OT - Why does Europe get all the cool stuff??

[TMB]

http://www.volkswagen.de/de/models/california.html

[JeremyS]

http://www.volkswagen.de/de/models/california.html

The main problem with bringing the T5 models over here was that the retail price would have been prohibitive. Might have been pushing $60k for the California.

There's a number of T5 variants I wanted, back when I had a T4 Eurovan Weekender. I believe there was a diesel AWD camper I looked at in Berlin.

[xjoex]

Oh that's cool. Great mtn bike road trip car.

-Joe

[snah]

Oh that's cool. Great mtn bike road trip car.

-Joe

Certainly better than this Chrysler hybrid thing they're selling here now.

[ultraman6970]

To sell that van in here, they need to put a lot of safety features to the car and by the end of the process u had added like 5000000 pounds more of weight in junk that doesnt work and the fuel economy then is gone bye bye. Adding to a nice 50% or more in the price department.

The other day in the english top gear they compared a darn prius and a bmw M5 v8 with a road fuel economy test, guess what, the bmw killed the prious like for 5 miles. Easy, just drive the M5 like and old lady and you are all set. Well the guys hate the prious also, UK have so much fuel economy cars we wont see here in the states that is just nutz!! Prious, my azz....!

[Fixed]

oh boy i can just see all the germans parked to watch tony martin race in the t.d.f.
this summer lucky guys
cheers
http://www.bikeworldnews.com/2011/03/14/martin-moves-uci-worldtour-ranking-lead-victory-parisnice/

[Scott Shire]

We got Marylin Monroe. They're still not even close to catching up.

[Louis]

We got Marylin Monroe. They're still not even close to catching up.

What about Brigitte Bardot and Sophia Loren?

http://lavozweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/brigitte-bardot-4.jpg

http://poietes.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/sophia-loren.jpg?w=400&h=376

[ultraman6970]

Brigitte Bardot is one of the ugliest women ever, why she was famous? who knows because she was not even cute when was young.

Sofia? well she is in her own class.

Agree in MM.

[Louis]

Brigitte Bardot is one of the ugliest women ever, why she was famous? who knows because she was not even cute when was young.


Dude, you need to stop riding without a helmet.

That hit you took the other day must have scrambled your brains. ;)

[don compton]

Brigette,
Would you consider on some our club rides?
Don C.

[ultraman6970]

Probably if you take something like a cart or something, I bet she can go, well she can help spooking dogs and animals with her cane or something.

[willmeeker]

they have the scirocco too!
http://carphotos.tk/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/2009_volkswagen_scirocco-pic-3135.jpeg

[Louis]

they have the scirocco too!

That is neat. But to me it looks more Italian than German (which in this case is a good thing).

[Germany_chris]

It's never a good idea to look more Italian than German..

[Germany_chris]

You also have to remember guy's that cars here are quite expensive. My wife and I will probably buy a Toyota RAV 4 and it will cost close to 40,000 (diesel 4x4) euros do the math. But people keep their cars her longer than we do partially because they don't drive as far and partially because it's cost prohibative. As an example my father in law is 61 and has had 4 cars. Every thing here is more costly so don't get to envious.

[R2D2]

It's never a good idea to look more Italian than German..

I think food/wine is a perfect example when it is better to be Italian.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . one of those Westfalia camper vans when I was younger. Perfect for what my idea of camping is. Goes almost anywhere I would want to go but I don't have to sleep in a wet tent when it rains. Perfect.

BBD

[tele]

i have a lot of foggy memories of trips in my modified vanagon, thank god there are no pictures. :) . . . one of those Westfalia camper vans when I was younger. Perfect for what my idea of camping is. Goes almost anywhere I would want to go but I don't have to sleep in a wet tent when it rains. Perfect.

BBD

[Germany_chris]

The beer here trumps all the food and wine you'll find in Italy. Not to mention that Germans can produce quite fine wines also.
I think food/wine is a perfect example when it is better to be Italian.

[FlashUNC]

It's never a good idea to look more Italian than German..

So this might be a bad time to bring up the VW Golf was designed by an Italian?

[1happygirl]

It's never a good idea to look more Italian than German..


hahaha not as a girl. I would hate to have to shave every day. (just kiddn')

when my mom was younger she was a dead ringer for SL. That was b4 I met her and she's older now.

[1happygirl]

. . . one of those Westfalia camper vans when I was younger. Perfect for what my idea of camping is. Goes almost anywhere I would want to go but I don't have to sleep in a wet tent when it rains. Perfect.

