RomanoM

http://www.sae.org/automag/techbrief...1-111-7-38.pdf

P00Man

those crazy germans, always building kool stuff lol

mmmmmmmmm magnesium ma!
that is actually pretty interesting, i wonder if sanity will prevent more gears in an auto...

in a manual, what do you think is the sane maximum, i think 6 is really all you need or will use
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RomanoM

BMW, M-B and Audi are in a war now that makes the muscle car wars of the '60's look like a water ballon fight.

BMW and Audi have a 6-speed auto, then M-B will get a 7. 400bhp M3, well Audi will do 450, Merc can't let that stand....500bhp!

It is nuts!

I think the problem is that they don't see the Japanese are actually winning the sales war.

RobDickinson

lol. Making cars with hige 1000bhp engines with more torque than aircraft carriers.

Then mating that to 7 speed gearboxes... why? most of the top mercs etc can do 10 - 130mph in 3rd gear...

OrangeBingo

Lol, yeah, with all us poor folk that can only buy $30,000 cars. If you had the money,would you not go German? (anyone who says "no, I would by 2 Miatas, 3 FDs, and a hotdog," can blow me)

RomanoM

Mine:
'96 BMW 328is
'00 BMW 328i
'02 BMW M3 (gone already)

Rest of family:
2003 VW Passat GLX 4motion
1997 BMW 528iA

I have gone german, still getting an RX-8. And I can afford a more expensive car, like a 330i...but what would I actually be getting for my extra money, nothing I real want or need.

OrangeBingo

I guess my point was that, yes, in this price range the German cars don't have much of an advantage. But for those who can spend upwards of $50,000, German is one of the best ways to go. I would never spend that much on a Mazda. Sorry, but if money was not a consideration I would have a '04 Audi S4 Avant.

RobDickinson

No way would I buy german.

I just dont like any of them - and there are alternatives.

RomanoM

I do see your reasoning.

OrangeBingo

Ugh, I am not sure I do anymore.

This is for my own peace of mind as much as to clarify what I have been trying to get at in the last couple of posts.

1) I concede that yes Japanese cars outsell German cars.

2) But this says nothing about the quality of the cars, in this country, the there are very few Classes in which Japanese and German cars compete. Typically, Japanese cars are lower priced and targeted at the common, working class family. This is why they out sell the Germans.

3) I have a finite amount of money to spend on a car, and for the money, I get the most from a Japanese auto maker. ("The Mazda Engineers seem to be able to do for a dime what any fool can do for a dollar." -quote from some auto mag)