Re: OT: Leasing cars

In article <1iuy4yo.qrsjovilfi3vN%steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, SteveH
says...
Bear <bastardDOTbear@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Obviously, the 156 is significantly quicker than both the petrol and the
diesel Focuses - but it does have 50% more power and, as I recall, a
couple of hundred kilos less weight to haul around.

Here's another question, and again *not* loaded ... if Alfa are so
committed to driving pleasure, why has everything mass-market from the
GTV onwards been FWD? I don't get it.

From the 164 onwards, really.

All down to cost - engineering a RWD platform just for Alfa doesn't make
any sense at all for a relatively low volume manufacturer.

It is significantly cheaper to take a Fiat chassis and re-engineer the
suspension (the GTV started this with trick multi-link rear suspension
that had passive steer, and was further enhanced with the 156 which also
got double wishbone front suspension) than it is to design a new car
from the ground-up.

Makes sense.

Could get interesting over the next few years, though - as Mr Tata is on
the main Fiat board, so there's a link to Jaguar, and Fiat have gained a
sizeable stake in Chrysler -

Eh? Don't Merc own Chrysler? I get so confused as to who owns what ...
has anyone done a "family tree" type graphic?

so I can see the bigger Alfas going RWD in
the not too distant future.

Cool. I would applaud that.

I wouldn't buy one, but I would applaud it :)

As it is, they have the whole FWD thing pretty well sorted these days -
especially with the 'Q2' differential.

Yes, but it *isn't* the same thing.

The 93 Aero Sport is stunning in its ability to disguise its FWD roots,
and I mean *stunning* - I'm outing it, so if I had any reservations with
its handling you know I'd say something, but it honestly does as good a
job as a FWD car can and then some, and I appreciated it during the
recent snowstorms.

But it isn't a RWD car, and never will be.

I ordered my Prius on Friday..... that'll be 'an experience', I suspect.

Honestly, whatever our differences in the past, I wouldn't wish that on
you :)

I guess you could have a go at seeing how low you can get the mpg?

Well, my new job means I'm not spending anywhere near as much time in
the car - but have picked up a lot more city centre driving - so an auto
box is more important than just about anything else. There's also the
issue that it'll do 90% of the MPG of the Focus, but petrol is 15p /
litre cheaper - but the company mileage rates are the same for diesel
and hybrids. Added to that, they're about 40% of the tax cost of the
poverty Focus I currently have, but come with lots more toys.

Keep us posted as to what mpg it *actually* does IRL - everything I've
read about them says the marketing is complete cobblers, and as you
won't be paying for the experience you can afford to tell the truth.
--
2002 Yamaha R1
Saab Aero Sport
Everything I write is merely my personal opinion - it's not fact unless
I claim it to be, and it's not verified unless I quote a source for it.
.

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