BBD

+1000

Looked at a Eurovan Westfalia ed. 5-6 years after VW quit making them. They were/are scarce and priced so high with no equipment. People like to keep theirs.

[TMB]

+1000

Looked at a Eurovan Westfalia ed. 5-6 years after VW quit making them. They were/are scarce and priced so high with no equipment. People like to keep theirs.

Same here. Always wanted one of them. Found one in pretty decent shape on a car lot about 3 years ago. It had 225,000 kms on it and they were asking basically new price for it.

[R2D2]

The beer here trumps all the food and wine you'll find in Italy. Not to mention that Germans can produce quite fine wines also.
And I have a cellar of great German wines. From Kabinett to Trockenbeerenauslese, Spätburgunder and Sekt.
I have great Barolo,Amarone, ...
It's all good.

To quote an old punch line, "Beer makes me fart." :beer:

[TMB]

..........

To quote an old punch line, "Beer makes me fat." :beer:


Fixed it for you.

[R2D2]

Fixed it for you.

Thanks. I forgot about the fat aspect.

[majl]

One of the dads on my daughter's bb team showed up at the last game in one of these. Doesn't have the euro mystique but pretty cool nonetheless for what it does...

http://www.ursaminorvehicles.com/camper.htm

[Scott Shire]

It's never a good idea to look more Italian than German..

Unless we're talking about food, cars, art, clothes or bicycles.... totally. ;)

[fourflys]

. . . one of those Westfalia camper vans when I was younger. Perfect for what my idea of camping is. Goes almost anywhere I would want to go but I don't have to sleep in a wet tent when it rains. Perfect.

BBD

you can find some of the earlier water-cooled Vanagon based campers for a pretty good price.. a lot of people drop a Subaru boxer engine in them for a bit more power and less gasket headaches...

I would LOVE to find a decent priced late 80's Westfalia Synchro....

[Germany_chris]

Only the golf MK 1 the Mk2 was sexier

So this might be a bad time to bring up the VW Golf was designed by an Italian?

[bfd]

I've always been frustrated that BMW chose not to bring to the US the E87 1 Series five door hatchback like the 123d here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_1_Series_(E81)#Hatchback_.28E81.2FE87.29

With a six speed manual tranny, it does 0-60 under 7 seconds, yet still gets 40+ mpg. What's not to like?!

The problem is BMW is trying to maintain its image of a high end luxury car like it refuses to sells cars with a "hatchback." Yet BMW does sell the X6 and 5 Series GT which interestingly has a "hatchback." Of course, BMW gets $80-90K for those cars, so it has no problem with that....Good Luck!

[jeo99]

Brigitte Bardot is one of the ugliest women ever, why she was famous? who knows because she was not even cute when was young.

.
Granted she has not aged well(76) but I don't think you are old enough to really remember BB!

:beer:

[jeo99]

It's never a good idea to look more Italian than German..

I spent many years in both Italy and Germany. Not sure I can agree with your statement. I still have several German friends that would agree with me.

:beer:

BTW is the VW management still importing Brazillian woman on the company jets?

[don compton]

I've always been frustrated that BMW chose not to bring to the US the E87 1 Series five door hatchback like the 123d here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_1_Series_(E81)#Hatchback_.28E81.2FE87.29

With a six speed manual tranny, it does 0-60 under 7 seconds, yet still gets 40+ mpg. What's not to like?!

The problem is BMW is trying to maintain its image of a high end luxury car like it refuses to sells cars with a "hatchback." Yet BMW does sell the X6 and 5 Series GT which interestingly has a "hatchback." Of course, BMW gets $80-90K for those cars, so it has no problem with that....Good Luck!
Bmw and Audi/Volkswagen do not believe that Americans in the luxury, performance market believe that they can sell enough diesels to justify the investment. Its too bad. In Europe you can buy a very,fast John Cooper Special Mini-Cooper Diesel( high performance with incredible fuel economy).
Don C.

[Germany_chris]

I married my choice..

I spent many years in both Italy and Germany. Not sure I can agree with your statement. I still have several German friends that would agree with me.

:beer:

BTW is the VW management still importing Brazillian woman on the company jets?

[csm]

I've got a Eurovan pop-up with the stove, fridge etc. it's not that much different than what they are selling now.

[ultraman6970]

Yes i'm old enough. General culture i guess... is just like knowing "the virginian". Personally I never liked her, she was ok but not that hot, and looked tacky at least for me.


Granted she has not aged well(76) but I don't think you are old enough to really remember BB!

:beer: