Here's the 2015 Mustang

[Ferrer]

We still have taxes based on the displacement. That for the road tax; and all except the Toyobaru (and I should check that out) are on the upper levels. Also registration tax is based on carbon emissions, which none of those fare particularly well either.

I actually think that not offering the V6 in Europe is a mistake, since if you cannot afford the V8 at least gives you some distinctiveness. If I have to put up with a four cylinder engine, I will not go for a big, heavy, lazy and cumbersome pony car. I'll goo for the lightweight, agile and lovely GT86/BRZ.

Also if the four was developed especially with Europe in mind, that was another mistake, since I doubt the volumes actually add up. Its closest competitor would possibly the Genesis Coupé Turbo, which last year sold for less than 27 thousand (has since been retired in Spain due to poor sales, but soldiers on in other countries). And then there's the 428i Coupé for 46 grand.

I hope Ford are aware of all of these when pricing the Mustang for Europe.

[Kitdy]

We still have taxes based on the displacement.

Ok, wow. Bad regulations, institutions, a disinterested and uninformed electorate, political pandering and can kicking results in bad outcomes and poor results. That is an absolutely ancient method of taxation. Look at how utterly shit the NEDC and EPA are at determining real world driving taxation, and I assume CO2 emissions.

Oft Repeated Rant:

Politicians pander and give off soundbytes to the lowest common demoniator in part because the electorate is disinterested and does not have enough time to learn about every single important policy decision, and are utterly suspicious of a group of people whose goal is re-election, not the betterment of the country/state/province/council area/autonomous region/city/world/society.

Also lobbying outright and raising money for political parties seems to be negative. I'd rather just see during campaign time people/parties allowed public ads on all TV stations on the cheap. 1 month campaign. Problem: big parties don't want this, as they lose. Democracy is a sham.

But I digress. What I am trying to say is that I am not in the "EPA and NEDC is bullshit give me MOAAAARRR gas and cheaper everything" camp, but these fanciful and fantastical listed numbers need to be made to answer to reality, whether or not that hurts the enthusiast and car consumer.

If a BMW 428C starts at 46 and the Mustang just above 40, that is bad.

[Ferrer]

I don't the problem are taxes though. That's one problem, but not the problem.

1,52€ a litre petrol, most definitely is.

If you do 25.000km (~15,500 miles) a year and assume (a very reasonable) 23.5mpg (10l/100km) in a Mustang; you are going to spend 3.800€ in petrol every year. That's over $5,200 in petrol alone. Every year.

[Kitdy]

Well burning petroleum slowly (or quickly in the case of Shanghainese) kills the human species. I can understand why it be somewhat pricey. A car is meant to be basic transport frankly; get you to friends family and a job, some events, and maybe 1 long distance trip a year. For those that like going fast in a hurry and have the thrill of driving, well, you gotta pay the price.