European Market Cars Are So Interesting!

Last month I spent two and a half weeks in Germany and got to see so much history, drink great beer, and taste some great food. On top of all that, there were the cars. So, so many cars I have never seen in the wild and quite a few I wish were available here.

Smart Roadster

I shouldn't like this little thing. It's under powered and slow, with a top optioned 0-60 just under ten seconds, and build quality is reported to be not so great. But dammit, it's a good looking, tiny little two-seater that weighs less than 1,800 pounds!

Ford Focus ST Wagon

From the front these guys look the same as our US market hatches but they have a lot more room in the rear. The curb weight is about the same and performance has not been hurt by the bigger back end. I admit, I liked it better than the US hatch we get.

VW Amarok Pickup

These were very popular and quite attractive in the flesh. From the side it's very similar to the Tacoma and Colorado. Rumor has it VW has been considering bringing it here but I imagine the infamous Chicken Tax will make that difficult.

Wagon All The Things!!

Lastly, driving in Europe makes you realize how many wagons we miss out on. BMW's, Audi's, Toyota's, Honda's, and every other manufacturer has a large selection to choose from. They were everywhere! Since European drivers tend to dislike SUV's the wagons are the go-to family and gear hauler. It's not that the manufacturers haven't tried to bring them here, it's that Americans don't buy them! Recently, Acura brought over the Accord Estate as the TSX Wagon and it was a sales dud despite being a good looking, functional car.