Date: Fri, 21 Sep 2007 14:07:41 +0100 From: Eeyore <rabbitsfriendsandrelationsnospamail.com> Subject: Re: Have Saab reintroduced hatchback yet?
Fred W wrote: > Eeyore wrote: > > Fred W wrote: > >>Eeyore wrote: > >>>DervMan wrote: > >>>>"Colin Stamp" <col.dustbinnospamp.plus.com> wrote > >>>>>"DervMan" <thedervmannospaml.com> wrote: > >>>>>>"Colin Stamp" <col.dustbinnospamp.plus.com> wrote in message > >>>>>> > >>>>>>>1. Get a pointless saloon so others will look at my car and think > >>>>>>>"Cor! he's really arrived! He has such an impractical car that he must > >>>>>>>have a butler to take his rubbish to the tip". When I do actually need > >>>>>>>to ditch a sideboard, I'll be stuffed. > >>>>>> > >>>>>>Heh. Saloons are not pointless. > >>>>> > >>>>>Others may be able to get away with their glaring practicality issues, > >>>>>but, for me, they are utterly pointless. > >>>> > >>>>That's the point, though: they are not all that impractical for many people. > >>> > >>> > >>>Just try moving say a fridge in one ! Or some self-assembly furniture. > >>> > >>>The hatchback is vastly more versatile. > >> > >>Are you saying you would move a refridgerator in a hatchback car? Your > >>UK fridges must be a bit smaller than ours over here... > > > > > > I've moved a Bosch fridge freezer in my 9000. The hatch didn't close completely > > though IIRC. > > > > > >>As to the self assembly furniture, there are many *sedans* with folding > >>rear seats that accomodate long loads such as this, FWIW. > >> > >>The reason the hatchback fell out of favor in the US is pretty simple, > >>really. The auto companies wanted to sell mini-vans and SUVs. They > >>marketed the superior versatility of these more expensive vehicles and > >>quietly removed the more economical hatches from their line-ups. > > > > Yeah but .... I doubt most SUVs or 'people carriers' as we call them here actually > > work as well in that respect. > > Nah, they are actually better. I have one, (Ford Exploder) but mostly > for pulling my power boat. The cargo space with the seat down is quite > impressive. It is quite literally the size of a small pickup truck > (Ranger). Not sold in Europe. Vehicles that large simply aren't popular. Probably because we have smaller roads. I often drive on one that was first laid almost 2000 yrs ago when all they had to provide room for were carts and chariots.. > As to people carrying my old Exploder only has a single bendch rear, so > capacity is 5 people. > > Your comments apply more to the mini-van craze... But Exploders and their ilk don't figure in the European market. Actually, the Jeep Cherokee sells here but that's about it. Graham