DustinV

I like the Giulietta, but I like the Citroen C4 more. I'm a huge fan of the creative and daring Citroen designs, always have been since the '70s.

dunnojack

fatties can take the bus.

....or walk.

spwolf

C4 is less daring than old one... i see quite few in Zagreb and they look like any other car.

Giulietta is amazing.

Of course, Giulietta is 2x the price for base version, at least around here :-)

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

assume you know those pics are from the prophetic movie Wall-E.

yes, not to mention portable dvd players, ipads, laptops, phones, chargers, coolers, rain gear, strollers, diapers, food, clothes, coats, bags, tools, school books, etc., etc. it's no wonder the average american family needs an suv or minivan!

LexFather

The fact is Europeans are moving to bigger SUVs which might be small and midsize but they are much larger than the cars these people used to own. True Escalades etc don't litter Europe but they still are moving to larger vehicles. The Saloon sector is losing steam to the SUV sector which is growing fast.

Gotcha, double standard again. So Americans are fatty for liking big cars, European cars get bigger with every generation but now its "oh all cars grow in size and weight".



I tire of the American bashing (not you, in general) and I've said it before. If America is a bunch of fatties, then how about tell these European brands don't sell their cars for our market. B/C that is what they do and why their cars are so much bigger.

I can't think of a better case than of Mini, which now sells big cars and continues to get bigger, nothing "Mini" about them anymore. Why is there no article claiming Mini lost its roots and is a brand appealing to "fatties"?

Cars have evolved into damn near living rooms and since we are stuck in traffic many times it makes sense. If one wants a small bare bones car, you can still buy it.

THIS ARTICLE IS RUBBLISH b/c nowhere does it say American people are too fat to FIT in a small car. It is saying they don't WANT a small car. Guess what, nor do little people, teenagers, 120 lbs women and mimes. Small cars just DO NOT SELL in America and it doesn't matter the size of the person.

Pearlpower

iTrader: (2)

I have always said that an actual photo of passengers should be required on those airline kiosks. NO FAT PEOPLE!!! If I come across as offensive to some, time for you to understand that you offend others with your size and belligerence in believing you carry the same rights on public transportation as others. My most recent flight to HI was very uncomfortable due to this very reason. Smelled of cigs, bad hygiene, and took up my seatbelt space. To be honest, I even entertained the idea of having my attorney friend set a precedent and file suit against the airline and this lard A$$ just for giggles.

We are a society that is governed by poor regulation, out of control marketing, and hidden addictive ingredients. Before anyone is allowed to receive any type of taxpayer support, they should be required to at least make an attempt to stay healthy.

I have two young kids, two full time jobs (business), etc and I still manage to run, and lift weights 5 days a week.

NO FAT PEOPLE ALLOWED!

But, perhaps it is just me, I notice those in large SUVs, cars, etc. are generally not fat, they seem to step out of Tercels, etc.

And yes, I prefer the term fat to overweight. Call you what you are.

UDel

I could not have said it better myself. Younger generations "think" or like to "boast" they are more environmentally conscious then older generations when in reality they consume far more resources then older generations. I have noticed this mentality with younger people to just chuck it and get a new one when something breaks, is not working properly, or is considered
even the slightest bit out of date where older generations try to fix it or hang on to something and try to get their money's worth, which one is being more environmentally conscious. Your not saving the world or being green just because you drive a car with a big battery strapped to it or buy things that claim it is "green".

DustinV

And the larger vehicles people buy here still come with a variety of fuel-efficient engine options not available in the North American market.

Also, the demographics of Europe are changing. Europe has an aging consumer market which means older people are essentially doing a lot of vehicle purchasing. They want to enjoy something nice in their lifetime which either means an expensive luxury car or a comfortable (to get in) SUV. In fact, I recall an claim that stated the reason why SUVs and B class type cars are popular with the elderly is because they're comfortable to enter and exit since they're higher up than a standard car.



WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?



American cars have grown in size as well. Last month I attended a classic car event in Stuttgart and there were many American cars from the '70s at the event. Strangely, there were some more modern American and European cars parked amongst them. I saw a current Dodge Charger sedan parked next to a 1970s Dodge Coronet and the Charger made the Coronet sedan look frail and tiny. I even saw a mid-1990s BMW 3er coupe next to a 1960s Cadillac Coupe Deville and the BMW made the Cadillac appear rather small. We might not notice it, but cars have gotten subtly bigger and heavier and yet still more efficient.



Well, think about it for a second.

Would MINI be successful today if they offered a product that retained the dimensions of the original MINI Cooper?

They would not. The original MINI was truly a car for masses. Cheap price, spacious for its time and easy to park anywhere.

The current MINI Cooper and its derivatives have nothing in common with the original model except for the name. They've become a fashionable lifestyle product that sell based on the cult status created by the original, their cute design and perhaps sportiness. These cars need to be adjusted to the modern consumer market and that means offering more space, space and once again more space.

I'm 6'4" and I wouldn't comfortably fit into an original MINI.



And cars will continue to get bigger. I don't have a problem with that since there will always be more choices on the market in regards to vehicle size, especially in Europe.

However, what needs to be taken into account, in Europe, is that while cars grow in size, the parking space dimensions are not. It's getting difficult to park a BMW 1 series or Volkswagen Golf on some parking spaces here in Stuttgart, especially because most parking houses here are very, very cramped. Take my word for it, you can't park with a BMW 3er or MB C class in some of these places - they're simply to big.

And that's the reason why I drive small cars by choice. Easier parking given the local conditions. However, for my needs and the needs of my wife, my fleet is spacious enough.

LexFather

Stop making excuses for Europe. People want to blast Americans for big cars well guess what cars in Europe are getting bigger too. You can rationalize why, thats all find and dandy. The bottom line is the cars are getting huge, heavier and "fatter". They are getting so big, it lets BMW, Audi, Benz for example now slot cars below their previous entry level cars like the 3/A4/C-class.

Sorry but American cars of the 60s/70s are huge compared to the cars of today in most instances, bigger and heavier. They have gotten smaller from the cars of the 60s/70s. They might be bigger than cars of the 1990s but ALL cars have grown in size.

Small cars are great and its a great choice and option to have. Big cars are great and big cars are great to have. I think its ridiculous to blame "fat" people that cars are getting bigger when EVERYTHING is getting bigger. Houses today are far larger than cars of the past. Its not because of overweight people, its b/c people PREFER more space/room. Boats are bigger, hotels are bigger, everything is getting bigger.

Mini Cooper gets a pass I see.

To top it off, America seems to have more small cars being offered here than ever in the past. So this article again is RUBBISH.

TJW98LS

iTrader: (1)

I won't argue with the super-size parking spaces though! Reduces dings from careless people.