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There are more of them on German roads than all the BMWs, Volkswagens and Mercedes combined.

Having lived in the UK for the last 5 years opened my eyes to how well the French cars are built now.

You should probably try to actually do some research before opening your mouth. Europe has a unified standard for crash testing which is very similar to that of the USA. All European cars imported to the USA also have to meet the Euro NCAP testing as well. Perhaps you should go here and learn a little about it:

So, the Corvette won because there was no other competition entered?

When I was in high school, a friend of mine that lived in my neighborhood, owned (I won't say drove) a Renault. This was pre-1964, so who knows what the model of the car was, but it resembled a four door VW Beetle, somewhat.

Every year he would pull the engine (by hand) and replace the rings, get a valve job, etc. Did it need it? I doubt it. He was trying to diminish the blue cloud of smoke the car emitted when it ran, but it always did that. Even new, so I am told. The kids in school use to bust his chops unmercifully about the blue smoke being emitted from the exhaust pipe of his alleged car. He took it to heart, as most kids do.

We hardly ever saw him drive the car. It was not running for one reason or another, most of the time. He was a fairly good mechanic, even if he was a little bit too much of a perfectionist.

No, the smoke would never go away.

I'm afraid that present day US Renault lovers are facing people like me with similar memories when someone mentions Renault automobiles. They were a joke back then.

Then came the alliance between Renault and American Motors. A little better, but no cigar.

Renault is a hard sell in the US. After all, all we can go by are our experiences.

What you are saying may very well be true. I do not doubt your word, Paul. But I'm from Missouri. At least I am when it comes to having any credibility placed in the Renault automobile. Let's just chalk it up to my ignorance. But whose fault is that?

Ed Cregger

I used to love Corvettes, but even I never thought of them as being a true sports car. I guess it is a matter of definition.

This is not to say that I didn't appreciate the American version of a sports car more than the European version. After all, we do not have those same little twisty roads that the Europeans possess. Had we the roads that demanded that type of car, it would have been a different matter entirely.

Ed Cregger

. I'm with you Ed. Another car that is very unreliable is the Fiat. Stands for Fix It Again Toniao! Had a friend with one and it broke down often. My wife had a friend with one who broke down more than half way, I picked her up while it was in a shop 80 miles from here. British cars also are unreliable, though not as bad. I understand modern ones are better but still lag behind American cars, which are themselves far behind the Japenese and German cars.

I recall people trying to claim that the (was it Feago?) was a very good sports car, it wasn't.

As far as Corvettes, well they presently dominate their class in sports car racing. Wasn't that way a decade ago, I think Vipers were neck to neck with Porsche's and other European sports cars. Then the newer Corvete came on the scene and blew most of the competition away. The older Corvete's you were used too had a pretty crude suspension, I think the rear axle had a suicide leaf spring spring which when deflected would push the opposite wheel down, so that effectly it was only partially independant suspension. I understand that they were not doing as well, with competition from Saleen and improved Porsche's, but still win their share. We will see how the new Ford GT fairs. Keep in mind this is competition in the US, which for the most part use's tracks with longer straight away's than the average European tracks, except maybe for the endurance races.

No need to go to the eurocrap web site. Many European cars do not pass our crash tests, though more do than in the past. They are catching up to us in this as well as environmental. In fact, except for California, some European nations have surpassed us in the environmental department.