There is an article in WSJ of today that featured the 2007 F150 XLT and the european 2007 Ford Focus hatchback side by side. In a nutshell the article goes to discuss how Corporate Average fuel economy CAFE in 2020 will increase the market share of hybrids and diesel to 25 and 27 per cent respectively. The article adds that to enhance fuel economy the prices will be jacked up by $5000. But what caught my eyes is that the european Ford Focus with 1.8 liter gas engine (30 city /50 hwy) retails for 14,622 euros approx $29,209 more than the retail price of the Ford F150 XLT supercab Aprox $28150. Boy I am glad I am not living in Europe

 

Meeeeeeeee Toooooooo

 

Ditto

 

That's largely due to the exorbitant 16% VAT tax that most europeans pay on all consumer goods, including vehicles. All those free social services aren't really "free" at all.

 

The european Focus is not comparable to the American focus. It's a much nicer car, in a much higher class. But yea, I see what you're saying...

 

imagine driving a f150 in europe with THEIR gas prices.....wooowwwww

 

in Europe they love the Focus, over here we love our trucks, it is a different market hence different prices

 

I do drive an F-150 over here in Europe and have had to pay their gas prices. Let me tell you, it's not pretty. Driving down to Paris and had to fill up. Costs me about 90 euro (at 95 euro cents a liter). So it ended up costing me nearly $150 at the time. Luckily I buy my base and don't do too many long road trips.

 

Yeah, and the sizes of the roads

 

They also have an awsome public transit system so in the city you don't need to drive. You can just hop on a train and save a ton of money.

 

We need trucks in this country. Try pulling a boat or a travel trailer with a focus in europe.

 

In my travels in the Army...there aren't many pickup trucks in most of euroupe, asia. Mostly cars...and the trucks that you do see over there don't look like our trucks here...mostly the flat front kind where the driver sits over the front wheels. I think alot of this is due to that the roads are alot narrower and wouldn't be ideal for most of our trucks/suvs. Trust me....trying to drive a Humvee (the real one...not the fake GM 2500 truck chassis one...H2)that's feels like it's 8 feet wide is no fun with oncoming traffic and cars parked along side the street. I'm not trying to knock on any other countries or their roads mind you....in my opinion...the reason alot of their streets are narrow is that their towns have been established WAAYY longer than the United States has even existed and therefore their streets were probably originally designed for pedestrians and motorless carriages...long before the development of automobiles. I could be dead wrong about all of this but just my opinion.

 

Yep if you convert 14622 euros you get about 19681. I took the numbers straight out the WSJ Tuedsay June 26 2007 Marketplace section. Out of the article Can the US adopt Europe's Fuel efficient cars. I don't know if it is a mistake or the number includes other charges such as VAT and god knows what.

 

Where are you in Europe?

 

Do you have a picture of the your 1972 Renault cinq ?