Disparaging remarks aside,SUV sales grow in Europe

[coolcaddy]

Disparaging remarks aside, sport utility sales grow in Europe
By Christine Tierney / The Detroit News

In Europe, many people view SUVs as symbols of road-hogging, pollution-spewing, U.S.-style automotive excess. Officials are weighing a variety of measures, from special taxes to urban bans on vehicles with poor emission ratings, to curb SUV demand. What do you say to that?

PARIS -- On the narrow streets of Paris' old neighborhoods, a mid-size sport utility vehicle like the Lexus RX300 looks massive as it winds its way alongside European compact and subcompact cars.

The sight rankles many people here who have come to view SUVs as a symbol of congestion, pollution and U.S.-style automotive excess.

"You have to wonder why people drive around in SUVs," the deputy mayor of Paris Denis Baupin said recently. "They're dangerous to others and take up too much space."

London Mayor Ken Livingstone has characterized SUV drivers as "complete idiots".

A streak of reverse-snobbery underlies the anti-SUV sentiment. In Stockholm's wealthier suburbs, the vehicles are nick-named "Montessori Jeeps," mocking owners who rarely take the SUVs off-road but use them to ferry their children to and from private schools.

So far, the remarks have not dampened demand. SUVs account for only 5 percent of European vehicle sales, compared with 26 percent of the U.S. market. But SUV sales are growing faster than overall vehicle sales in Europe. This year, SUV sales are up 15 percent, while the overall market has grown only 2 percent.

Now, officials across Europe are weighing a variety of measures, from special taxes to urban bans on vehicles with poor emissions scores, to curb demand for off-road vehicles.

Few would argue against a ban on vehicles in the crowded centers of old towns with narrow roads. Some governments impose higher taxes on autos with big engines.

But some proposals may target SUVs, even though they do not - as a segment - consume more gas or emit more pollutants than some sports cars or upscale sedans.

In Sweden, for instance, the government is weighing a tax on vehicles with high emissions that could add up to $5,000 to the price of a Volvo XC90. But SUV makers want to ensure that other types of vehicles are not exempt so that any measure will be an ecologically-friendly rule and not single out SUVs.

"The issues should be, do you cause congestion, do you have good fuel economy? There are mechanisms to address those," says Ford of Europe sales executive Earl Hesterberg. "Why pick out a certain shape of vehicle?"

It's a big issue for European automakers, which are rushing to fill demand. Volkswagen AG and Porsche AG now sell SUVs. And BMW AG has added the X3, a smaller version of its popular X5. More SUVs are on the way.

Automotive forecaster Global Insight predicts the SUV market in Europe will grow to one million vehicles by 2008, still less than 10 percent of the market.

"When you see these movements - this caricatural no to SUVs - it puts pressure on us to make cars that are more environmentally-friendly than they look and to answer [criticism] with facts," says Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan Motor Co.

Automakers should build more efficient engines to ensure that rising SUV sales do not slow the development of cleaner cars. They should also study crash-compatibility to protect passengers in smaller cars. But European legislators will only be fair if they target emissions and not specific product segments.

source

[coolcaddy]

"Those inefficient, anti-environmentalist Americans!...Hey, how many Euros for that Touareg?!" :P

[rsnumber2]

At least London Mayor Ken Livingstone backed his opinion with fact, didn't he? Kind of reminds me of the old Mike Meyers skit, "If it's not Scottish, it's Crrrrap!" I think it's about time Sam's Club invaded Europe.

:lol:

RS2

[mbukukanyau]

Originally posted by coolcaddy@Sep 28 2004, 06:36 PM

GM should introduce the one and Only H1 to Europeans. They seem to be captive to the far left liberals who control their Media.
No wonder more people in Belgium speak a foreign languege like Arab
I love this truck... Its a symbol of American might
Something the French and John Kerry and all cheese eating surrender monkey whizzels might not like very much

[LGRpup]

It was only a matter of time before some other country fell in love with SUV's. All I know is that we have building a crap load of export SRX's, with a majority of them headed to Europe.

[Butta]

SUVs are CRAP but that doesn't mean you should prevent people from buying crap. It's their right.

[Butta]

Originally posted by mbukukanyau+Sep 28 2004, 12:20 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (mbukukanyau @ Sep 28 2004, 12:20 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-coolcaddy@Sep 28 2004, 06:36 PM

GM should introduce the one and Only H1 to Europeans. They seem to be captive to the far left liberals who control their Media.
No wonder more people in Belgium speak a foreign languege like Arab
I love this truck... Its a symbol of American might
Something the French and John Kerry and all cheese eating surrender monkey whizzels might not like very much


[/b][/quote]
I came here to read about cars, not about your politic views or agendas.

[mbukukanyau]

Originally posted by Butta@Sep 28 2004, 07:29 PM

I came here to read about cars, not about your politic views or agendas.*

I am assuming you loved the mayor of londons insults too... after all its about cars... all americans driving SUV's are idiots Eh? I beg to differ.

Perhaps all those people who started the Landrover Factory in England during WW II were idiots. is that what the good mayor would like us beleive?

[tgagneguam]

This article reminds me of a similar article posted on GMI a few months back.

When I went to Paris recently, I don't recall seeing a lot of SUV's clogging some admittedly narrow French streets. However, Paris is clearly a wealthy city, and I have never seen such a concentration of S600's, 760Li's, Audi A8's, Aston Martins, and yes, Ferrari's - except perhaps in London. Thankfully, the Parisians have the good sense to drive these fuel-miserly, tiny vehicles. Monsieur Baupin must be pleased: "C'est formidable, n'est ce pas?!"

Dry up, Baupin; not everything American is evil.

