Posted on 10/11/2006 4:15:03 AM PDT by Renfield
Davids Medienkritik discovered deep condescension toward America from a German executive whose company makes most of its money here. Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking defends the German “social model” of capitalism, and implies that we Americans are barely out of the backwoods with our rifles.
Europe’s culture is decidedly older than that of the USA. The Fuggers were doing business, while hunting was still the order of the day in America. Right now 37 million people in the USA live below the poverty line. The gulf between poor and rich has widened brutally. Do we want to have a situation like that in Europe and particularly in Germany?
Why would anyone buy an expensive car from a company whose head looks down on him?
I wonder what Herr Wiedeking has to say about the Japanese after a beers?
Ok, we´ll send our "unwilling to integrate Muslims" to you instead. Deal?
What's an M4?
:)
Anyway, proper sportscars are mid-engined rear wheel drive beasts that will be 1/4 mile ahead of you before you even realize that you've been passed.
:)
S4 Cab > 4000lbs, M3 = 3500lbs
Sports cars do not weight 4000+lbs.
You can bet an M3 would smoke S4 (cab or otherwise) around any track you can name.
I drove one (a Boxster S) for four years and 50K miles with only oil and filter changes, and even only three of those (every 15K miles). Contrary to what you say, it was a terrifically well-built car that required close to no maintenance. I had to give it up after my wife got pregnant. (sobs gently)
Please don't...
Oh, I´d rather send them back. I think that "mulit-cultural" societies cannot exist peacefully. Different ethnic groups start clashes when one or the other thinks they´re in a more powerful position, as history has taught us. So, either these different cultures form a new culture with their own identity (sort of like what happened in the US) or one of these groups assimilates, or we´ll have some trouble.
Regards, Ivan
We've all got some trouble coming our way.
Different reasons on the small scale, same reasons on the larger scale.
And more plastic.
2004 Audi S4 4.9
2001 BMW M3 Convertible (U.S.) 5.4
http://www.albeedigital.com/supercoupe/articles/0-60times.html
Admittedly, the M3 probably moved up a tick or two in that three year difference, and you probably would have to add almost a half second to the S4 time since it does not indicate that it's the convertible S4, but anything doing that kind of time 0-60 is definitely not your father's Oldsmobile.
At least most of us can spot an ugly car when we see it. Porsche must be a little miffed after losing the Sebring and Le Mans endurance races to an American car powered by a Ford engine.
That's a good point. The U.S.A as a nation is about 100 years older than Germany.
No question, the S4 (sedan or cab) is a fast car, but it's not a sports car. The Bentley Continental is a fast car too, but it's not a sports car either.
Fast alone does not make a car a sports car.
:-O
Oh.. and BMW got their butts beat but good by a Diesel powered Audi this year.
He's wrong about that, that Americans are still a self reliant people, but I wish it were still true. Also, on that note, I have heard it posited, correctly IMO, that the American soldier, coming from a free country was more able to think for himself than the German soldier. This was a decided advantage when the command structure fell apart. A contributing factor to the ass kicking we gave them not too long ago.
I note that Wiedeking brings out the old line about a widening gap between the rich and the poor. There is only one way to keep that gap constant and that is to limit wealth creation. Considering that wealth creation is the only thing that makes things better for the "poor," its limitation would not seem advisable, though it explains many of the problems of socialist societies.
Who cares what a German automaker thinks about America. Do they care what Lee Iacocca would have to say about Germany?
As for the cars, I've owned American, Japanese, and European cars over the past 30+ years. IMHO, European cars are overrated and overpriced. I'll never buy a Euro car again when there are better choices on the market.
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