Why do NEW Honda Civics look different from US to UK?

[streetwaves]

Originally Posted by dem00n

They won't pass our safety rating.

Hell, they would get annihilated on that small overlap crash test...

Odd though that the "Smart" car is legal. Looks like it would be just as bad or worse in crash tests, and it's an all-around poor car from what I hear. If it can be made road-safe, why not kei cars?

Sucks though about the kei cars. I love those tiny little things. I'm seriously considering trying to import a Honda Beat in a couple years.

[Rampage]

Originally Posted by Whitigir

I am surprised as of why The American is still with those Muscle + Big + yet tiny inside + Gas guzzler + Powerful + Metal caged.......and driving 60MPH at speed limit. Can someone enlighten me ?

Why do American buy FAST + FURIOUS Vehicles, but still driving 60 MPH. Also....all the troubles to get in a little fun in the track ? ? What is worse....If you FLoor your Pedal to get to the Speed limit FAST...you still gonna be TICKETED.

Wait! Don't you own a 3800LB 450HP gas guzzler with awd that is relatively big on the outside and small on the inside. You live in Ohio with a 70MPH highway speed limit. It seems like you should be able to answer your own question pretty well.

The 3000GT VR4 is a nice car but it is much closer to the traditional American GT (pony car) than it is to a lightweight Japanese sports car or GT.

[FiRStsc10n]

Originally Posted by streetwaves

Odd though that the "Smart" car is legal. Looks like it would be just as bad or worse in crash tests

The Smart car has the "Tridion safety cell" steel cage that protects it extremely well from impact. However I do not think the IIHS has completed a small-overlap test on this vehicle yet. The small-overlap test is one heck of unforgiving test, as it should be.

[kuhlka]

Originally Posted by FiRStsc10n

The Toyota Corolla UK vs NA differ too, with an almost identical interior. I think it comes down to where they are manufactured. The NA Civic is produced in Indiana and another plant in Canada. Whereas the UK Civic is produced is the Swindon, UK. They are building a car more specific to their market.

My US market EP3 was manufactured in the UK. Maybe that's another reason they stopped selling them in the US. I loved that car. Tons of room in the trunk, rear seats folded down. Pawed through 1' deep snow with no issues. Sounded fantastic with the AEM CAI.

[kuhlka]

Originally Posted by Whitigir

Enthusiast ......no comparisons. But it is true that Japanese Car Culture has changed, together with Economy.

They basically need...

1/Roomy, yet smaller vehicle to park, and store

2/Light, yet fuel efficient, still safe for the whole family

3/With both 1+2 comes the most important one. Price...it gotta be affordable.

4/It gotta be also Affordable to fix, and maintain if things happen.

The street racing, and all that good and fast car or gas guzzlers are all aimed for the enthusiasts, and those enthusiasts have time and lot of money. Therefore, Japan also have open tracks, and park for people to play, race in....

I am surprised as of why The American is still with those Muscle + Big + yet tiny inside + Gas guzzler + Powerful + Metal caged.......and driving 60MPH at speed limit. Can someone enlighten me ?

Why do American buy FAST + FURIOUS Vehicles, but still driving 60 MPH. Also....all the troubles to get in a little fun in the track ? ? What is worse....If you FLoor your Pedal to get to the Speed limit FAST...you still gonna be TICKETED.

I know plenty of people who regularly ton-up on back roads. NWOH is mostly flat straight roads for miles and miles. We have county roads that go from A-T, 1-28 (then it counts back down to 1 near the border). Each letter and number is a mile of straight flat road... In southern Ohio the roads get twisty, but it's still nothing compared to SoCal or the TN/NC border region down south.

Have you ever been to Mid-Ohio? They have a performance driving school that gives you a few HOURS of track time per day. Going WOT for a few hours is pretty exhausting, especially on a motorcycle. There is also SCCA all over the place. I've seen cars ranging from commuters to GT500s and custom garage-built sprint cars at SCCA Solo events. There also appears to be a growing drift community around Columbus and up in Michigan.

Just because someone isn't burning rubber past you on public roads doesn't mean they're not driving the balls off their car on the weekends somewhere.

[sprintertrueno86]

Originally Posted by streetwaves

Awesome

[streetwaves]

Originally Posted by sprintertrueno86

Awesome

The interior is seriously awesome. Love the gauge layout.

[Whitigir]

Originally Posted by kuhlka

I know plenty of people who regularly ton-up on back roads. NWOH is mostly flat straight roads for miles and miles. We have county roads that go from A-T, 1-28 (then it counts back down to 1 near the border). Each letter and number is a mile of straight flat road... In southern Ohio the roads get twisty, but it's still nothing compared to SoCal or the TN/NC border region down south.

