Approving US-made anything would make the UK less safe
this post was submitted on 08 Apr 2025
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I remember this same whole "Wahhh! You don't buy our cars!" palaver playing out with the US and Japan back when that cunt was first expressing his love of tariffs. (Late 80s/early 90s)
Sure, Japan had some trade barriers. But Japanese automakers absolutely worked their arses off with market research, design etc in order to succeed at selling in the US market. US automakers couldn't even be arsed to install coin holders that fit Japanese coins, let alone put the steering wheel on the right side of the car.
And even if US automakers nowadays showed even a modicum of nous for foreign markets, practically their entire production line has been geared to churning out ever more monstrous pickups and 4x4s, thanks almost entirely to their fucked up tax rules on vehicles.
The funny thing is, the one American automaker that made an effort did quite well and we sometimes forget they're American, namely, Ford.
The thing is, that twat in the White House doesn't care about cars sold in Europe by US companies, only cars exported to Europe from the US.
And IIRC Ford has completely ended the production of saloons and hatchbacks in the US to focus solely on US-tax-break-covered "light trucks": 4x4s, crossovers, pickups, vans etc.
AFAICT there is only one Ford-badged saloon left in production anywhere in the world (the Mondeo/Taurus, with no successor planned), made by a joint venture in China and sold in the Middle East. And the last estate (Focus) is expected to be discontinued this year.
Leaving only oversized energy-guzzlers (even the full EV 4x4s have a bigger carbon footprint than a compact ICE hatchback) unlikely to win a huge swathe of the European market even before he alienated every non-fascist on the continent.
You make a fair point, my comment was more to say that US brands can make a good sensible car if they want to and be damn successful at it. I'll be a little sad when they discontinue the focus. Have they stopped Mondeo estates as well?
I guess the Puma/Capri combo are a more euro-centric SUV.
I think one of the articles I looked at said the Focus estate is their last estate and is expected to end production this year or the next.
Yeah makes sense, Focus definitely ends production at the end of the year. Always been a fan of Fords in general, decent quality, decent price, just all round decent cars.
Having driven in the US.
There smaller trucks/lorrys often used for rental etc. Uhual etc.
We really do not want that shit on our roads.
And as the same law is what allows many of there huge suvs. Nope def not a good idea.
Every nation that sells cars. Expects to adjust them to differing standards. Even the US he ce why Vauxhall exists.
Trump is being his usual cos I say so self with no real merit to his claims.
At no point should the UK be willing to lower standards to trade. Just as we have to adapt or not sell cars the US wont cert. If the US considers europe ir the UK a worthwhile market. They can continue to adapt.
They would have some resemblance of a point if we only made rules on their cars. But most cars sold in the UK are imported. Why the hell should the US get discounts our own manufacturers dont.
Even the US he ce why Vauxhall exists.
Not to detract from your point (because you're completely correct), but just an FYI that Vauxhall/Opel has been European owned for some time now. General Motors sold it to Peugeot back in 2017, and it's now part of Stellantis.
Ford had (and still has) essentially the same arrangement, only in their case they use the same brand. Ford Europe and Ford USA are pretty much entirely separate companies, owned by the same parent; hence why their European car lineup looks mostly nothing like their US lineup.
Thanks due to vision loss I've not been able to drive since 2010ish.
So have not been paying attention to the market.
Oops.
The huge American "pickup" trucks aren't even useful for practical work apparently. Apparently the beds are too shallow and too high up. It's literally just for aesthetic.
In the US most equipment suppliers have raised loading unloading for contractors.
So the big pickups are designed to be a similar height to low loader semis in the US.
I sold a washing machine second hand and the guy with a ute (pickup-truck) that came to get it spent ages securing the load in the centre of the bed so that it wouldn't rub on the expensive rub bars. This guy was so fucking fragile about his ute I was amazed. I've known blokes to buy a new ute and basically had the attitude of the tray is for working, if you damage the cab I'll be pissed. They've also had a simple metal tray, not some painted complicated thing without decent tie down points.
The car equivalent of people who don't want their sneakers getting dirty
Even the Torygraph is against this. Huge utes seem to be used around here to tow boats a reasonable amount, but I still reckon a classic landrover would do a better job.