From: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: American engines oversized,underpowered ?
Date: 17 Apr 92 01:55:53 GMT
Reply-To: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corp., Mountain View, CA

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. 
   
   This from the country that brought you the Jag 6 banger.  It is
   quite a bit HEAVIER than the average american V-8....but of
   course what do facts have to do with British beliefs?

>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?
>
   Hint.  if you see a Caddy with the new Northstar V-8 under the
   hood in the next lane, don't mess with it.

   This is NOT an overly large V-8.

   Of course the British tend to forget that America has 50
   states....better than half of which are larger than the entire
   islands.  Little buzz-bomb engines get a might tiring after
   a 400 mile cruise across Nebraska.  Heaven help you should try to
   go from Denver to Grand Junction Colorado in a mouse-powered car.

>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).
   Fiat a British car?  What news.  

>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.

   "Pleasant".  how damning with faint praise.

>
>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.
>
    Well, if we want to sell them to YOU, perhaps.  But if we are
    designing them for ourselves, frankly I doubt your personal
    preferences...coming from an entirely different driving
    environment are of much interest.

    It seems the British are equally arrogant as the Americans.
    They never leave their hometown, but feel they are supremely
    qualified to dictate preferences for areas they have never even
    conceived...much less experienced.  


>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? My Fiat Tipo has a 100 inch wheelbase and
>is roughly 120 inches long and has enough interior room even for a quartet of 
>large 6 foot 2 adults.
>
   
   So drive the flippin thing.  Just don't bore us with the details.

   And remember that Japan is an even smaller area than the British
   Isles.  

   We have a lot of folks who like the small pocket rockets and
   buzzbombs for heavily built up urban areas.  We also have a lot
   of folks who MUST (or just like to) travel the wide open
   freeways...and think nothing of a 400 mile trip...or even a
   75-100 mile drive to a restaurant for dinner.             


>My Fiat has an antiquated engine ,unlike HondaUs latest batch of VTEC engines, and
>only has 2 valves per cylinder but manages a creditable 78bhp and similar torque
>coupled to around 35 - 40 mpg. Some French 1.4 litre engines have a much higher
>ouput from the same basic specification , are American engines as efficient from 
>low capacities? Do American engines have to be so large to move rather oversize
>and overwieght cars?
>
>I wait with interest for some answers.
>
   Interest.  You don't want answers or facts.  And your knowledge
   of the American engines is so woefully inaccurate that I am
   surprised you can even spell the word.  


   If you can crawl out of your basement long enough to take a look
   at the real world, why not check out a few car magazines on 
   hp/liter ratings for MAINSTREAM engines?

   And if that still doesn't convince you, bring that little
   squirrel powered sedan over here and drive from San Francisco to
   Reno...then from Reno to Vegas, then up to Grand Junction
   Colorado to Denver.  Then head for Albuquerque....if you haven't
   put it out of it's misery by then...