Domestic Vs. foreign - Major differences?
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TECH Veteran
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,055
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From: Hartsdale, NY
Domestic Vs. foreign - Major differences? Ok, so generally speaking cars designed in Europe and Asia drive differently than cars designed in America.
For example, a GM Cadillac will handle, brake and ride much differently than a BMW Series 7.
Are there some common observations that can be drawn from this example?
1. Foreign cars have stiffer springs
2. Foreign cars have stiffer sway bars
3. Foreign cars have different shock rates
4. Foreign cars have stiffer chassis?
5. Wheels and tires are differnt?
6. All of the above?
It seems after renting a few new domestic cars lately (Mustangs, vans, GTO, etc.) that the distintions between the two designs is diminishing.
For example, a GM Cadillac will handle, brake and ride much differently than a BMW Series 7.
Are there some common observations that can be drawn from this example?
1. Foreign cars have stiffer springs
2. Foreign cars have stiffer sway bars
3. Foreign cars have different shock rates
4. Foreign cars have stiffer chassis?
5. Wheels and tires are differnt?
6. All of the above?
It seems after renting a few new domestic cars lately (Mustangs, vans, GTO, etc.) that the distintions between the two designs is diminishing.
Launching!
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 294
Likes: 2
From: AR (PA born and fled)
Almost all of it is shock valving.
A couple of older American generations grew up with roly poly flacid cars that floated on down the road. For some reason road feel and steering feedback were not desired.
The Europeans have always been more snubbed down and sporting in feel. Domestics were slow to change once Americans started gravitating towards those traits.
As you pointed out, the domestics seem to have come around. However, the old way of thinking still lurks within the walls of GM (and others) and has not been completely vanquished yet.
Recent supporting evidence:
The C6 ZO6 was scaring magazine testers due to floaty rear shocks. This was fixed in the second model year.
I don't know what they were thinking when calibrating the shock valving for my truck. The thing just flat out sucked since new and was almost dangerous when towing over undulating / bumpy roads. It was very much the old school floaty ride. Fixed with Bilsteins.
A couple of older American generations grew up with roly poly flacid cars that floated on down the road. For some reason road feel and steering feedback were not desired.
The Europeans have always been more snubbed down and sporting in feel. Domestics were slow to change once Americans started gravitating towards those traits.
As you pointed out, the domestics seem to have come around. However, the old way of thinking still lurks within the walls of GM (and others) and has not been completely vanquished yet.
Recent supporting evidence:
The C6 ZO6 was scaring magazine testers due to floaty rear shocks. This was fixed in the second model year.
I don't know what they were thinking when calibrating the shock valving for my truck. The thing just flat out sucked since new and was almost dangerous when towing over undulating / bumpy roads. It was very much the old school floaty ride. Fixed with Bilsteins.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,798
Likes: 16
From: St.Charles MO
^ pretty much sums it up. Their cars are built different because they have different roads. Usually old, narrow, bumpy roads, while in comparison we have big, new, smooth roads. As far as the Cadillac comparison, get behind the wheel of a CTS, you'd think your driving a 3 series BMW... This is the result of extensive testing on the n-ring, I hope to god that GM tunes the new Camaro on the n-ring.
not to mention that over in Europe, they have the Autobahn, and we really have nothing to compare over here. with the speeds that they see on the Autobahn, soft, floaty shocks could be unneccessarily risky.
i really wish they would do something like that here in the states, i'd absolutely LOVE to be able to legally drive those speeds on a public road.....
i really wish they would do something like that here in the states, i'd absolutely LOVE to be able to legally drive those speeds on a public road.....
^ pretty much sums it up. Their cars are built different because they have different roads. Usually old, narrow, bumpy roads, while in comparison we have big, new, smooth roads. As far as the Cadillac comparison, get behind the wheel of a CTS, you'd think your driving a 3 series BMW... This is the result of extensive testing on the n-ring, I hope to god that GM tunes the new Camaro on the n-ring.
I'll wait to see how the IRS actually performs because, contrary to popular belief, that alone does NOT automatically make for a superiorly performing suspension. As long as it's a good design though, the aftermarket can patch up any weak links GM is likely to put into the factory setup.
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From: Bucks County, Pa.
as much as some people vehemently curse GM for it, i'm glad the new Camaro will have IRS instead of a solid rear axle....that alone should make for a vastly superior handling car (in stock form)....at times, i miss my old 95 T-Bird because it had IRS also.....it was extremely comfortable, and didn't have any hint at all of side-hop when swinging the rear around bumpy corners, even without extreme performance tires.
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Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Bucks County, Pa.
I'll wait to see how the IRS actually performs because, contrary to popular belief, that alone does NOT automatically make for a superiorly performing suspension. As long as it's a good design though, the aftermarket can patch up any weak links GM is likely to put into the factory setup.
not to mention that over in Europe, they have the Autobahn, and we really have nothing to compare over here. with the speeds that they see on the Autobahn, soft, floaty shocks could be unneccessarily risky.
i really wish they would do something like that here in the states, i'd absolutely LOVE to be able to legally drive those speeds on a public road.....
i really wish they would do something like that here in the states, i'd absolutely LOVE to be able to legally drive those speeds on a public road.....
They have stiff rides because most Europeans only drive a couple of miles at a time. Americans want soft rides because most of us are on the highway for hours at a time.
Maybe some of this is due to the fact that most cars are super light and small yet you still need to have high rates for passenger and cargo capacity so you don't ground out. A light car which has a high capacity would feel like crap on the road compared to a moderately heavy car with a normal capacity.
Check out this CinqueCento going from Poland to Africa.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHCrVT2q0F0
To Pakistan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEldvhKDyiw
The point of the video is to say hey they are making cars that are cheap as hell, can easily be fixed, and can do things most people would never put their car through.
Last edited by 2002_Z28_Six_Speed; Oct 16, 2007 at 08:28 PM.
That would be cool, a car for off-roading that one guy can lift up and pull out from being stuck.
I agree with the comment about Europeans only driving their cars in short bursts, not only that but their roads are really tiny.
I agree with the comment about Europeans only driving their cars in short bursts, not only that but their roads are really tiny.
