And yes, as with TTAC’s Ten Worst, Detroit gets it between the eyes. From the Aveo (“if Fiesta is the iPhone of ‘minis, Aveo is a pair of polystyrene cups and a shoelace”) to the Sebring (“so bad, even the man at Hertz will wince apologetically as he hands you the keys”), to the Jeep Compass (“winner of the Not Going Down Fighting Award). But thanks to the wild diversity of the UK market, there’s plenty more to chuckle about. Asian oddities like the Ssangyong Rodius (“like the result of a genetic experiment by a blind, fingerless, sadistic scientist”) and the walking dead Nanjing/SAIC/MG F roadster (“it costs £16.5k. A last-gen TF can be had for £4k. Do they think we’re stupid?”). And weird Euro models like the 2CV tribute Citroen C3 Pluriel Charleston, the Mercedes CLC and the practical-to-the-point-of-horror Fiat Qubo. Bloated plutcratmobiles like the BMW X6 and Maybach Landaulet arelauded for representing rude hand gestures to “the environment, poor people and practicality.” Check out Top Gear’s Foreman blog for the full treatment, served up with trademark British acid wit. Meanwhile, the “iPhone of ‘minis” has won What Car?’s Car Of The Year award. The UK car buyers guide calls Ford’s Fiesta “the most complete small car we’ve ever tested.”
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Fantastic! Why is it that British slang is hilarious even before you find out what it means?
Bingo wings?
“…like a fat girl’s bingo wings”
The mind boggles. I can only think of skin hanging off the upper arms as she waves her bingo card in the air.
That polystyrene line is great.
My fave was: “I’d rather walk through mud on poorly built crutches.” Re.: the Sebring
“I HATE JEREMY CLARKSON” – You’re not wrong Jeremy, you’re just an asshole.
Really?
Its funny how the same people who call:
the french “Cheese-eating surrender monkeys”, environmentalists “Treehugger”,
Europeans “Communists”
– have a problem when Jeremy Clarkson calls the USA a country of “Gun-horny Fat Idiots who cant build modern cars”.
Its embarrassing when the US has no problem dishing it out, but can’t take it.
I don’t know if someone from france reads TTAC, but your audience is worldwide when you run a website in the english language.
;)
The Qubo made FNC.com’s list of Fiats they’d like to see over here in the States.
I think that the last car they chose from Fiat is one that no car lover – not even an irascible RF – would much disagree with.
Link…
http://www.foxnews.com/photoessay/0,4644,6358,00.html#1_0
Easy, jcap. I just thought it was funny that the shirt exists. And I don’t think I’ve ever used the term “surrender monkey.” On the other hand, I would guess that Clarkson would probably cop to the “asshole” label. You know, as a point of pride.
And where do you get the idea that TTAC is only critical of foreign countries? Criticism is an equal opportunity enterprise around here.
Anyway, I’d agree with the four actual cars FNC picked in dgduris’s link. Panda 4×4 and 500 would be popular. Bravo and Qubo don’t have quite the same level of appeal, but I’d pick both over a Caliber or PT Cruiser respectively.
Wow, the Sebring doesn’t seem so bad in that company!
I laughed pretty hard at the “bingo wings” comment too.
Bingo wings is a slang term used to describe the build-up of fat and/or extra skin that hangs from the underside of the upper arms (i.e. over the triceps). It occurs most frequently in elderly ladies and overweight people.
As per Wikipedia..
Edward Niedermeyer
I wasn’t picking on you in particular.
I just find it strange that TTAC has such a problem with Jeremy Clarkson when your “no holds barred” journalistic style is often reminiscent of his.
Also, people around here often get VERY defensive when foreigners criticize the US for anything.
The US should understand that as the worlds superpower, foreigners expect self confidence from the US. Nobody feels he has to hold back criticizing the bigboys.
BAHAHA! I love how they slammed the SsangYong Roduis. Seeing a picture of that car is why I am not surprised at all that SsangYong is out of business.
“Cheese-eating surrender monkeys”
Willie the Scot Janitor on The Simpsons, but he speaks for me!
the french “Cheese-eating surrender monkeys”, environmentalists “Treehugger”,
Europeans “Communists”
I’m European and I agree with at least two of those. And I’m not to fond of ‘the french’ in general either, but some of those 60mn people who live there are bound to be nice people.
I also agree with the general statement that ‘mericans are too fat, use up the world’s energy, can’t build nice cars and can’t drive a racecar fast (except when they come from Italy, as in Andretti, but the new generations, being born in the US, have miraculously lost that speed as a result). Yet still think they are and will be the world’s superpower….
Usually prejudice wouldn’t exist if there wasn’t at least some truth in it. But again, 300 mn people…
And, being European, I still do think the future will center around the pacific ocean, but to think the US would still be the leading power (‘we can lead once again’)…uh…not so much (and it’s not like I’m too glad about that).