What on earth are you talking about? Somebody said a bunch of stupid (sorry, “factually correct”) things (which also happen to be politically incorrect) and got “almost fired”?
As opposed to the US, where saying something stupid and politically incorrect gets you actually fired, you mean?
Apart, of course, from the fact that freedom of speech refers to government regulation (or lack thereof) of speech, not employer regulation.
Incidentally (from your own link):
Christianity didn’t become the predominant religion in Gaul until at least 400 AD, so he’s getting a bit ahead of himself there.
I don’t know whether something analogous is the case in German, but in French, luxure actually means “lust,” as in seven deadly sins – luxury is luxe. So perhaps due to verbal proximity, there might be some overlap of semantic overtones as well.
In general, I don’t see a lot of difference between European and American luxury, at least at the level of salaried engineers. On a euro-to-dollars conversion, they make a hell of a lot more, but then again, things there cost a hell of a lot more. In general, though, Europeans drive cars that are tiny, little things compared to Canadians, Americans, and Mexicans (and in dollars, European cars cost a lot more than their North American counterparts).
When I had a Mondeo (in Mexico) for a year and wanted to research it, I still remember reviews from the UK extolling its immense size but poor gas mileage (it’s a CD-sized car, and got about 28 US mpg in my use). To me, it was a crappy little econobox that had excellent mileage.
I guess to confirm this belief, I have to ask the Euro-dopers, are big cars in and of themselves luxurious? Data-point: when I was in Europe in November, I had some Mercedes crossover as a rental. While it was an “okay” car, it certainly wasn’t luxurious. I imagine that it was just a run-of-the-mill, low end car, comparable to a stripped down Edge would be here. Not what I, as an American, expected of the Mercedes marque. Actually, I’d’ve preferred a stripped down Edge (really, I felt that I was in a Chrysler, which is probably not a coincidence).
Was this the current model Mondeo? The current Mondeo is virtually identical in terms of size to a Fusion and generally has the same powertrain. I personally prefer the exterior styling of the Mondeo but they should otherwise be mostly similar. Do you consider the Fusion to be a crappy econobox?
The Mercedes equivalent to the Edge would be the GLK, which seems to be priced at about the same as a comparably equipped Edge. Based on anecdotal experiences, yeah, the interior isn’t great, but you’ve got 7 gears in the transmission, so there’s that. It would certainly be at the upper size range of what a typical European might have as a commuter car, though.
When I check luxury on LEO it doesn’t seem to have sexual overtones in the definitions, so I do not think that is it. And as far as I know, Christian speaks english and german, no french. He actually actively dislikes french and everything french…
The Fusion isn’t just a rebodied Mondeo, like the old Contour - it’s based on a completely different (Mazda-sourced) platform. That said, the Fusion is virtually indistinguishable from the current Mondeo in terms of size; the Mondeo is 191 inches long and the Fusion is 190 inches long.
The Contour was significantly larger than its Mondeo counterpart, by contrast - nearly five inches longer and much wider, IIRC.
Anyway, the reviews have to be taken in context- they’re talking about the Mondeo’s immense size relative to the other cars in its class, like the Renault Laguna (185 in.), Vauxhall Vectra (183 in., though the replacement Insignia is much bigger), Passat (187 in.), Peugeot 407 (184 in.), etc.
It was the previous generation of Mondeo. It was my car for a year in Mexico while I was (wait for it….) launching the Fusion! The Fusion is most definitely a huge step up from the previous Mondeo. But remember, the Fusion was built for Americans; the Mondeo was built for Europeans (different tastes/expectations). The current Mondeo is also a huge step up, and a gorgeous car to boot. The next Mondeo will be another step up. Look for it to replace the Fusion in a couple of years (although, I’d bet that we’re going to keep the Fusion name).
You may very well have nailed it. I think that’s the car I had. Another anecdotal data point: crappy interior. It would surpass 200 km/h though, so it had that.
