Why won't they ever sell these cars in the states?
 

Well digging around on the internet I was looking at the Ford Focus Diesel and the VW Lupo Diesel. It just amazes me the power and gas mileage these things get and how nice they seem. I know over here we get vw diesels but nothing as cool as those, people say we don't get them cause they can't meet emissions or crash safety test, but I can hardly believe that.

I heard once that the lupo gets massive gas mileage. With something like 70mpg you would think it would pass emissions. I think it has to do with American laws against diesel cars because of soot or something or other.

Plus Americans have bad memories of some terrible diesel engines sold in the seventies and eighties.

I wish there weren't so many douchebag regulations in america. I'd love to be able to go to a dealership and have a choice of Left/Right hand drive.

Those are the same reasons the Nissan Skyline and the Evo are illagal in Canada

Well skyline maybe but Evo doesn't pass the crash tests!

Well unless it wsa a place that imported cars from overseas it would be unlikely you'd have any cars made over here right hand drive because it would add too much to the manufacturing process.

Why would you want a right-hand drive car in America...where we drive on the right side of the road? I'd imagine that'd make it a little...oh, dangerous, don't ya think? Maybe screw up depth perception just a tad.

Mail carriers in my area have right-hand drive trucks, and they seem to do ok. I can see how somebody who isn't used to driving a right-hand drive car might have some problems, but to a trained driver how would it be any differant? It's just something to get used to, the same way as a new driver has to get used to driving a left-hand drive car.

I personally don't think i'd like driving a right-hand drive car, mostly because I drive stick shifts and can't even imagine shifting with my left hand. Where the hell are the gears? Is first still to the left and up, or is the whole thing flipped as well?

i am totally ok with not selling a car cause it doesn't pass the crash test...
And it's bad enough having manual and automatic transmissions. Can you imagine how many cars a rental place would have to stock so they could make everyone happy? What if someone could drive a left-sided car, but not a right-sided one?
The stalling is a little less dangerous than driving a few feet out of the correct lane...

having driven in other countries with right hand drive... eh, no big deal. It's not like having to use standard all the time...

besides, what car is currently manufactured right hand drive that you absolutely cannot get in a left hand drive model?

as for manfac costs, yes, high priced... i found it weird to see firebirds and caddilacs as right hand drive vehicles.

US diesel isn't the same kind of refined diesel as in the rest of the world.

The evo doesn't pass the low speed collision (8 km/h or something close) test. A car should be able to hit something at these speeds and cause no damage (like in a parking lot scenario). Because of the low slung intercooler on the mitsubishi, a minor bump can cause large amounts of damage. They can't beef up the front bumper enough to make it pass the more stringent Canadian bumper testing, so it cannot be sold in Canada.
Not nearly as interesting as failing a crash test.

Simple: they won't sell. Americans don't want diesel cars. You can get tons of cars in EU in diesel models. I was there recently and saw 7-series and brand new 3-series diesel Bimmers. But they would never sell in the states. Diesel is popular in EU because gas prices are much higher than they are here. Even with recent price increases, Americans are still buying SUVs and V8s.

And Im one of them people that are buying the V8's...LOL


gotta have my 400hp :thumbsup:

To the best of my knowledge, the gears are in the same locations whether it's right or left hand drive. First is always up and to the left.

The main problem with right hand drive cars here is that you can't see around the car in front of you as well as in a left hand drive car. Mail carriers, speciality vehicles, the odd antique or import aside, it makes a ton of sense to have left hand drive when you're driving on the right side of the road.

It would make it easier to pull up to the curb though.

ya, i almost bought a rhd car here in the us but the ebay auction expired. It wouldnt be that hard, the only difficult thing would be passing on like a 2 lane (one either way) freeway with a truck in front of u. You coudlnt edge out into the other lane to see traffic, so youd have to just wing it.

We'll start getting diesel cars when gas prices hit $6 per gallon instead of the cheap stuff we have now.

i have driven in europe,usa,and australia and don't have a problem with the left,right hand drive. gears are the same pattern just use a different hand. the only problem i have is rembering witch side the gas cap is on!!

Sort of. The engines won't run for very long here because north american diesel has too much sulfur in it.