It's all in the name...
22/07/07 11:00 Filed in: Personal
A couple of months ago.... No, I'll start from the top. In the UK we have something called the Sales of Goods act. Part of which basically, in legal mumbo jumbo, says you cannot give a misleading description to items.
So it's with this in mind that I'd like to talk about the sort of hire cars I've had to drive while on holiday in Florida.
First up...
The Dodge Charger
This aggressively design four door (but in the style of a coupe) car from the giant Daimler Chrysler organisation, in hire car form, is powered by either the 2.7 litre DOHC V6 or 3.5 litre SOHC V6 engines. Putting out approximately 190 bhp and 250 bhp respectfully.
Sounds good. Until you realise the that the Dodge Charger weights in at 2 (imperial) tons and nearly 2 (metric) tonnes! Making the bhp per tonne a considerably less impressive 95 bhp and 125 bhp. Compare this to a Saab 93 Aero Auto that weights in at 1.6 imperial tons or 1.49 metric tonnes. You can see what I talking about here. The Dodge needs to go on a diet.
Actual performance figures for the Dodge Charger concentrate purely on the HEMI powered car. With good reason. The 3.5 litre just about manages 0-60 in 8.9 seconds and a top speed of 120 mph. And just manages a terrible 19 mpg around town and 27 mpg top!!
Plus the 2.7 litre car has a measly four speed auto transmission. That's 11 seconds for 0-60 and actually worse fuel economy than that 3.5 litre. Which confirms my suspicion that my 1.3 litre turbo diesel car was in fact FASTER than the Dodge Charger.
Which brings me back to the Trades Description act. The car couldn't 'charge' and it's dodging ability left a lot to be desired!
Mercury Grand Marquis
Wow.. I mean where to start..
The 1970's 'box on wheels' styling?
The suspension powered by jelly (jello to you Americans)
The asthmatic 4.6 litre V8 that barely pushes out 224 bhp in a car that weighs in at a staggering 4,094 lbs.
The 'change in my own time' four speed automatic with amusing 'increase engine noise' button... that doesn't actually make the car go faster.
The less than funny 17 - 25 mpg
None. It's the completely pretentious Grand Marquis name. Grand Marquees would be more appropriate. Tent metaphor aside, this is the first US car I've driven where it actually felt like I was a sea captain and the only car where all three of my kids got motion (or potentially 'sea') sick when I drove.
Well done Ford motor company. For a car that should have been forgotten about in the 1970's and never repeated.
So what do we get in Europe by comparison?
Well, here is the 2007 Ford Mondeo. It's shorter than the Mercury Grand Marquis on the outside. But it's actually bigger on the inside. Not to mention it handles, performs and has massive gas mileage by comparison.
Think it's time to start importing from Europe?
So it's with this in mind that I'd like to talk about the sort of hire cars I've had to drive while on holiday in Florida.
First up...
The Dodge Charger
Sounds good. Until you realise the that the Dodge Charger weights in at 2 (imperial) tons and nearly 2 (metric) tonnes! Making the bhp per tonne a considerably less impressive 95 bhp and 125 bhp. Compare this to a Saab 93 Aero Auto that weights in at 1.6 imperial tons or 1.49 metric tonnes. You can see what I talking about here. The Dodge needs to go on a diet.
Actual performance figures for the Dodge Charger concentrate purely on the HEMI powered car. With good reason. The 3.5 litre just about manages 0-60 in 8.9 seconds and a top speed of 120 mph. And just manages a terrible 19 mpg around town and 27 mpg top!!
Plus the 2.7 litre car has a measly four speed auto transmission. That's 11 seconds for 0-60 and actually worse fuel economy than that 3.5 litre. Which confirms my suspicion that my 1.3 litre turbo diesel car was in fact FASTER than the Dodge Charger.
Which brings me back to the Trades Description act. The car couldn't 'charge' and it's dodging ability left a lot to be desired!
Mercury Grand Marquis
The 1970's 'box on wheels' styling?
The suspension powered by jelly (jello to you Americans)
The asthmatic 4.6 litre V8 that barely pushes out 224 bhp in a car that weighs in at a staggering 4,094 lbs.
The 'change in my own time' four speed automatic with amusing 'increase engine noise' button... that doesn't actually make the car go faster.
The less than funny 17 - 25 mpg
None. It's the completely pretentious Grand Marquis name. Grand Marquees would be more appropriate. Tent metaphor aside, this is the first US car I've driven where it actually felt like I was a sea captain and the only car where all three of my kids got motion (or potentially 'sea') sick when I drove.
Well done Ford motor company. For a car that should have been forgotten about in the 1970's and never repeated.
So what do we get in Europe by comparison?
Think it's time to start importing from Europe?