An Auto Holiday

Spending ten days in England for an auto enthusiast from the US is like spending ten days in Disney World as a kid. Not only are the roads more enjoyable, the speed limits higher, and the drivers more courteous, but the cars are also much more interesting. Here are some random thoughts and some photos from my recent trip:

• MINIs and Minis are everywhere – they seem to be about 50-50 in terms of what's currently on the roads.
• BMW & Audi wagons seem hugely popular. And not just with what we in the US would call “soccer moms.” They seem popular with both young professionals and young families alike.
• It seems like half of all newer 3 series had OEM 18″ wheels. From what I can gather they come with the sport package where the US gets 17″ wheels. Then it occurred to me (as it probably just did to you) – English roads are much better than those in the US making 18″ wheels less of a chore to deal with. No wonder it seems some Americans are the ones who seem to complain loudest about the jarring ride of the MINI.
• Very little snow = very little salt on the roads = much less rust = tons of cool old cars.
• What the heck is this?
• The Audi A3 and the BMW 3 series compact seem to be quite popular.
• Honda and Toyota generally don't bring their American made cars over here. The UK (and the whole of Europe) gets much more interesting cars. For instance, the current Acura TSX is the plain old Accord over here. Even Toyota's mid-sized 4 door sedan, the Avensis, is rather good looking. (When was the last time you could say that about a Toyota?) There's not a Camry or Civic in sight.
• The Jetta (the most popular VW in the US) seems to barely sell in the UK. From what I can gather, people don't quite understand why you'd want a 4 door when you could have a 5 door hatch like the Golf. It's also not called the Jetta but the Bora.
• Speaking of the Golf, as many of you know VW released the next generation last fall pretty much everywhere in the world but the US. We'll get it sometime in early 2005, I believe. Interestingly, I saw only three of them the entire time I was over there. And one had just been involved in a pretty bad accident (no joke!). Not the prettiest car in the world (less so when smashed). From what I can gather from the automototive press the new Golf so far as been a bit of a sales dissapointment. It seems very apparent considering the number I saw.
• Among newer cars there seemed to be more of the Peuguot 206 and the BMW 3 series than anything.
• The Smart Roadster is cool to look at. But after sitting down in one and flipping the switches it makes the MINI feels like an S-Class. Still, for the money it's a very cool car. It's just that once you're inside it feels very cheap and disposable.
• BMW 1 Series brochures were out at just one dealership out of three that I visited. The one I did get took some bargaining! I can't believe this car isn't coming to the US!
• The BMW M3CSL has the most incredible carbon fiber work I've ever seen from an OEM. The door panels themselves are just brilliant. Let's hope that BMW's investment into this material shows up someday in the MINI.
• Wow, MINI has nothing to fear with the Mercedes A-Class coming to the US. How MB sees a market for that yet BMW doesn't see one for the 1 series I'll never understand.
• The MINI One seems to sell fairly well in England. I learned during the plant tour that the engines used by the One and Cooper are literally identical when they first come to the plant.
• Going 90 and getting passed by an Audi RS4 doing 120 is humbling.
• The MINI could be considered a large small car in the UK.
• It seems the most popular shape is the 5-door hatch.
• The smaller cars from Peugeot, Citroen, Vauxhall, and Fiat are very impressive. They would trounce anything in that category in the US in terms of design and quality – except maybe the MINI. I'm really not sure why they aren't sold here. I think Americans are getting more used to upscale 5-door hatches and I can't help but feel they would do well if given the right kind of marketing.
• The largest SUV you'll see in the UK is the X5 or something similar. Even those are very rare compared to the US. It was a nice change of pace from SUV-clogged US roads.
• TVR Tuscan is the closest thing you'll see to the batmobile on the streets.
• Almost $60…how much is cost to fill up my rented Cooper.
• 97mph…the fastest I got up to on the M25 – and I was still getting passed!