The Fusion’s platform is a slightly modifed Mazda 6. With the divestment of Mazda, the next CD-sized car will be an almost direct carryover of the next generation Mondeo (whether it will be called a Fusion or Mondeo is anyone’s guess). [The European Fusion (should there be any confusion) is the wagon version of the previous Fiesta, but is still current.]
Interesting point on the cars. Living in the UK but having driven all sorts of US hire vehicles I have to say that the UK/European, in general, feel far more “luxurious” to me.
By that I mean that for a given class of car the Euro ones are more spacious inside (even if the external dimensions are smaller) and the fittings and fixtures are of a higher quality.
E.G. the current UK spec. Mondeo is a fabulous car, on a par with the mid-Mercedes models and fabulously economical to boot (Diesel versions can hit 50mpg easily).
I was given a lift in a “large” US sedan last week, can’t remember which one but I do remember you could hide three dead bodies in the boot, land a helicopter on the bonnet, but my knees were up around my ears in the back. (and the interior light fell out)
Not really (except for very expensive models) - there’s plenty of ‘averagely priced’ large cars used by taxi drivers and sales reps, but we just don’t really go in for the monster vehicles I’ve noticed on trips to the States. There certainly isn’t a craze for run of the mill SUVs like there seems to be in the US - mainly because they’re expensive to run gas guzzlers that are too hard to park and regarded as bad for the environment.
I think the main points about big vs small cars in Europe is that fuel is a lot more expensive and big cars just aren’t that practical in old, crowded cities on roads that were built before cars were invented. In London, the only people who drive really big cars are rich thoughtless people who get mocked for it. 4x4s like Range Rovers are called ‘Chelsea Tractors’ - Chelsea being a very wealthy suburb - as it seems so ridiculous to drive such an unsuitable vehicle in a congested city.
If people want a luxurious model, they’re just as likely to plump for a small sports car.
Exactly. I don’t think many people in Europe look at large cars and think “luxury” - certainly not SUVs. My perception of SUVs is: big, ugly, ungainly, expensive to run, handle like crap and a nightmare to park. If I was going to spend £50k+ on a car it would be on something small, sleek and fast, not some big tank-like thing.
What Europeans consider a “large car” like the Mondeo would be at best a midsize in the US, probably closer to a compact. Large American cars like the Honda Accord, Toyota Avalon and Ford Taurus are made exclusively in the US and not exported to Europe at all. The best selling car in the US, the midsize Toyota Camry, is also not sold in Europe. Europeans probably wouldn’t consider them luxurious if they had them.
The typical vehicle for a lower middle class American family would be something the size of a Range Rover, probably a little bit bigger even, with a much larger engine than the Range Rover - at least a 6+liter V8.
This is a Chevy Suburban. It shares the same underpinnings as the Cadillac Escalade that you may have seen in Britain. It is powered by either a 5.3l, 6.0l, or 8.1 liter V8.
This is an Ford F350 extended cab. It is much larger than a Range Rover, is powered by either a 6.8l petrol V10 or in this case a 7.3l Turbodiesel and weights over 6000lbs. If you find the biggest vehicle sold in the UK that isn’t a lorry or some kind of mining equipment, probably a V8 diesel Land Cruiser or something, and note the tow rating, it would be about half that of a F-350.
You will note that the people in that article were never particularly rich at any point in their lives. These are the types of vehicles that would be considered typical family vehicles in the US.
If you can actually afford luxury, then you’ve almost certainly traveled. Since by traveling, you encounter the luxuries of around the world, for anyone around the world to compete in the luxury market, they have to be able to be competitive with the rest of the world. In end result, actual luxury is pretty universal. In terms of, for example, hotels, the only thing that can make it better or worse by location is how much land there is available and how cheap land and workers are. The most luxurious locations aren’t generally in Europe or America, but rather in Bali or Egypt where there’s room to have a sprawling hotel with only a few large rooms and the help is cheap so there’s lots of service. Or if it’s a little hotel out in a poor town, then even their best is just whatever is affordable for that region. Europe might do a little better because the building might be a few hundred years old and gets a “quaintness” bonus, but that’s just sort of luck of the draw.