Have you ever been to Mid-Ohio? They have a performance driving school that gives you a few HOURS of track time per day. Going WOT for a few hours is pretty exhausting, especially on a motorcycle. There is also SCCA all over the place. I've seen cars ranging from commuters to GT500s and custom garage-built sprint cars at SCCA Solo events. There also appears to be a growing drift community around Columbus and up in Michigan.

Just because someone isn't burning rubber past you on public roads doesn't mean they're not driving the balls off their car on the weekends somewhere.

Yeah, i know all that....but the simplicity to participate at will, and readily available to the public is horrible.

I just want a public park, or public race track, where you enter...and do whatever......at your own risk....you can enter any times, drift, roll over, sing....ect. Just no alcohol involved.

That will never happen to the US...at least there is Autohbahn in German...

[Whitigir]

Originally Posted by Rampage

Wait! Don't you own a 3800LB 450HP gas guzzler with awd that is relatively big on the outside and small on the inside. You live in Ohio with a 70MPH highway speed limit. It seems like you should be able to answer your own question pretty well.

The 3000GT VR4 is a nice car but it is much closer to the traditional American GT (pony car) than it is to a lightweight Japanese sports car or GT.

Yeah...i do...though i ask myself those questions everyday....that is why i am waiting to see if Mitsu ever come iut with something as Evolution Hybrid....? Or perhap...a prius hybrid.

Yaris R.....

Honestly, i just dont know wut sport car to even buy anymore....maybe an S2k ? Because revving to 9k but drive slow is legal on the Street LOL

[rice_classic]

Stop looking for compromise. Split the budget and have both.

Fuel efficient daily driver.
Affordable track duty beater/toy. (albeit you may or may not need a tow vehicle)

[kuhlka]

Originally Posted by Whitigir

Yeah, i know all that....but the simplicity to participate at will, and readily available to the public is horrible.

I just want a public park, or public race track, where you enter...and do whatever......at your own risk....you can enter any times, drift, roll over, sing....ect. Just no alcohol involved.

That will never happen to the US...at least there is Autohbahn in German...

You're never going to have that in the USA because of legal liability. Someone COULD build their own race track for a few million and take all of the legal/financial risk, but good luck finding anyone willing to do that. If I hit it big, I plan to buy at least 50 acres and build a dirt rally circuit for my STI and local friends with ATVs, dirt bikes, trucks, etc.

[rice_classic]

Originally Posted by kuhlka

You're never going to have that in the USA because of legal liability. Someone COULD build their own race track for a few million and take all of the legal/financial risk, but good luck finding anyone willing to do that.

I know several who did just that.. well without the "singing" I suppose, unless you include the occasional national anthem.

In fact that's how Oregon Raceway Park (Oregon) and The Ridge Motorsports Park (WA) came to exist. ORP was more like 18-20 racers with pretty decent incomes that created a trust, appointed positions and lived the dream by building their own track.. Very grass roots.. very cool track.

The Ridge in Shelton, WA was a couple of guys (once again, both racers) just living the dream, built their own track.

As for being "relaxed".. many track day organizations are. You don't need cages or big brake upgrades or even a sports car. I've seen station wagons, hybrids and even rental cars at track days. It's not the autobahn, but then again getting a drivers license in Germany is a whole lot more difficult and expensive than it is in the USA. Like, for starters, in Germany you actually have to prove your brain and eyeballs work in order to get a license where as in the USA, you just need a heartbeat.

[Whitigir]

Dang it, you made me just wanted to move there loblol...thanks for the info.

I am too, if I hit a lottery, that would be something I would do

[kuhlka]

Originally Posted by rice_classic

I know several who did just that.. well without the "singing" I suppose, unless you include the occasional national anthem.

In fact that's how Oregon Raceway Park (Oregon) and The Ridge Motorsports Park (WA) came to exist. ORP was more like 18-20 racers with pretty decent incomes that created a trust, appointed positions and lived the dream by building their own track.. Very grass roots.. very cool track.

The Ridge in Shelton, WA was a couple of guys (once again, both racers) just living the dream, built their own track.

As for being "relaxed".. many track day organizations are. You don't need cages or big brake upgrades or even a sports car. I've seen station wagons, hybrids and even rental cars at track days. It's not the autobahn, but then again getting a drivers license in Germany is a whole lot more difficult and expensive than it is in the USA. Like, for starters, in Germany you actually have to prove your brain and eyeballs work in order to get a license where as in the USA, you just need a heartbeat.

I know there are tons of tracks out there, but do they havetrackdays with a <$200 entrance fee and open access all day? Whitigir is looking for something completely unscheduled with no organization.

All of the tracks I've ever been to in the US require registration before a trackdays event and performance driving schools for cars are over double what it costs to take a bike to the track.