agreed, and yes trains are super efficient...no sense in long haul mother truckers

 

Yup thank god. No sovereign country would ever want to radically minimize the diversification of their fuel mix. In fact, it's important that you have many sources and varieties as possible in your energy mix.

If any action will be implemented, then the most logical option would be to make Diesel fuel more expensive than Unleaded. This is what the United Kingdom is doing...........and France could explore that option.

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P.S.

I know there are a number of subcompact French cars such as the Clio, 208 and DS3............but I still don't believe that subcompacts of A-segment and B-segment make up the majority of the automobile population of France. I think French people have more money than that...........so at the very least, they should be able to afford compact cars and C-segment vehicles like 308, C4/DS4 and the Renault Megane.

With that said, regarding the 508 and DS5:
I wouldn't say many of course............but I doubt that there would be very little amount of D-segment or executive mid-size cars in France...........to the point that these are needles in a haystack. Comparing the Philippines vs France for example:

Lower income versus lower cost of living (Philippines) AGAINST Higher income versus higher cost of living (France)

It more or less evens out but so far, France may still have a net lead or net benefit at this moment.

Point is. I see quite a number of Toyota Camry and Honda Accord cars here. If that is the case, then there are French people that can afford cars like the 508, DS5 as well as the Renault Laguna.

 

The Clio, 208, Captur, and C3 are far and away the best selling cars in France so that tells you that most cars are A and B segment.

 

It's nothing to do with how much they make, rather what type of vehicles are most suitable for their roads. Have you driven around France, specifically their cities? If I lived there, I would definitely buy a small car.

 

I'm not sure about Paris, but London already taxes vehicles simply for the privilege of driving downtown and parking.



Yep....the classic example of that is D.C.'s I-495/95 Beltway around the city. It's even worse than most of the others, because unlike most other large cities, D.C. does not have continuous freeways going completely through the city...they enter, stop, and/or change into other types of roads.

 

I have to find the article, but I think Paris is looking to ban diesel vehicles by 2020. If that is true, I am wondering how workable is that in the next 5 years and how will they enforce that?

 

100% total diesel ban. Francois Hollande shouldn't resort to such extreme idiocy.

 

some smaller european cities only allow ev, phev and hybrids currently...

 

yep, and midsize sedans are dying in europe, fast death w markets imploding by up to 30%...


http://bestsellingcarsblog.com/2014/...e-in-40-years/


we can check november sales until its available, 508 is 31st.

 

With all the tax-revenue that Europe collects on diesel fuel? From what I understand, it is not taxed as heavily as gasoline, but it's still a good sum of cash.

 

Sadly true........in that hatchbacks are more popular in Western Europe over sedans/saloons.

The only exceptions seem to be Ireland and Eastern Europe (where saloon/sedan cars still have a following).

I'm kinda split on this one. At one point I can understand that D-segment midsize cars aren't that popular there. Still nevertheless, 1000+ units a month (for a country like France) is still quite a lot =)

 

thats by far their best market but it is declining fast... ppl are buying suvs instead.

Germany is one of the few that is still buying many sedans, but that doesnt help French at all.

Quite possibly 4-5 years from now fee cars will dissapear from this class in europe.

 

That is sad

And I've heard that Renault is unsure on whether they will continue with the Laguna for the next generation. With the current gen, they've stopped making Right Hand Drive units and the existing LHD models are just being sold to clear invetory. The V6 Petrol and Diesel variants (for the Coupe) are also phased out

I guess only the Renault Latitude remains.

IMHO people there should work harder so they can buy higher classes of cars. If people there want to improve their lives, then upgrading from subcompacts to higher vehicle segments should be something that people should put priority on.

Cars like the 508 and the DS5 are supposed to set the standard for the French automotive industry....

Unless of course, majority of young French people don't want to buy a car anymore.........and would just stick to public transportation like Paris Metro, RER B, TGV Bullet Train (in fairness, France has a good quality public transport system)

 

Western Europeans who live in the cities, especially the larger cities, do not need cars because they have excellent transit systems of buses, subways, trams/trolleys/streetcars, even taxis and car-sharing services. Even if they owned cars, they would have no place to park them. Car-sharing services are also growing, so for those who occasionally need a car but do not own one can "borrow" one when needed.

Those who do drive would be driving on small, narrow roads that in places seem to be merely paved country / farm roads. I have not driven in Western Europe for a few years now, but when I did, driving compact (early, not current Ford Mondeo) and mid-size cars, it was scary because of the narrow lanes. Growing up in North America, with its wide-open spaces and wide road lanes, you are much less worried about another car overtaking you or an on-coming car swerving into your lane but a North American driving in rural England and Wales? Forget it!

So why drive unless you really have to?

 

yup and it's game over in the u.s. as cuv/suvs outsell sedans and of course trucks are HUGE too. the traditional sedan only continues to sell so well because of 'tradition' but more and more people realize they don't make much sense practically.

as you know, in europe where parking and roads are tight in many places, a small vehicle with maximal space is the norm - i.e., a hatchback. in the u.s., larger hatches like kia soul, honda fit, elantra, and others are doing quite well. of course civics, corollas, accords and camrys (and others) still sell in huge numbers, but i bet a huge number of those are sold to older people and sales will drop hugely when that generation is gone making way for more yaris, fit, and cuvs, etc.

'fee'? maybe you meant few... and if so, i agree. and i don't mind.