days...)

Whichever manufacturer tries to be different these days, (when the industry is in prolonged crisis), will be confronted with the opinions of the traditionalistic journos who will tear a car to pieces just because it different. (And the average joe is a traditionalist too, an he is whom the journos have to write for).

I always quote this is an example: When the first Citroen BX came out is had a rolling drum as a tachometer, (much like the CX). It also had satellites from which play with the lights and the wipers. It was of course critisized for being not ergonomic. So next face-lift of the car the dash has changed to dials and the satellites have been replaced by sticks. Reaction of the journos: Much improved ergonomics, but the car has lost some of its individuality... this is the world we live in.

[Ferrer]

I have to say, I was sad when about 1 and half years ago, Citroën decided to discontinue the C6; and I was even sadder when its supposed replacement, the DS5 is nothing more than a Peugeot with massive drug dealer wheels and a sports suspension.

I think that cars like the C6 are cars which "deserve a sale". They are those sort of cars which I'd buy if I had unlimited pockets. They may not be best in class or always work, but nevertheless credit where credit's due they at least try to stray from the norm.

There are other examples of that (like the Renault Avantime for instance or the Toyota iQ) which unfortunately slip into ostracism because nobody is interested in them. Too strange and unfamiliar, they say.

There's a bright spot, though. Modern dowsizing of small engines for small cars has brought many different solutions for the same problem. We have the Miller cycle supercharged three from Nissan, 8 valve four cyl turbo from Volkswagen, turbocharged twin from Fiat, turbocharged three from Ford, 16v four from Renault etc.

So maybe not all is bad!

(BTW, supercharged Micra is another of those "deserving sale" cars in my opinion)

[Ferrer]

Is the burnout-o-matic, the best automotive gadget ever?

Does the new 2015 Ford Mustang have a burnout control system? - Autoblog

[henk4]

Is the burnout-o-matic, the best automotive gadget ever?

Does the new 2015 Ford Mustang have a burnout control system? - Autoblog

sponsored by Goodyear...

[NSXType-R]

What do you guys think about naming conventions?

I think BMW is doing a disservice by calling the new M3 the M4. There's too much heritage in the M3 name to be calling it a M4.

Infiniti is the worst when it comes to naming. The G35 set up such a good name for itself. Now everything is a Q this and Q that. I gave up on trying to figure out their model lineup.

[pimento]

There's still an M3, it's just not a coupe anymore.

Naming schemes can work, but Inifinti's Q thing is probably the best example of one that doesn't. BMW and Merc style [model series][engine size (ish] tend to work fine though.

[Kitdy]

But the numbers can only get bigger! A 6.2L engine is a 63! a 5.5L is a 63!

A 2L is a 45! And that's supposedly to celebrate the (very illustrious) 45th anniversary of AMG.

BMW is off too. I hate lies.

[Ferrer]

A 2L is a 45! And that's supposedly to celebrate the (very illustrious) 45th anniversary of AMG.

That's the silliest excuse ever, AMG...

Also, what's the point of an AMG car with good grip, a four cylinder engine and fast lap times?

Calling the 6.2 litre AMGs 63 was also bad, I mean nobody really remembers the 300 SEL 6.3... as for the new 5.5 litres, they were already locked in that, a newer car isn't going to have a lower number, now is it?

[pimento]

But the numbers can only get bigger! A 6.2L engine is a 63! a 5.5L is a 63!

A 2L is a 45! And that's supposedly to celebrate the (very illustrious) 45th anniversary of AMG.

BMW is off too. I hate lies.

Yea, it got pretty dumb there. I mean, Merc did with the W109 300SL back in the lat 60s, but now with turbos and downsizing it's gotten ridiculous.

[Kitdy]

That's the silliest excuse ever, AMG...

Also, what's the point of an AMG car with good grip, a four cylinder engine and fast lap times?

Calling the 6.2 litre AMGs 63 was also bad, I mean nobody really remembers the 300 SEL 6.3... as for the new 5.5 litres, they were already locked in that, a newer car isn't going to have a lower number, now is it?

It's...

Yea, it got pretty dumb there. I mean, Merc did with the W109 300SL back in the lat 60s, but now with turbos and downsizing it's gotten ridiculous.

Yeah. So we kinda have the spiral. Soon it will be: Mercedes-Benz E78 Coupe AMG S-Model Black Series 4Matic.

I love it.

[NSXType-R]

Question- why would anyone buy a $75,000 Camaro Track Pack when you could get a pretty well appointed Corvette?

2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Officially Unveiled! Car and Driver

The new Corvette in Lime Rock Green (Bowling Green Green would be a pretty snarky color name ) looks pretty darn good.

[Ferrer]

Question- why would anyone buy a $75,000 Camaro Track Pack when you could get a pretty well appointed Corvette?

2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Officially Unveiled! Car and Driver

The new Corvette in Lime Rock Green (Bowling Green Green would be a pretty snarky color name ) looks pretty darn good.

If this came to Europe it would cost more than 100.000€. Madness.

On the other hand, would you pay 54 grand for an Alfa Romeo 4C when for the same you could have a perfectly well sorted Porsche Cayman?

[Kitdy]

If this came to Europe it would cost more than 100.000€. Madness.

On the other hand, would you pay 54 grand for an Alfa Romeo 4C when for the same you could have a perfectly well sorted Porsche Cayman?

Porsche is too mainstream, man.