From: cmj@horus.cem.msu.EDU (Chris Jenkins|xxxxxx)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: American engines oversized,underpowered ?
Date: 16 Apr 92 22:10:54 GMT
Article-I.D.: msuinfo.1992Apr16.221054.29882
Organization: Michigan State University

From article <kurcroINNbrk@jethro.Corp.Sun.COM>, by geoffm@purplehaze.Corp.Sun.COM (Geoff Miller):
> 
> 
> In article <1992Apr16.125337.3943@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk>
> kerrat@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk (Adrian T Kerr) writes:
> 
>>In Britain it is widely believed that American's drive oversized cars with
>>ridiculously huge engines. 
> 
> While many 'Merkin cars have engines larger than what's typical in Europe,
> they haven't been "ridiculously" large since the Seventies.  The cars
> themselves tend to be larger because they can afford to be; our streets
> are wider, for one thing, and we drive much farther in a typical year
> than Europeans do, so larger, heavier cars with better ride characteristics
> are in demand.
> 
> ------
> 
>>Since I know that recently the Honda accord (perhaps known as something 
>>different in America) was the number 1 selling American car ,and Japanese 
>>cars are becomeing more popular in America , are engine sizes of typical `
>>family saloons getting smaller?
> 
> The Accord has the same name over here.  I own one myself, in fact.
> 
> Your impressions seem to be a bit behind the times.  Japanese cars are
> not becoming popular in America; they've been tremendously (and increas-
> ingly) popular for many years.  Most family sedans (saloons) here now have
> moderately-sized 4-cylinder and V-6 engines.  The days of the full-size
> family sedan or station wagon (estate) with enormous V-8 engines are over
> for the most part, although there's still enough demand that a few such
> cars remain.  Examples of this genre include the Ford Crown Victoria, the
> Chevrolet Caprice and the Buick LeSabre wagon, and of course the more
> expensive offerings from Lincoln and Cadillac.
> 
> ------
> 
>>I own a Fiat Tipo with a 1.4 litre engine. This is reasonably powered for
>>everyday driving (I've managed an indicated 120mph on a journey to Edinburgh).
>>It is also one of the roomiest cars I've ever travelled in ,able to seat 5 in
>>comfort. The interior decor is nothing to speak of but is pleasant.
> 
> American consumers tend to have a higher standard for luxury and available
> features then their counterparts in Europe.  What passes for adequate 
> everyday transportation over there would be considered a Spartan econobox
> by most American drivers.  And that's certainly not intended as disparage-
> ment; our geographical and economic conditions are much different over
> here, and we didn't have to endure years of postwar austerity that couldn't
> help but have an ongoing effect on automobile design philosophy.  
> 
> While those in postwar Europe were making do with Isettas and Austin 850s 
> and Morris 1000s and Citroen 2CVs -- those who could afford an automobile
> at all, that is -- we were blasting down the endless highway in fire-
> breathing, chrome-laden V-8 barges.  We could *afford* to, so why not?  
> I daresay that if similar conditions had existed on your side of the pond
> at that time, the typical postwar European automobile would've been far
> different.
> 
> ------
> 
>>If cars in America ARE as ridiculously large as we are led to believe is it not
>>about time that "Yank tanks" were designed more sensibly.
> 
> There's been a downsizing trend for quite some time, since model year
> 1977, in fact.  But bear in mind that, as other posters have pointed out,
> our driving conditions here are much different than they are in the UK.  I
> for one would be a bit reluctant to drive from San Francisco to LA in a
> Fiat Tipo.
> 
> ------
> 
>>I saw an article in a magazine reviewing the cadallac seville. It did sound
>>like it was indeed an exellent car ,however it was enormous. Is this the 
>>normal size of your average American sedan? 
> 
> It's toward the upper end of the scale, dimensionwise.  But bear in mind
> that the Seville, like all Cadillacs, is a luxury car aimed at more 
> affluent consumers who are less concerned with efficiency.  Just like most
> Britons don't drive cars the size and weight of the Silver Spirit or the
> Daimler Double Six, most Americans these days have cars much smaller than
> the Seville.  (At least they do here in import-crazy California.  The
> proportions are probably a bit different in the Midwest.)
> 
> ------
> 
>>Do American engines have to be so large to move rather oversize and 
>>overwieght cars?
> 
> Well, naturally out larger cars tend to have correspindingly larger
> engines.  But we have a lot of smaller cars as well, and as far as
> I know, their efficiency is comparable to that of European cars in
> the same category.
> 
> And bear in mind that size and weight are relative.  While many American
> cars are larger and heavier than they absolutely have to be, they aren't
> intended as exercises in minimalism.
> 
> 
> 
> Geoff
> 


YES!

---cmj
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