Hmm, I've never heard anyone say that before. Although apparently American roads are a lot easier to drive on. The common criticism with American cars is that they don't corner or handle well (cornering is really important here - especially with roads like this: http://topcultured.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/The-Stelvio-Pass-Italy-Long.jpg). Maybe if something is made easier, there's less opportunity to build certain skills.
I tend to think the Finns outclass us Brits completely and it's for the reasons above. They have driving conditions we don't often see, plus they take driving *so* seriously. Between 1980 and 2000, a Finn won the world rally championship twelve times. The next best is Italy and Spain with two wins each (both the same person each time). That's how superior the Finns are; that a country with only five million people can completely dominate world rallying.
Yeah, that's true.
I own a Ford Thunderbird, it is LOVELY to drive (it's fast and low to the ground but heavy, it gives a great feeling of "I'm not going to fly off the road") but it can't corner at high speeds without going "skreeeeee" XD
I would agree that American cars don't tend to handle very well. I think I'd have to try a three point turn on just about every single one of those switchbacks in the picture.
Thinking about this again, it's a certain type of American car. The ones with live axles and stuff like that. I heard some still use the Hotchkiss drive system (I thought that went out in the 1960's). And the power output for the engines is pretty dismal. Rather than tune them up, it seems common to just make the engine bigger.
Having said that, the cars Ford make for the European market (here, the Focus and the Mondeo) are apparently excellent in pretty much every department (including handling). The Focus ST has a smaller engine than its predecessor (two litres, 122 CID) but produces more bhp (about 250) and will still get 40mpg and do 0-60mph in six seconds and they look great. I'm not sure America has really embraced hot hatch culture like everyone else, though.
So, you're an above average driver eh?
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Hmm, I've never heard anyone say that before. Although apparently American roads are a lot easier to drive on. The common criticism with American cars is that they don't corner or handle well (cornering is really important here - especially with roads like this: http://topcultured.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/The-Stelvio-Pass-Italy-Long.jpg). Maybe if something is made easier, there's less opportunity to build certain skills.
I tend to think the Finns outclass us Brits completely and it's for the reasons above. They have driving conditions we don't often see, plus they take driving *so* seriously. Between 1980 and 2000, a Finn won the world rally championship twelve times. The next best is Italy and Spain with two wins each (both the same person each time). That's how superior the Finns are; that a country with only five million people can completely dominate world rallying.
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NeuroNeptunian
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That road looks like fun.
Yeah, that's true.
I own a Ford Thunderbird, it is LOVELY to drive (it's fast and low to the ground but heavy, it gives a great feeling of "I'm not going to fly off the road") but it can't corner at high speeds without going "skreeeeee" XD
I would agree that American cars don't tend to handle very well. I think I'd have to try a three point turn on just about every single one of those switchbacks in the picture.
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dappled
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Thinking about this again, it's a certain type of American car. The ones with live axles and stuff like that. I heard some still use the Hotchkiss drive system (I thought that went out in the 1960's). And the power output for the engines is pretty dismal. Rather than tune them up, it seems common to just make the engine bigger.
Having said that, the cars Ford make for the European market (here, the Focus and the Mondeo) are apparently excellent in pretty much every department (including handling). The Focus ST has a smaller engine than its predecessor (two litres, 122 CID) but produces more bhp (about 250) and will still get 40mpg and do 0-60mph in six seconds and they look great. I'm not sure America has really embraced hot hatch culture like everyone else, though.