Subject: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
07/04/2008 @ 22:33:48: CarChasesFanatic: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
:wink:
07/04/2008 @ 23:40:02: Gag Halfrunt: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis

A Renault Master !
http://images.forum-auto.com/mesimages/73562/A749 2004 spec3.jpg
Maybe a test for Nissan or GM (as this van exists as Nissan, Opel and Vauxhall)

Note that the Master is parked next to a Freightliner Sprinter outside what appears to be a Freightliner office. There was talk a few years ago of Nissan selling the Primastar (Trafic) and Interstar (Master) in the US, so I would guess that Freightliner brought it over to find out what the competition was like.
07/04/2008 @ 23:47:23: CarChasesFanatic: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
But with one unit of that vehicle you are going to know how the market works? :ohwell: and as i said, would that van be able to drive during the night with its european spec headlights?
08/04/2008 @ 10:23:14: antp: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
Well, the European headlights work fine even in US :grin: It is just forbidden to have such vehicle on road for normal people, but "car makers" can use these, like here in Europe they use preproduction cars to make tests, sometimes more or less hidden/camouflaged under plastic things.
13/05/2008 @ 10:45:16: antp: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
Renault Scénic with Mexican plate found in USA:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2333/2232621429_ed2220b8c1.jpg
same source as usual: http://www.forum-auto.com/forum2.php?config=automobiles-mythiques-exception.inc&cat=5&post=129119&page=38&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_- post=0&print=0&numreponse=0"e_only=0&new=0&nojs=0#t15347692 (more pics there)
13/05/2008 @ 13:34:02: CarChasesFanatic: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
Very nice find, this is a doubt ive always had in my mind, a non US car that crosses the border from Mexico, is able to go on US roads?

I mean, if we go to the state that is right after mexico's border, will we see many "european" cars?
13/05/2008 @ 14:51:05: antp: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
I suppose that you will see some, but probably not so many people from Mexico go in USA?
Here in Europe it is much easier to cross borders between EU states, it is like borders between US states even if for us it means going in another country.
13/05/2008 @ 15:13:18: CarChasesFanatic: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
Yes you are right.
13/05/2008 @ 19:04:11: Gag Halfrunt: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
That Scenic can drive in the US because it's registered in Mexico and is only visiting the US. Under the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic,
The vehicle must meet all technical requirements to be legal for road use in the country of registration. Any conflicting technical requirements (e.g. right-hand-drive or left-hand-drive) in the signatory country where the vehicle is being driven do not apply.

The fact that the Scenic doesn't comply with US regulations would only become a problem if the owner came to live in the US.
13/05/2008 @ 22:26:47: CarChasesFanatic: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
I was suspecting something like that, thanks for the explanation Gag Halfrunt :wink:
13/05/2008 @ 22:39:54: antp: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis

The fact that the Scenic doesn't comply with US regulations would only become a problem if the owner came to live in the US.


Isn't there some exception?
I think that if for some reason as European you live 6 months in USA you can bring back your US car and register without problem in Europe, which would not be possible otherwise.
13/05/2008 @ 23:11:22: CarChasesFanatic: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
Is the "cars safety thing" in USA more restrictive than in Europe with the Eurncap? i mean, what's the reason why non US-Spec cars cant be driven in US roads?
14/05/2008 @ 11:00:52: Gag Halfrunt: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
Euro NCAP is a voluntary programme and its standards are stricter than the legal requirements for crashworthiness in EU countries. The differences in technical standards between the US and European countries mostly seem to involve arcane details of things like headlamps. If Wikipedia is to be believed, "It is not currently possible to produce a single car design that meets both UNECE [European] and FMVSS [United States] approvals".
14/05/2008 @ 12:01:21: CarChasesFanatic: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
It is not currently possible[/url] to produce a single car design that meets both UNECE [European] and FMVSS [United States] approvals".



How true is that? there are cars that exist in both continents, with the only difference being the headlamps, no?
14/05/2008 @ 12:12:32: antp: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
Depends what you mean by "car design" (I guess it does not concern the whole car), but small changes have to be made in headlights/sidelights anyway, and sometimes bumpers/fenders too.
19/05/2008 @ 18:49:33: Raul1983: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
Beautiful 1973 Peugeot 504 Automatique in Ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-Trucks___Restored-CA-Collectors-Car-88k-Original-Miles_W0QQitemZ330232239066QQddnZCarsQ20Q26Q20TrucksQQddiZ2282QQcmdZViewItem?ha- sh=item330232239066&
19/05/2008 @ 19:59:52: CarChasesFanatic: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
Note the other rare European vehicles that are in that warehouse too.
21/05/2008 @ 17:09:42: ingo: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
Was the interior of the 504 specially made for the US-export? Normally these -ahem- strange colours weren't popular in Europe.
Europeans prefer black interior, especially black dashboards, which is unpopulat in America. so several European companies had created more colourful interiors fot the US market.

Sorry, but the colour of the Peugeot-interior looks horrible, a mixture between granma's underwear and apricot-mousse, which was thrown out again.
23/05/2008 @ 12:19:20: CarChasesFanatic: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
In reference to what we were talking about the other day, i have found several non-US spec cars registered in the US and therefore roadlegal.

A Fiat 600
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Fiat-fiat-600-1981-fiat-600-2-door_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6218QQihZ015QQitemZ250250434604QQrdZ1QQsspagena- meZWDVW

Chevrolet Astra G.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chevrolet-Opel-Astra-G-Chevrolet_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6173QQihZ002QQitemZ120264314906QQrdZ1QQssp- agenameZWDVW

Fiat 500, also european spec and roadlegal.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Fiat-2-Door-500L-1969-European-Cinque-Cinto-with-Ragtop-Antique_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6218QQihZ005QQitemZ150249055450QQrdZ1QQsspag- enameZWDVW

Mercedes Benz S Class
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mercedes-Benz-500-Series-SEL-1986-Mercedes-Benz-500-SEL-European-Import-non-smoker_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6332QQihZ002QQitemZ120264546133QQrdZ1QQsspage- nameZWDVW

And now, these are not European spec but i just show them because they are lovely, and in a very good shape :love:

Alfa 164
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-Trucks___1993-Alfa-Romeo-164L-Beautiful-Original-Condition_W0QQitemZ290232565084QQddnZCarsQ20Q26Q20TrucksQQddiZ2282QQcmdZViewIte- m?hash=item290232565084&

And an Alfa Milano :love:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-Trucks___1987-Alfa-Romeo_W0QQitemZ190223735427QQddnZCarsQ20Q26Q20TrucksQQddiZ2282QQcmdZViewItem?ha- sh=item190223735427&

If i'd live in the US i'd surely try to buy a European car to stand out, and vicerversa, i'd love to own an american car in here :grin:
23/05/2008 @ 13:24:25: antp: French cars in the USA / Voitures françaises aux États-Unis
If I had to live in USA for some time, I'd probably buy a '91 or '92 Caprice, which is just an old car there, and then bring it back here :smile:
And in the opposite way, it would be funny to drive my 206sw there, which is here quite anonymous :grin: (even if much less common in Belgium than in France)
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