Question for the Brits?

Question

After watching some British motoring shows (Wheeler Dealers, Auto Trader, Top Gear,etc.) I have noticed that there is a trend where certain trims of same car are considered far superior than the base model. For example the "Sport" trim level has the same engine and transmission as the base spec car. But since it has a body kit and bigger wheels it's somehow superior, when in an actual race the base model would likely be faster since it's slightly lighter and has less unsprung weight. However people will flock to the "sport" model even though it's a slower car.  Why is that? Over in the states if you have a slow car that has pretentions of speed you will be mocked mercilessly. However it seems that across the pond it's acceptable.

? · Accepted Answer

I'm Irish not British but we have a similar trend so I'll take a stab at answering this!

In Ireland and the UK one massive difference between your average road car here and your average road car in the US is engine size.
Most cars over here are 2 Litre and under. Obviously there are exceptions but the majority is under 2.
The mass market here take aesthetics into the equation before power.
You must keep in mind that the majority of car owners are not car enthusiasts so they could not care less if a bigger front bumper and some side skirts add a few kilos to the overall weight hence affecting the power/weight ratio. They do care however that it looks 'prettier' or 'sportier' than the standard model.

In a lot of cases the 'Sport' model over here and in the UK tends to have a slightly larger engine size or a slightly tighter suspension system. Even if the difference is minor, it's the buyers perception that counts.

Taking the entire market into consideration, how many car buyers ever race their car? Now compare that figure to those who are particularly concerned on how others perceive the look of the car.

Question for the Brits?

1 Answer