>>Isn't it odd. Each of those points (or the contrary one) would also explain why Europeans rarely buy U.S. models:
>>
>>maker doesn't want to invest in a European dealer network.
>>vehicles are 'too big' for Europeans.
>>petrol less popular (OK -ish)
>>cars may not meet EU safety standards
>
>>On the emissions front - isn't most of the U.S. *way* behind California ?
>>In much of Europe, and certainly in the UK, the cost of fuel, combined with tax breaks for 'cleaner' cars, would lead most people to regard U.S. models as a joke...
>
>Funny, though, I see a lot of Ford and Chevrolet models around here, but these aren't any bigger than the european ones. I bet any American seeing them would think they must be fakes, being that small.
>
>No I didn't memorize the models. The Ford I have in mind looks like a VW bug transformed into a turtle which just came out of the mud, what with all the lower band and corners being always the graphite gray color.

The only U.S. models I recall seeing recently were a Chrysler 'people carrier' which I think is actually cheap to buy and, for reasons I can't even guess at, a stretch Hummer :-}