"Car" magazine (UK)- What we're missing in the US.
 

Just read my first issue. Wow. It embarrasses any US publication. Some thoughts:

1. (Audi content) Audi seems to occupy a second tier status, below BMW and MB. I suspect it's because of the range of offerings that include some mundane rides. Kind of like what Audi was here a few years ago. The "S" and "RS" models may change this.

2. There are SO MANY interesting European cars that we are missing out on, including specific models, and entire manufacturers. I'm starting to suspect US protectionism.

3. Diesels are rampant in Europe. I suspect that it's tax-driven, but the necessity has created some amazing oil-motors.

4. With very few exceptions American car manufacturers sell crap here in the US. Not a single US made car can seem to measure up to the European market. The only positive reference I saw was to a Jeep Grand Cherokee (w/ a Mercedes diesel engine). See my point #2. Yes, all countries protect their markets by creating a cost differential against imports, but in the end, it seems like US products fail to meet Euro qualitative standards regardless of price, while the good European brands (Alfa, Fiat) are qualitatively solid, but import/certification costs keep them out.

5. Trucks have ruined our "car" companies. They have no interest in building cars, and the state of the art here has deteriorated badly. It's doubtful that this will turn around. They've given the car market over to Asia and Europe.

6. I was at first fuming at the anti-American sentiment; but then I remembered that I have not purchased an American made car since 1983 (Jeep in 1998, not a car), and I cannot identify as single model that I would purchase today.

I noticed that the UK is very pro BMW, however it seems that some UK publication has voted the A4
 

as the best mid-excecutive car, displacing the 3 series Bimmer.
As for diesel, fuel is real expensive in Europe, whereas diesel is cheaper in most countries except Switzerland.

From what I remember, in Germany, Audi I believe is almost a tier above BMW - I think because
 

Audi is more luxurious and clean/precise. If not a tier above, easily on par.

BMW has an image problem in UK
 

Well not so much an image problem as the twats that drive them.. they (the cars) are seen very much as a status symbol (BMW= British Male Wanker)..

Audi sends out just the right note for me without being pretencious or arrogant.. my S6 is a real Q car.. only those that know know what it is .. the rest don't bother me, which is great.. too much car crime over here!!

"EVO" and "Top Gear" are two more superb British car journals.
 

Borders and Barnes and Noble carry all three. Sometimes, "Audi Owners," another British magazine, is available at those booksellers.

Car is slick and goes in for hyperbole. EVO and Top Gear offer alternative opinions.

I used to be a huge fan of CAR
 

But they did a huge flip-flop on the A6 in their capsule reviews even though the car didn't change one bit. And the only change in the A6's direct competitors was the addition of the S80. They seem to hand those capsule reviews to an intern to do. Yet they tout it as the most important part of their magazine.

Then read the goofball review of the A6 4.2 vs the 540i.

They just take themselves too seriously for me.

Not that I don't like the mag, but a superior attitude doesn't make a superior magazine. It does offer additional info you can't get from US mags, so I read it from time to time.

EVO just spent part of an issue lauding the Vette and Viper. And CAR liked the Grand Cherokee even when it had the US 4.0L engine. They picked is as their best SUV a couple years ago.

I don't know why CAR doesn't like any US cars, British standards for car reliability seem incredibly low. It seems they'll drive anything that doesn't need repairs more often then once per tank of gas.

Capsule review of A6 surprised me too. Makes it seem like a Ford Taurus. They do like Volvo.

Its perception. Volvo has been touting safety for a long time and have therefore...
 

occupied a higher slot than they really should. People in the UK also like the large wagons Volvo makes. Having these wagons raises the level of snobbery - not only do you get the safety stuff but also wagons (estates in UK parlance) imply wealth (rubs off from the Royal family. They scoot off in their Range Rovers (or similar)for their country estates).

I remember reading somewhere (European magazine that crash tests cars - off set test) that one of the big Volvos was not as strong as was touted - the BMW 5 series, Mercedes E class were better. I can't remember what happened to the Audi - could have been the old A6. Volvo must have done something about it by now.

Fo a long time they had a poor reliability record all over Europe and with respect to drivability, a popular nickname I came across was Swedish Agricultural Vehicle. Of course, that image has changed. They have gone saloon car racing with Tom Wilkinshaw Racing with some success (racing wagons). Reliability has of course improved, but so have the other manufacturers.

Now enough people have made the move up to a Volvo for them to tell JD Powers and others that the car is now very reliable. If you moved up from a Ford Escort to a Volvo wouldn't you want to say the nicest things about your new acquisition? Especially if it has such a good reputation! And there is a strong movement to keep up with the Joneses too - you don't want to say that your car is any less than the neighbours'. (This applies to any make of car).

Here in the U.S. my brother in law had a Volvo 960 wagon a few years ago (97 or 98 I think). He made sure it came with all the bells and whistles. He lives in a part of the San Farancisco Bay area where foreign cars are all the rage - American makes were limited to minivans and SUV's. From the word go he had problems with it (yes, he got to know the Volvo mechanic better than his own brother!!) He finally got rid of it when the transmission started to leak.

For me Volvo is a clear step lower than the premium category in the U.S. Their cars feel less substantial, refined and more utilitarian. Others will have different opinions, of course.

It's interesting, but as with any magazine, take it with a grain of salt.
 

Opinions change with every issue. British cars can do not wrong. However, the Brit mags are very entertaining, very polarized ( month to month ), and review cars we just don't have here.

Read them all. Get an overview. There is a pattern after a while, that allows you to get a grasp of what the car is really like - just don't base an opinion on one review.

Re - #2
 

Actually, it was the other way around. Since shortly after WW2, many/most European countries had markets that were highly protective of their auto makers. France and Italy are two primary examples. This has, and is, changing, but the result was to produce autos that weren't competitive in the U.S. market when coupled with sketchy distribution and repair organizations. This led to the demise of many European makes that once did comparatively well in the U.S. like Peugeot and Fiat. As pointed out by Steve B., until recently the expectations of many European countries for reliability were incredibly low. As in the U.S., more relaxed protectionism and the importation of high-reliability Japanese makes has, and is, changing this. It's leading to more reliable European products. This has sparked the return of some European makes to the U.S. and plans by others to start selling here again.