Mithras:
I can understand why some people might like them, patriotism, straight-line speed, power/money ratios, rarity in a market (europe), but I can't look at these things and see them as anything other than quick-to-fast pieces of crap with mostly cutting edge technology from 1935 (chassis) or 1965 (engines).
there is a reason that 80% of them won't be on the road in 15 years and that's because they are pieces of crap.
I've done a fair amount of tack work in a ZR1 and other fast corvettes. They are capable, fast, cheap and still, they are crap.
It will take a lot of time and numerous superlative, LASTING generations of these cars to make me thing anything else.
Things changed. Quality changed. Also, most US manufacturers are using the same suppliers (and sometimes even the same parts) as their European counterparts. I was deeply surprised by the quality of my Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, also because I have driven many US SUVs in the past during our numerous US vacations and most of them, incl. the Cadillac Escalade we had often, were really crappy. Even the 2014 Escalade I had during our last Florida vacation was actually much better in quality than the previous models. I don't know what happened but the car felt better planted on the road, the steering was a bit more direct and not as light as always and the throttle response was also better. Same goes to the interior quality look and feel.
I think that US manufacturers realized at some point that they have to do something to be able to compete with their European and Japanese competitors. I just hope they do not stop in improving their products.
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RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT (2014), BMW X3 35d (2013)