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Don't most German cars sell for 150-300% of the American car prices?
That's why they're still so profitable.


here is a typical american "sports" car
http://consumerguideauto.howstuffwor...t-corvette.htm
MSRP for this car is $48,565 - 103,970

Here is a typical German "sports" car - one that might be considered
somewhat equivalent
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...drive_rev iew

"base price" is $76,395-$93,095

seems to me that there is an overlap in prices, though the german variant
has some other models that are much more expensive.

I drive a german car on a regular basis - why? because it is comfortable,
fast enough, and small enough. I have tried every american car (and most
japanese cars) at one time or another - and I just do not like them - for
example, the 'vette above feels to me like a big car - if I want to drive a
big car I already have one (59 cadillac). A lexus is just uncomfortable and
confusing and it doesn't come with a manual transmission. The small cadilac
has poorly shaped seats that gave me a cramp in my back during the test
drive - only the seville was confortable, and it had what I would call
"scary handling" - I felt it wasn't safe to drive. A prius also had scary
handling but not as bad as the seville.

So why do german cars get a price premium - because some of us think they
are worth it. For the life of me, I can't imagine any reason why the big 3
couldn't make a high end small car except that they elect to ceede that
market to other companies. We owned the road in 1932, we gave it away in
1972.

Maybe I'll go test drive a Tesla - that could be fun - maybe it's
comfortable too.


** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **