Quote:
Originally Posted by teaston
This list should be taken with a pinch of salt seeing as car and driver is an American magazine, and 4 out of the 10 cars are American!!
Motoring journalists from anywhere else in the world would have no American cars in the top 10, or 20, or probably even 50!
I'm not bashing America, they do many things very well, but making cars is not one of them!
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I believe even the European press has praised the new Corvette. Disclosure: I don't much like it myself.
Quote:
Originally Posted by danimal
You are oversimplifying.
First, Car and Driver is only choosing among cars sold in the U.S. This is definitely not the same selection of cars available to Europeans.
Second, C/D is an American magazine, and it's readership is primarily American. While the magazine caters to enthusiasts, American enthusiasts must still drive on poorly maintained American roads, which means ride quality is an important criteria for anyone who isn't a masochist. More Americans live out in the middle of nowhere or in suburbs, and even the cities tend to be less dense than in Europe. This means, among cars, the midsize sedan is king. Americans have a unique history with the automobile, which means there's a certain romanticism surrounding cars like the Mustang, Camaro, and Challenger. The Corvette is also a source of national pride, as it's one of the only American cars that has managed to not suck since 1984 (and recent generations are actually quite stellar).
So, the list couldn't possibly look like the list of motoring journalists elsewhere in the world, but that doesn't mean it should be taken with a grain of salt. I'm not saying C/D makes the right call on every car every year, but this list seems entirely legit to me given the cars that were eligible and their intended market.
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That's a fair assessment.