Quote Originally Posted by antony View Post
The base Euro is on special for $34000 at the moment,but also remember that is for a manual,and the vast majority of Euros are automatic.

The base auto is on special drive away for $36300,which represents brilliant value for money,as you don't get the sunroof/leather,but everything else is pure Euro.
Which is exactly my point, the Euro suffers from an same case of narrow price elasticity as the Acura TSX, the base model, prices at low-to-mid-$30k is very good value for money, but the higher spec's, at mid-$40k... isn't. Since it's in competition with the actual European marques.

I currently own a CL9, I test Driven the following cars recently:
Alfa 159 (1.4ltr twin charged thingy)
Skoda Superb 1.8L TSI 7spd DSG
Citroen C5 2.0 HDI
Accord Euro CU2 Lux (was looking at Navi)

The Accord feels like a Toyota next to this bunch. Disregarding the looks of the cars, the Euro's K24 is essentially 10 yr old technology, funnily enough, Japanese cars were renowned for their low fuel consumption... well the CU2 is the most (un)economical of this bunch, also emits the most Co2 (BTW on the CU2 I tested the engine still "Ping"s)

[start rant]
I dunno what Honda was doing for the last 5 years, VW is already on their 2nd Generation of TSI engines and DSG gearboxes. Fiat group has their own twin charged engines and DSG boxes, even Ford has DSG's now.

Honda is still one of the most joyous handling wise (Alfa 159 takes crown on that... SOOOOO good... even if i cant drive manual for S***). But seriously, what was Honda doing for the last 5 years? For the R&D money they blown on that stupid flop of a "Legend" and that "SH-AWD" (SH for "Super-Handling"...) they would've had their own range of high efficiency small displacement engines and Dual-clutch gearboxes.

Are the people who gave us the glorious VTEC now too busy charging existing owners $200 for door actuators than doing some R&D?

A Skoda Superb 1.8 TSI (118KW) can outrun a Euro on a straight line... While drinking 30% less petrol on the Urban Cycle (9.6L/100km vs. 12.3L/100km) WHILE being a full size car?

Time really had moved on... At least for the $40k plus market.
[/end rant]