On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 16:35:30 -0400, flobert wrote:

> On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 11:45:12 -0400, "Bob Palmer"
> > wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>I am from Pennsylvania, over here in the states, and I was wondering how
>>everyone in Europe gets along without driving a pickup. I never see any
>>pickups on the road over there whenever I watch "The Amazing Race" or news
>>stories involving Europe. Are we Americans addicted to pickups for no
>>reason? I know most American families survived without them during the '50s
>>and most of the '60s. I love small economical vehicles. I am amazed at the
>>different makes and models available to Europeans and not to the US market.
>>A majority of the vehicles over here that are on the road are gas guzzling
>>bricks on wheels.
>>
> BBC's top gear did a review of an F150 in the UK a few months back.
> Actually it was the F150 lightning, but still. Anyway
>
> Pro - 2/3 seats, qualified for commercial vehicle rates, large load
> area, car-like driving position
> cons - huge reletively unpowerfull engine, handles like ****, load
> area open.

Hmmmm....my boss had a Lightening and I asked for a 'ride', he said "Key's
in it" didn't have to tell ME twice.

I thought it was a pretty damn good truck for a '68 Corvette!
The fact that it handled that well and that fast amazed me.

>
> There are *some* pickups, but they're not common, mainly rangers and
> hi-lux (a downloadable clip on bbc.co.uk/topgear/ does show them
> trying to destroy a hi-lux pickup - a must watch)

I've actually seen that on US telly and on the web.

but the drop-side
> transit is far more popular. Its not hard to see why either. The load
> capacity is greater, the engine more efficient, and, you can drop the
> sides, makes it more of a flat-bed with fencing. For everyday work,
> you've got a range of vans, of variosu sizes, from car-based ones
> capable of taking a full pallet with a car front-end, to long
> wheelbase hi-cube vans with a 3.5ton GMVW. Did i mention that these
> are enclosed, so hearer to steal from, and also more efficient, since
> you've not got the bed's door acting like a 'chute. They're not even
> that slow - a standard road legal Diesel transit can manage the
> nurenburg ring in just over 10 minutes.
>
>
> In short, pickups are too over-engined for family use (engines detuned
> for those damned slush-boxes) fuel inefficient, don't drive very
> nicely (poor handling and turning circles) and leave anything carried
> easily stealable.