Chrysler and Fiat
I have never owned a Chrysler made automobile, but I think this is just sort of a coincidence. Over the years they made a lot of good cars that I admired greatly. The problem was a lack of resources on my part mostly.
The cars I can remember lusting after were muscle cars with big V8 engines which got horrible fuel economy. Back in those days gasoline was so cheap that not many people worried about things like gas mileage. And almost all young guys worldwide bought into the absurd notion that if you drove a really flashy and fast car, the girls would flock to you, and you would get laid…a lot. This was all just marketing lies, but a whole generation of guys fell for it. Looking around at the number of guys driving V8 Mustangs and giant F150 pickup trucks, apparently many guys still do. These men didn't get it. The women want men who can protect them and give their children a good life. This tranlates to wealthy, successs, and power. And driving a Porsche 911 or a Ferarri is indicative one's level of wealth. But if you spend all your money making the car payments, insurance, etc., the girls are smart enough to see through the act.
For the last 25 years mostly the only “fast” cars I owned were also very sleek aerodynamically. They could happily travel all day long with the cruise control set at 130 mph (210 kph) if the traffic on the German freeways allowed it, and they would actually get close to 20 miles per gallon while doing it. I did own one Mercedes SUV with a humongous V8 in it, and of course on really good days it got about 8 miles to the gallon.
I have owned a few Italian engineered and constructed vehicles ove
r the years. Campagnolo was the absolute finest maker of top level bicycle components for many years. Vespas were great, and I sure enjoyed my Vespa motor scooter while I was living in Europe.
And the very last car I owned before I moved back to America two years ago was a Fiat. It was tiny, efficient, and reliable. Ironically it was the same model of Fiat that bumped into Princess Diana’s car in Paris the night that she died.
My bias about Italian made cars (compared with most modern Japanese cars) is that they are very innovative and far more attractive, but not even close when it comes to the solid reliability when they are driven over a period of 10 - 15 years. Sort of like French made cars.
I don’t give the Fiat-Chrysler combination much hope of success. It is kind of a last gap effort, but I sure do wish them well.
The cars I can remember lusting after were muscle cars with big V8 engines which got horrible fuel economy. Back in those days gasoline was so cheap that not many people worried about things like gas mileage. And almost all young guys worldwide bought into the absurd notion that if you drove a really flashy and fast car, the girls would flock to you, and you would get laid…a lot. This was all just marketing lies, but a whole generation of guys fell for it. Looking around at the number of guys driving V8 Mustangs and giant F150 pickup trucks, apparently many guys still do. These men didn't get it. The women want men who can protect them and give their children a good life. This tranlates to wealthy, successs, and power. And driving a Porsche 911 or a Ferarri is indicative one's level of wealth. But if you spend all your money making the car payments, insurance, etc., the girls are smart enough to see through the act.
For the last 25 years mostly the only “fast” cars I owned were also very sleek aerodynamically. They could happily travel all day long with the cruise control set at 130 mph (210 kph) if the traffic on the German freeways allowed it, and they would actually get close to 20 miles per gallon while doing it. I did own one Mercedes SUV with a humongous V8 in it, and of course on really good days it got about 8 miles to the gallon.
I have owned a few Italian engineered and constructed vehicles ove
r the years. Campagnolo was the absolute finest maker of top level bicycle components for many years. Vespas were great, and I sure enjoyed my Vespa motor scooter while I was living in Europe.And the very last car I owned before I moved back to America two years ago was a Fiat. It was tiny, efficient, and reliable. Ironically it was the same model of Fiat that bumped into Princess Diana’s car in Paris the night that she died.
My bias about Italian made cars (compared with most modern Japanese cars) is that they are very innovative and far more attractive, but not even close when it comes to the solid reliability when they are driven over a period of 10 - 15 years. Sort of like French made cars.
I don’t give the Fiat-Chrysler combination much hope of success. It is kind of a last gap effort, but I sure do wish them well.
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