Wellytrack
Member
Stopped importing them I think Subaru used there aloud quota for more cars . Might be wrong
Subaru were crafty at trying to get around the US import laws.
Have a google about the Chicken Tax laws, interesting read.
Stopped importing them I think Subaru used there aloud quota for more cars . Might be wrong
The air suspension on those was rubbish
All cars seem to be getting bigger and are suffering from "middle ages spread". My first car was a mini 850, then in the past I had a mark1 Fiesta, both seem tiny compared to the size of vehicles available now. Even the Diahatsu 4Trac seems small (with a 3 1/2 ton towing capacity) compared to the twin cabs being driven now.I think there is a market for a small half tonne pickup, problem is it probably not big enough to encourage a manufacturer to bother with.
We used to run VW caddy pickups and with a set of decent old school winter grips on it could go near enough everywhere it needed to, and carry everything it needed to as well. 35mpg which was alright back in the 80s and 90s too. Always thought a 4wd one would have been great.
Now I can't really find a small pickup, I have a Hilux, while its a nice truck, its a poor pickup(short bed) average car(too big, high, clumsy) and does 25mpg, and 90% of the time like most of the others I see running about carrys/tows nothing that couldn't be done with the old Caddy.
There are folk that do work them, need the 4wd/clearance, and tow 3ton odd, etc, and I have no issue with that, but the amount of double cabs that are in town, or used on running about jobs is mad at 25-30mpg. My brother in law has a VW Amorok and his missus uses it to run kids to the school instead of her Audi car, then moans about the congestion at the school.
I tow trailers with mine, because I have it, and move children about too, and its handy to have a 4wd in the snow, so I keep telling myself to justify its 25mpg.
I had a Viva GT at college and I used to think I was one of the Dukes of Hazzard with that big wide bonnet (with lots of empty space underneath it) I saw one parked in Lidls a while ago and went to look at it, but was amazed at how small it was.. The fact that we can't fit our modest Skodas into the '60s garage at Mrs Fred's dad's, shows how cars have grown. You can't open the doors when you get inside.All cars seem to be getting bigger and are suffering from "middle ages spread". My first car was a mini 850, then in the past I had a mark1 Fiesta, both seem tiny compared to the size of vehicles available now. Even the Diahatsu 4Trac seems small (with a 3 1/2 ton towing capacity) compared to the twin cabs being driven now.
Look at the Austin Maxi - tiny by comparison nowAll cars seem to be getting bigger and are suffering from "middle ages spread". My first car was a mini 850, then in the past I had a mark1 Fiesta, both seem tiny compared to the size of vehicles available now. Even the Diahatsu 4Trac seems small (with a 3 1/2 ton towing capacity) compared to the twin cabs being driven now.
The problem is, car park spaces I don't believe have got bigger!Look at the Austin Maxi - tint by comparison now
BUT cars are so much safer - crumple zones and side impacts and passive pedestrian safety
Also many old cars like the jags weren't that spacious inside
Those designs in that era led by Jacques Calvert were great for product but no cars had that much protection. When the Swedes then the Germans started on SIPS (side impact protection systems), Calvert just had the sills raised for every model re-iterationHad regretted for years selling my dream car of the 90s - a late 1.6 205GTi. Saw one recently and bent down to chat to the driver - was astounded how small it was inside and how little protection it had. Selling is no longer a regret.