[mbukukanyau]

Originally posted by tgagneguam@Sep 28 2004, 07:36 PM
This article reminds me of a similar article posted on GMI a few months back.

When I went to Paris recently, I don't recall seeing a lot of SUV's clogging some admittedly narrow French streets. However, Paris is clearly a wealthy city, and I have never seen such a concentration of S600's, 760Li's, Audi A8's, Aston Martins, and yes, Ferrari's - except perhaps in London. Thankfully, the Parisians have the good sense to drive these fuel-miserly, tiny vehicles. Monsieur Baupin must be pleased: "C'est formidable, n'est ce pas?!"

Dry up, Baupin; not everything American is evil.

Of course the French have money. Where do you think all that oil for food billions went?

[Butta]

Originally posted by mbukukanyau+Sep 28 2004, 12:34 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (mbukukanyau @ Sep 28 2004, 12:34 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Butta@Sep 28 2004, 07:29 PM

I came here to read about cars, not about your politic views or agendas.*

I am assuming you loved the mayor of londons insults too... after all its about cars... all americans driving SUV's are idiots Eh? I beg to differ.

Perhaps all those people who started the Landrover Factory in England during WW II were idiots. is that what the good mayor would like us beleive? [/b][/quote]
Maybe they are not idiots, but they are buying an idiot's car. Unless you use it for going off-road or towing, having an SUV is just a joke.

[mbukukanyau]

Originally posted by Butta+Sep 28 2004, 07:39 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Butta @ Sep 28 2004, 07:39 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

I am assuming you loved the mayor of londons insults too... after all its about cars... all americans driving SUV's are idiots Eh? I beg to differ.

Perhaps all those people who started the Landrover Factory in England during WW II were idiots. is that what the good mayor would like us beleive?

Maybe they are not idiots, but they are buying an idiot's car. Unless you use it for going off-road or towing, having an SUV is just a joke. [/b][/quote]
What is soo rational about any car above a Van, or a Chevy aveo? Why should people drive any car other than the most absolutely necessary? I have not seen any case against an SUV that can be rationally defended. Where do you draw the line between Rational and Idiot?

If you have one(case aganist SUV), lay it out, otherwise, throwing words like Idiots in no way advances your line that SUV’s are unnecessary. If anything they are as rational as any other vehicle one can buy. Its only a matter of preference as to how we choose to travel.
If we are to protect the environment, it might serve society well to rely on electric trolleys. But, then, we would live in a communist utopia.

A case can be made for fuel efficiencyand SUV's but not aganist the SUV, after all we have clean burning natural gas Trucks, Trains and busses, most in the US made by GM. Even the 60 Tank Abram Tank is a Gas Powered turbine engine, which burns cleaner per horse power than a comparable Combustion engine I have heard it said.
A Big Benz is as inefficient as a Big SUV. If anything some Big Benzes are more inefficient than Big SUVs. Why do people not oppose police crown Victoria interceptors? Those things are Gas Guzzling V8s.

I am utterly convinced that people opposed to SUV’s are liberals out to take away peoples freedom and control the way we live. When the government decides for you what car you drive, I am sorry, but you are not free. Its time to take your Gun and fight for your liberty. Assuming, you will have guns rights when your SUV rights go through the door. After all, are those opposed to guns not the same ones opposed to SUV’s? I find that intresting. With every law that restricts the choices I have, a little more power goes to the state, and with that, some more control of my life goes to the politician in charge of the state.



There is no rational case against SUVs.

[camaro chris]

Originally posted by mbukukanyau+Sep 28 2004, 07:20 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (mbukukanyau @ Sep 28 2004, 07:20 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-coolcaddy@Sep 28 2004, 06:36 PM

GM should introduce the one and Only H1 to Europeans. They seem to be captive to the far left liberals who control their Media.
No wonder more people in Belgium speak a foreign languege like Arab
I love this truck... Its a symbol of American might
Something the French and John Kerry and all cheese eating surrender monkey whizzels might not like very much


[/b][/quote]
i agree %100 i would love to see a hummer roaming through the narrow streets of europe. it would be funny

[Butta]

Originally posted by mbukukanyau+Sep 28 2004, 12:44 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (mbukukanyau @ Sep 28 2004, 12:44 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

Maybe they are not idiots, but they are buying an idiot's car. Unless you use it for going off-road or towing, having an SUV is just a joke.

What is soo rathional about any car above a Van, or a Chevy aveo? where do you draw the line between Rational and Idiot? [/b][/quote]
THE RATIONAL:

What's funny to me is that people actually think that SUVs are safer. Well statistics beg to differ. Just because it's a big hunk of metal doesn't mean it's safer. Even an econobox is safer.

So let's look at some common facts shall we:

SUVs are not as safe as your average car.
SUVs use more gas than your average car.
SUVs are a bigger danger to other cars.
SUVs tear up roads more than regular cars (Why?? One word WEIGHT).
SUVs bumper laws are less extringent than cars, therefore if you crash onto something your SUV will have more repair costs.
SUVs are a bigger danger to pedestrians (That one is very important in Europe).

Now don't get me wrong, if you need an SUV for lets say TOWING, FARMING, GOING OFF-ROAD, HAVE A BIG FAMILY, then you have a legit reason to own one, but the problem is, I usually see ONE person in an SUV, what a freaking waste. Now it's their right to own one, but it's also my right to call them out on their crappy car buying decision.

[gmsickofan]

Not all Europeans are Utopians who believe in some sort of semi-Communism where everyone is forced to drive a certain vehicle approved by "The State".

For people up in the snowy alps, a 4x4 SUV might be a nice alternative to some 30-year old diesel powered FWD beater.