i got an issue of Car and Driver from 1985 because it has a Coupe GT article in it. inside they claim that audi considered a lawsuit against ford for the aestetic, steering, and suspension similarities of the coupe gt and the 80' ford mustang. audi aparently felt that ford launched the 4-cylinder mustang to directly compete with what they thought would be a very popular car in america. well, ford, as usual, was right on the ball with that one. heh. with a total of less than 5k sold, the coupe gt must really have put a dent in mustang sales.
anyway, i just thought that was interesting. i had really noticed how much alike the mustang, escort GT and the coupe GT look alike. that's amusing on a deeply satisfying level.
AudiSport4000
12-03-2002, 04:37 PM
The Dodge Spirit resembles the 4k from the front? I think its the Spirit, one of those early 90's Dodge/Chrysler makes. Ive been fooled many times by oncoming traffic at night and thinking one of them was a 4k or CGT!
Mike
1hot4000s
12-03-2002, 04:46 PM
Nervikterklieb
12-03-2002, 04:46 PM
the front of the old corrollas resemble that as well
A guy in my addition had one for sale and I was really wanting my own car. It wan an 86 or 87 and had all the power goodies. I test drove it and by the time I got back, the car was steaming from under the hood. Needless to say, I didnt buy the Taurus. What a piece.
Mike
Afroney
12-03-2002, 06:40 PM
Have you ever noticed that the rear ends of 80's Audis look exactly like the rear ends of early 90 Accords, and Preludes. The tail light and trunk setup is the EXACT SAME! Wonder who copied who?
JeromeS.
12-03-2002, 06:43 PM
Ok, personally I think the audi would have sold more if they were made in the us. Anyways, the question is..what makes euro cars way more expensive than others? Is it cause the manufacturing of materials? Importing? Are vw, audi, bmw etc "cheap" in europe (meaning cheaper than us)? Just wondering.
Nervikterklieb
12-03-2002, 07:08 PM
european cars like audis are slightly more expensive here than in europe due to shipping costs. However, VWs, BMWs, MBs, SAABs, and Volvos are about the same these days, as alot of the ones sold here (save special edition and sport models), are actually made in the US or Mexico (by the way, germany, mexico, and the US, are 1st 2nd and 3rd respectively in quality ratings. There are models od Mercedes in europe we don't get here, these are like the fords of europe, and are fairly middle of the road as far as price goes. Audi's, however, are all made in germany (let's hope it stays that way), and since they have to be shipped here, and the average german factory worker makes $10 more per hour than their american counterpart, and to the fact that they have exceptional design and quality standards, audis are expensive everywhere compared to VW, etc. So, in short. These cars are slightly less in europe (maybe the equiv. of $2k), but there's more of them there, so when they are used, the prices are driven down faster than they are here.
Evilclown
12-03-2002, 07:13 PM
Someone hit on a good design and everyone else ripped them off. On a sidenote, some Dodge 1.6 engines from that era are actually VW motors; Chrysler couldn't keep up with demand, so they had to source engines from VW and Renault.
Evilclown
12-03-2002, 07:15 PM
Audi almost sued Ford over the StreetKa, since it's an almost exact copy of the TT, only smaller and with some Ford touches(read: ugly).
Afroney
12-03-2002, 07:29 PM
My dad always told me import cars are always more money, because the U.S. has decided to put tarrifs (fees) on imported cars, which jacks the prices up. Probally did that to keep American made cars from going out of buisness, I mean German and Japaneese cars are so much better than a crappy, cheaply made, throw away car like a Ford. (Although seems that the Americans are getting better at making cars) I guess thats why part imported parts cost so much. (So im told)
AudiSport4000
12-03-2002, 07:30 PM
I showed him the 84 4k I had and he looked under the hood and said "I saw a Dodge with an engine like that." I personally thought he was dumb for even telling me that, but now I regret that.
oops...
Mike
Max'sCoupeGT
12-03-2002, 08:52 PM
SteveAngry
12-04-2002, 01:04 AM
Yeah, Dodge/Chrysler was getting some of thier engines from the VW Westmoreland, PA plant back in the eighties...
VW abandoned the plant and Dodge/Chrysler took over parts of it. I believe that Dodge/Chrysler still use the plant today...?
It too bad that VW isn't still making cars in Pennsylvania. I'd loved to have toured the plant!
Steve
Michigan
Christopher Judd
12-04-2002, 04:13 AM
Ahh memories...I must admit that it was fun absolutely humiliating VW's (and all sorts of other stuff) with my stealth GLHS. A long time ago, dad and I built a mechanical clone to a GLHS out of a grey Plymouth Horizon. It handled OK, too with proper suspension bits installed, though it was a crude tool. With the wick turned all the way up (adj wastegate), it would do the 1/4 mi in the mid 14's and it looked bone stock except for big wheels and tires and a dual tip exhaust.