Think French cars would make it in the US?

[Narcolepsy]

I, for one, would buy a Citroen C6 in a New York Minute. Anybody else think French cars would sell in the US?

[Labcoatguy]

They need at least these two things to succeed:
1) Self-deprecating humor about their Frenchness
2) Hyundai-level warranties to dispell fears about their reliability

Alfa Romeo also has the reliability hurdle to consider when it comes back, so it'd be a good case study for the Frenchies.

[Coddington]

Except the Clio Williams or the Pug 205 GTI, I hate French cars....
They were the last GTIs, now, French carmakers make cars without any taste






Anyway, you will have sooner the best French car : The Bugatti Veyron

[bartboy9891]

i doubt they would sell atleast the higher end ones anyway. I would enjoy having a quirky Citroen, but ultimatley i'd also want something fun to drive.

[poptya]

The small cheapies would probably do well, especially with the 2 suggestions labcoatguy made. I wonder how the megane would go over

[Cobol74]

Do well here even with our French micky take penchant. I love my Pug - great car (for family transport you understand only).

[Coddington]

Originally Posted by Labcoatguy

They need at least these two things to succeed:
1) Self-deprecating humor about their Frenchness
2) Hyundai-level warranties to dispell fears about their reliability

Alfa Romeo also has the reliability hurdle to consider when it comes back, so it'd be a good case study for the Frenchies.

1) Basically, French is chauvinistic so "cough"
2) You've got the point : reliability on modern French cars is disastrous

[Cobol74]

Mine's been OK, had it from new, one recall and no breakdowns, one fix under warranty of the Sat Nav display and thats it (5 years & 78,000 miles - surprised even me!).

[Momentum57]

C6 and the C4 are cool, so are the Renault Clio, and the megane.

[anTo]

wonder if the maintenance and parts would be costly tho

[epp_b]

wonder if the maintenance and parts would be costly tho

Probably. That's usually the case with European cars.

[pfrocker]

I really like a C4 2 door version

and I think the reliability of french cars are improving, my cousin has a 206 in Iran and has no problem with it.

[anTo]

Originally Posted by epp_b

Probably. That's usually the case with European cars.

yeh i wish i lived in europe

[Adunaphel]

The only French car worth the trouble is the C6, the rest is pretty crappy. Peugeot models are generally found at the bottom end of satisfaction surveys, even Korean cars have better scores (Top Gear JD Power, Dutch Satisfaction poll done by AutoWeek (Dutch mag, not the American one)). Renault hardly does any better (iI can give you firsthand experience from my parents' Scenic, it sucks). And Citroëns are basically the same as Peugeot cars, but better looking (a _LOT_ especially the C4 and C6) and they've got better build-quality.

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally Posted by Narcolepsy

I, for one, would buy a Citroen C6 in a New York Minute. Anybody else think French cars would sell in the US?

doesnt that guy, Alex Roy - dude from the gumball - own a company that specialises in the rental/purchase of european cars?

and now he's a famous gumball face i think he extended that venture into actual gumball car hire (insurance for the week, maintenance and support crew provided too)

i think he lent some guys a pug 406 coupe when their car went west.

i dont think french cars would catch on in america.... their style just wouldnt be accepted. most of the french makers best cars IMO are the worst sellers.... vel satis, avantime, C6 etc

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally Posted by Adunaphel

The only French car worth the trouble is the C6, the rest is pretty crappy. Peugeot models are generally found at the bottom end of satisfaction surveys, even Korean cars have better scores (Top Gear JD Power, Dutch Satisfaction poll done by AutoWeek (Dutch mag, not the American one)). Renault hardly does any better (iI can give you firsthand experience from my parents' Scenic, it sucks). And Citroëns are basically the same as Peugeot cars, but better looking (a _LOT_ especially the C4 and C6) and they've got better build-quality.

Citroen C4 and C4 Picasso are very worthy cars also.

the three french makers always languish at the bottom of the satisfaction surveys, but are getting better. citroens C4 and C6 are noticably better built and use much higher quality plastics than previous modesl did. plus they cram in an awful lot of kit for your money

renaults cars are not as good as citroens latest efforts IMO, but i do like the megan very much, the 225 version looks especially sweet and is a rare bird indeed. i also like the laguna alot too though it is showing its age.

for me, renaults best achievement is the espace.

[un-dee]

It wouldn't really be worth the effort. Sure, some of them are funky but my god are they unreliable and badly made.
Although most of the Renault interiors would suit the American market perfectly, stinking light grey hard plastics - I was told thats what Americans want.

[bone]

Originally Posted by Momentum57

C6 and the C4 are cool, so are the Renault Clio, and the megane.

and the laguna

don't like the C4 that much though

[Salar]

Originally Posted by pfrocker

I really like a C4 2 door version

and I think the reliability of french cars are improving, my cousin has a 206 in Iran and has no problem with it.

That car is not French. It's made in Iran. LOL

[mautzel]

Originally Posted by Adunaphel

The only French car worth the trouble is the C6, the rest is pretty crappy. Peugeot models are generally found at the bottom end of satisfaction surveys, even Korean cars have better scores (Top Gear JD Power, Dutch Satisfaction poll done by AutoWeek (Dutch mag, not the American one)). Renault hardly does any better (iI can give you firsthand experience from my parents' Scenic, it sucks). And Citroëns are basically the same as Peugeot cars, but better looking (a _LOT_ especially the C4 and C6) and they've got better build-quality.

Ah, yes, that's probably the reason why you went for a 306.

The question for me is: would American customers be interested in getting a French car? I don't know what the general opinion's like at the moment but if it's still somewhere near of changing names from french fries to freedom fries I hardly doubt that people would even have a look at them.