Do Americans prefer not to buy American cars because of the way they look? (muscle car, GPS) - Sports cars, sedans, coupes, SUVs, trucks, motorcycles, tickets, dealers, repairs, gasoline, drivers... - City-Data Forum

1979 · 11-10-2008, 05:14 PM

Cars U.S. automakers produce are ugly! A Cadillac or a Lincoln used to be beautiful! But not anymore. How many years did it take the companies to realize Americans like the retro look. The Mustand is a beautiful car, and has sold well. Now, Chrysler has the Challenger, and GM has the Camaro. I Cadillac should stop trying to look like a foreign import and start looking like a Cadillac again. Town Cars are suppose to be big and luxurious. I remember the Lincolns of the 1970's. They were the most beautiful cars on the road.

mufc1878 · 11-10-2008, 05:28 PM

it isn't the exteriors that bad, it is the interiors of domestic cars that are horrific. absolutely poor interior designs, ergonomics, material quality, and build quality.

JTraik · 11-10-2008, 05:42 PM

I am a Cadillac fanatic and I agree with you... they lost their distinctive styling when they entered the 2000's. I do think the new CTS's look very mean... that look also has engineering purpose to it as well. However their full size DeVille's aren't very appealing to me. They need to go back to the big wide body with fender skirts and rear-wheel drive. On the other hand I still really like the Lincoln TC's and they have maintained the RWD which is a big seller for me.

MIKEETC · 11-10-2008, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1979

Cars U.S. automakers produce are ugly! A Cadillac or a Lincoln used to be beautiful! But not anymore. How many years did it take the companies to realize Americans like the retro look. The Mustand is a beautiful car, and has sold well. Now, Chrysler has the Challenger, and GM has the Camaro. I Cadillac should stop trying to look like a foreign import and start looking like a Cadillac again. Town Cars are suppose to be big and luxurious. I remember the Lincolns of the 1970's. They were the most beautiful cars on the road.

Certainly you must agree that the Cadillac XLR is a sharp looking car, yes?

1979 · 11-10-2008, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MIKEETC

Certainly you must agree that the Cadillac XLR is a sharp looking car, yes?

Consider its price range, and the cars it competes with? How can you justify 60K+ when the interior has so much plastic? So cheap in detail? Also, this is the car that took over the Eldorado which was a flagship. It's so sad, but Cadillac has lost it

Phixius · 11-10-2008, 06:46 PM

When and if should I decide to sell my current track car, I'm going to purchase a second hand C6 Z06.

I never thought American cars were very unattractive, they just haven't been 'sports cars.'

Like Top Gear summarized this past week, Americans were good at one thing, muscle cars, big engines, crude suspension, and loud colors. "It's like a big impressive body builder but when you pull down his trousers..."

M3 Mitch · 11-10-2008, 06:55 PM

I'm just not that much into newer cars, they don't represent much of a value to me, since the wrench is pretty strong with me - there isn't much that can go wrong with an older rig that I can't fix, in a cost-effective manner.

Most newer cars are over-complicated, for example BMW's I-Drive, which can in some circumstances keep the car from starting (security code) and in any case is an uber-complex way to run the radio and heater - A/C.

Current American car styling is part of it. Consider the two above - to me at least they are to the 1960's original exactly as Madonna is to Marilyn. A plastic, current-day knockoff that is similar but not quite right.

Joe Average Amerian (apparently) wants a car that's bigger, softer-sprung, "built for comfort not for speed" - about the opposite of what I want. And all of the built-in obsolescence of GPS nav, "On-Star", etc. I can read a map. I don't need this stuff and don't want to pay for it.

Really about the only current-production car I would want is the Lotus Elise...

MIKEETC · 11-10-2008, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1979

Consider its price range, and the cars it competes with? How can you justify 60K+ when the interior has so much plastic? So cheap in detail? Also, this is the car that took over the Eldorado which was a flagship. It's so sad, but Cadillac has lost it

I agree that the interior of American cars leaves a lot to be desired. But the XLR on the outside looks good (to me anyway). I'm not very familiar with the XLR's interior materials and quality, so I can't really comment. My position is similar to that I have with the Corvette Z06. Lotsa plastic but the rest of the car makes the compromise acceptable...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fleet

No. Not for me, anyway. Because they are not traditional Cadillacs like these 1974s are...

The 70's era Cadillacs are not my favorites. Regarding "old school" Cadillacs, I'd have to go with the cars from the 20's and 30's. Just my opinion...

MIKEETC · 11-10-2008, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M3 Mitch

...

Really about the only current-production car I would want is the Lotus Elise...

I saw one of those the other day...very nice. It was dark blue...

JTraik · 11-10-2008, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phixius

Like Top Gear summarized this past week, Americans were good at one thing, muscle cars, big engines, crude suspension, and loud colors. "It's like a big impressive body builder but when you pull down his trousers..."

Top gear never gives any respect to American cars even when they blow the doors off all the European cars those fools coo over.