Why do you think we don't have them now? I honestly have no idea but it could
be one of the following:
I do have an idea and the stats.
1. The cars do not meet US safety standards as currently configured.
Wrong.
The Fiat 500/Ford Ka has a 5 star crash test rating, as does the MINI,
Ford Focus, Ford Kuga, Peugeot 1007/2007. The Smart fortwo has a 4 star
crash test rating and is already sold in the US; same 4-star rating for
the Honda Fit/Jazz, also sold here.
2. The cars do not meet US or California emissions standards (no catalytic
converter).
They're diesel. The new diesels are as clean or cleaner than current
petrol cars, and many have catalytic converters. Some may not need
catalytic converters, however CCs can be installed if needed to meet CA
rules. Not an issue.
3. The cars do not appeal to a large enough share of the market to warrant
their importation or construction of a domestic plant.
The original Ford Focus sold like the proverbial hotcakes in its 3-door
version. The MINI is selling fairly well, even in an awful market, and
also as a 5-star crash test rating. Honda sold over 2 million Fit/Jazz
as of July 2007. GM's biggest problem is that they can't pay customers
enough to buy their gas guzzlers, and the Opel Astra is a Saturn instead
of a Chevy where it should sell better. Press release, Ford Motors, June
2008: "...Ford's redesigned Focus posted record May sales of 32,579, up
53 percent versus a year ago..."
4. The tax rules for importation do not favor these vehicles.
That's excellent! Those cars can be built in the defunct Chrysler and GM
factories by American workers. GM can retool to build more Opels--Astra
and Corsa, and whatever the GM Chevy of the year is [not Matiz!]. As gas
prices go back up, many of these cars can be sold in the US, if we can
get them. We can look forward to hybrid/electric/hydrogen versions of
these vehicles, too.
Betty
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