Chevrolet Suburbans and Ford Expeditions may not be uncommon, but they’re far from being the typical vehicle for a lower middle class American family. They’re much more likely to have a minvan/MPV, apart from anything else.
Europeans do not consider a mondeo a large car, that is a ridiculous statement. It is probably fair to say it is larger than the “typical” car, which would probably be, say, a Vauxhall/Opel Astra.
Cars actually highlight the differences I was talking about rather well; a paper comparison would show the typical yank tank to be in a different league to a european car in terms of spec, yet the european car is almost certainly a far better experience.
The quintessentially British car manufacturer is of course Bristol. They use chevvy engines.
So it’s larger than a typical car, but not a large car? Well, glad you cleared that up.
The Mondeo is the largest car in Ford UK’s lineup.
I doubt that you have ever seen a “yank tank” in real life. The typical British car, the VW Golf or Ford Focus, would be considered by most Americans to be barely adequate for teenagers or for children to learn how to drive on, and that’s the version with the biggest, most powerful engine. They don’t the typical British version with the 1.2l 77hp Diesel in the US because no one would possibly buy such an underpowered vehicle - they would be killed trying to merge on the highway. That’s the “far better experience” you refer to. Bristol sports cars use Chrysler engines.
The thing is, we’re back to “How does one define luxury?”
I mean, if I’m sitting in the Long Bar at Raffles in Singapore, enjoying an overpriced cocktail, I’m in the one the world’s premier luxury hotels. But- as awesome as the Long Bar is- it’s not really “Luxurious” (although I do plan to model my private lounge on it when I get a new house :p).
Similarly, I took a “First-Class” train between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, and by local standards it was luxurious- big, comfy seats, large windows, lovely air-conditioning. But by Western standards it was… pleasant, but nothing special.
However, I visited Hampton Court Palace in the UK some years ago, and that is definitely luxurious. I think “Luxury” requires an element of “Quality” to it- it has to be not only expensive and comfortable, but also well-made.
There is a specific terminology that people use when talking about cars, so that we know the difference between a large car and [Clarkson]“the largest car…in the WORLD”[/Clarkson]. Do you see what I’m saying?
I said the largest CAR. In any case the Galaxy shares the same underpinnings as the Mondeo. It isn’t significantly larger.
A larger percentage of Americans own and drive cars at all than Britons. Speed limits in the US and Britain are about the same, but there are of course many more places in the US not completely carpeted by cameras where one could possibly exceed the limit. I have no doubt all Britons drive like Jackie Stewart, just like all Americans drive 10 second Camaros.
No one would ever call a Mondeo a large car in a non technical context. If it’s technically a large car, fine. But to the man on the street it isn’t a large car.
Again I’m probably missing out on something, as again to the man on the street (and to me), the Galaxy is a car. If it technically isn’t (perhaps it’s a bonobo or swedish plastic chair), fine.
Outside of London, everyone, essentially, owns a car. America just happens to have even worse public transportation so a car is slightly more important.
As for cameras, they are generally not a problem on the motorway network, although they are the bane of the typical motorists’ life elsewhere. Fixed cameras are only in roadworks and variable or otherwise non-standard speed limit sections, as far as I’m aware, and the mobile ones stick to specific locations - off the top of my head the only locations are the M4 in Wiltshire and parts of the M6/M76 in Cumbria and Dumfries and Galloway, and the technically-not-motorway Dartford Crossing (which also has SPECS!), although I’m sure there are other places.
Our standard of driving has been consistently decreasing since they brought in speed cameras and the insane focus upon speed. For more information, look at www.safespeed.org.uk
