|
|
|
Sept 15, 2004 17:34:10 GMT
|
|
Maybe that should be who made the best cars, as a lot of my favourite cars are long out of production. It's a hard one really. I mean, Britain has the E-type, the Imp, the Mini, Anglia, and loads more, France has the 2CV, 205, DS, and loads of others, Germany has just about every VW until the 80s, the big Merc saloons, NSUs, Trabants (East Germany at the time but Germany all the same!) I could be here all night if I listed all the nice cars each country made/makes, and you should've put an 'other' column in, I mean, what about the USSR, Sweden, Australia, and any other big car making countries we both missed out? I don't know who to vote, I'm dead eclectic.
|
| |
"He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 15, 2004 20:05:59 GMT
|
Italy made the best cars,.. most cars are designed in workshops by engineers,.. in Italy they are drawn by artists  Of course they are then built by monkeys, but there is beside the point,... |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 15, 2004 21:23:46 GMT
|
|
I don't really think it's possible to say. Most countries have produced some excellent machinery as well as some complete junk. Most have produced both beautiful and ugly cars. The US produced some wild and wonderful looking cars but were technologiically behind Europe for many years. The Gernams produced some very well made and engineered cars that were fairly syaid from a styling point of view. The British had lots of great ideas and some great looking cars but so often poorly executed and under developed.
I think it would only be possible to compare countries at particular times. For example, if you were to take the 60's, the Japanese would barely feature as their model range was still limited and exports were few at that time. The US were still using some pretty primitive engineering although their styling was fantastic. The UK and Europe in General were probably top of the heap in terms of combined technology and styling at that time.
Come the 70's it all changed. The Japanese motor industry had exploded and was producing some very sophisticated cars by then. The US were battling with their own self imposed emmisions and safety restrictions as well as the deluge of imports while the UK motor industry slowly self destructed under lack of investment and industrial action. All of those factors had a bearing on car design and quality.
I really don't think that in all honesty anyone can say that a particular country produces better cars than any other, but I'm sure everyone will have their preference!
|
| |
1962 Datsun Bluebird Estate - 1971 Datsun 510 SSS - 1976 Datsun 710 SSS - 1981 Dodge van - 1985 Nissan Cherry Europe GTi - 1988 Nissan Prairie - 1990 Hyundai Pony Pickup - 1992 Mazda MX5
|
|
carnut1100
Part of things
If it's got wheels I like it!
Posts: 194
|
|
Sept 19, 2004 11:42:14 GMT
|
|
Me , I love French tin in all its various forms. I am also partial to quite a bit of British, German, and American iron.
A bit of Italian stuff, and almost anything Swedish. I LOVE Volvos!
|
| |
They won't be restoring Hyundais in 30 years!
1970 Peugeot 404
1973 Volvo 164E
1979 Volvo 242GT
In the family,
1975 Volvo 245
1985 Volvo 360 GLT
1969 Ford Transit Mk1
1963 Humber Vogue Sports
1960 Morris Minor van
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 19, 2004 16:32:26 GMT
|
|
Impossible to say really. I'm in to Imps so Britain but I would like a Datsun 240z so Japan. But I wouldent mind a US Muscle car on my drive. Also I have a thing for VW Sciroccos.
|
| |
BS Nymph
Singer Chamois Coupe
Series 3 Landy
|
|
fredi
Part of things
Alfa Romeo 75 Twin Spark Veloce
Posts: 44
|
|
Sept 22, 2004 22:59:41 GMT
|
|
Didn't Clarkson once say that only Britain, the US and Italy made proper cars? Don't know that I necessarily agree, but I can see what he was getting at.
|
| |
Donne e motore - gioie e dolori
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 23, 2004 1:30:39 GMT
|
|
Back in the day is was the British.
Now its the Germans.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 23, 2004 9:38:32 GMT
|
|
I think only the Germans have been consistant in designing and manufacturing good quality, well engineered and handsome cars.
