Soft american cars

["Storhok, Eric (E.M.)" <estorhok@domain.elided>]

Do you want to know why american cars are so soft?  Come drive around
detroit some time.  The roads are claimed to be paved, but I've never
believed it.

How do you tell you have crossed the Michigan state line?  your tires go
from a steady "wrrrrr" to a "thump-thump, thump-thump".

Terrible excuse, I know.  Its also why Californians can get away with their
low riders- much better roads.  (if you live in CA and say "wait, our roads
are terrible!"  Well, ours are that much worse...:(

And why most Italian, English, and German cars handle so well- small,
narrow, windy roads that people really drive on.  The rumor is this is one
of the reasons Lincoln/Merc moved out to California.

The irony here is that many Alfa's I've owned and driven in are not bad at
all over bad roads, and handle great.  I can't see any economic reason for
bad geometry...

About the "merger"- I'm in a wait and see mode.  We can speculate until the
cows come home, but none of us actually work for Fiat Auto Spa.  So... we've
been waiting for so long- I can wait more.  I am disappointed that we didn't
get them for the same deal.  Such is life.

Eric Storhok
Core Emissions and Fuel Economy Team
Advanced Powertrain Engineering
(313)33x75011
MD 35, FPC-B
Ford Motor Company

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