Any other car producing nation I can think of have all had dodgy periods - though I think the 70s were a poor period generally in terms of car build quality.
|
| |
|
|
Nathan
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,626
Club RR Member Number: 1
|
So who make the best cars?Nathan
@bgtmidget7476
Club Retro Rides Member 1
|
Sept 23, 2004 11:11:45 GMT
|
|
Technology nowadays it has to be J, but i am biased so Brit all the way baby ;D
|
| |
|
|
Ken
Part of things
Posts: 147
|
|
Sept 23, 2004 15:35:37 GMT
|
I think only the Germans have been consistant in designing and manufacturing good quality, well engineered and handsome cars. I hear all sorts of nasty stuff about VW and Mercs current lineup's quality and reliability |
| |
Saab Freak (in order of favouite first) '88 900 Turbo8 '86 900i Old Stripy '72 99 CM4 '83 99 '06 9-5 Aero 260 '96 9000 Turbo CSE '93 900 LPT SE (absolute Shed of a car) www.uksaabs.co.uk |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 23, 2004 16:00:17 GMT
|
|
I have heard stuff about Merc's quality slipping mind you, and those new BMW 5 and 7s are sickening to look at!
|
| |
"He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy!"
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 23, 2004 16:36:13 GMT
|
|
I agree that the Germans have pretty cosistenly produced "good" cars however they unfortunately haven't made that manys exiting and interesting ones. Yes there are a few examples of exotica and sports cars that fit the bill but their everday stuff is rarely exiting to look at. Both BMW and Mercedes have always persued a course whereby their range consisted of cars that all looked the same, just in different sizes. Rarely is their ever a real departure from the standardised look they have developed.
Most manufacters have produced cars within their range with hugely diverse styling but it does seem the German manifacturers like to stick with the family resemblance thing. Of the large manufacturers, only VW don't do this I think.
That said, from an engineering and technical design point of view, their products have always excelled although I do hear bad things about build quality these days.
|
| |
1962 Datsun Bluebird Estate - 1971 Datsun 510 SSS - 1976 Datsun 710 SSS - 1981 Dodge van - 1985 Nissan Cherry Europe GTi - 1988 Nissan Prairie - 1990 Hyundai Pony Pickup - 1992 Mazda MX5
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 23, 2004 17:02:20 GMT
|
I hear all sorts of nasty stuff about VW and Mercs current lineup's quality and reliability Yep I work on VWs and they really don't deserve the good reputation for reliability they have! still can't work out why people will pay more for a badge, don't see much difference between VW/Seat and Skoda except the price but Audi defianatly have much better interiors out of the bunch and they get most of the latest tecnology first...... still break down a lot more than most J cars though. ;D |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 23, 2004 17:03:34 GMT
|
|
I voted Italy because of the likes of the Fiat Abarth's etc.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 24, 2004 7:49:51 GMT
|
You know a German car will get you there whereas a trip to Tescos in an old Italian car is an adventure  |
| |
|
|
Shortcut
Posted a lot
I won't be there when you cross the road, so always use the Green Cross Code.
Posts: 3,037
|
|
Sept 24, 2004 10:19:13 GMT
|
|
OK. Interesting comments and all valid. Let me re-prase it slightly to better get at what I was hinting.
If the World President decreed that each country was to be allocated an industry to specialse in (India you can do call centres, japan you get consumer electronics etc) then what country would you be hping to see given the job of doing cars.
|
| |
This space available to rent. Reach literally dozens of people. Cheap rates!
|
|
Ken
Part of things
Posts: 147
|
|
Sept 24, 2004 11:42:38 GMT
|
So a colaboration between the italians and swedish. Already happened twice: Type 4 project produced Thema/Croma/164/9000 so well above average machines . The other was when Lancia sold early Deltas in sweden as Saab 600    |
| |
Saab Freak (in order of favouite first) '88 900 Turbo8 '86 900i Old Stripy '72 99 CM4 '83 99 '06 9-5 Aero 260 '96 9000 Turbo CSE '93 900 LPT SE (absolute Shed of a car) www.uksaabs.co.uk |
|
[*]
