Urban myths about cars

Author
Discussion

dr matt uk

Original Poster:

17,955 posts

207 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
I like these and wondered what others are out there - especially from people in the know, that can state TRUE or FALSE at the end!

I read somewhere that a fews years ago, VW got wind that Renault were designing a "3 ltr Clio".
So off they rushed back to the lab, to try and match this incredible 3ltr/100km fuel consumption figure!

Renault, meanwhile, were on a test track somewhere working out how to contain the lift off oversteer on the RWD mid-engine beast they had just created.

Not sure if it's true, but I like the image none the less

topless_mx5

2,763 posts

225 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
Cars cause global warming - FALSE

matt3001

1,991 posts

204 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
a good one is that the designers made a mistake when making the elan (the ones that are circa 1990/1) and designed a body that was too big for the car. and that is why the body 'over'

andynoquantum

13,204 posts

211 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
matt3001 said:
a good one is that the designers made a mistake when making the elan (the ones that are circa 1990/1) and designed a body that was too big for the car. and that is why the body 'over'
Did you get bored of typing and couldnt be arsed to finish the sentence there? smile

Hooli

32,278 posts

207 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
speed kills - the biggest myth of all

matt3001

1,991 posts

204 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
andynoquantum said:
matt3001 said:
a good one is that the designers made a mistake when making the elan (the ones that are circa 1990/1) and designed a body that was too big for the car. and that is why the body 'over'
Did you get bored of typing and couldnt be arsed to finish the sentence there? smile
haha, no idea why i did that haha.

...and that is why the body 'over' hangs the arches slightly. i read it in CAR or Autocar a few years back, i will try and find the article. it had a few of these in... another one is that the ford focus got its names like 6 hours before launch or something? damn... need to find that mag

AdeTuono

7,405 posts

234 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
matt3001 said:
...... another one is that the ford focus got its names like 6 hours before launch or something? damn... need to find that mag
Did well to get all the promo stuff printed, not to mention getting the badges for the boot cast, in 6 hours, didn't they? wink

Dracoro

8,798 posts

252 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
mickken said:
TVR 420 SEAC - The "SEAC" stands for Special Equipment Aramid Composite...True
In other words, it stands for: plastic biggrin

The Black Duke

1,642 posts

200 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
Global Warming!!!!! I wish!!!! It freezing here in Pontypridd

matt3001

1,991 posts

204 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
AdeTuono said:
matt3001 said:
...... another one is that the ford focus got its names like 6 hours before launch or something? damn... need to find that mag
Did well to get all the promo stuff printed, not to mention getting the badges for the boot cast, in 6 hours, didn't they? wink
haha, i need to find the article, it is something like that. it was the world launch so i guess it could of been badgeless or they would of only needed 1 or 2. it may be more than 6 hours but there is definatley a story about the naming of the car...

monthefish

20,456 posts

238 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
matt3001 said:
AdeTuono said:
matt3001 said:
...... another one is that the ford focus got its names like 6 hours before launch or something? damn... need to find that mag
Did well to get all the promo stuff printed, not to mention getting the badges for the boot cast, in 6 hours, didn't they? wink
haha, i need to find the article, it is something like that. it was the world launch so i guess it could of been badgeless or they would of only needed 1 or 2. it may be more than 6 hours but there is definatley a story about the naming of the car...
Most likely the name was revealed 6 hours before launch. Usually, with a new model, very few people in the company are actually told the name of the car up until the very last minute.

Balmoral Green

41,762 posts

255 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
Hooli said:
speed kills - the biggest myth of all
Indeed, it's nearly always the sudden stop that does it.

DannyT

158 posts

231 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
The story about the Focus that was in Autocar, was not that they hadn't named the car, rather that they hadn't revealed to the press what the name was going to be. They kept the press/public wondering whether it was going to be called Escort etc etc. I think the story in Autocar was told by Steve Cropley about how he was at dinner with the then CEO of Ford Europe who kept talking about how with the new car they need to "focus" on handling, "Focus" on quality etc etc and he only picked up on this after the reveal.

matt3001

1,991 posts

204 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
DannyT said:
The story about the Focus that was in Autocar, was not that they hadn't named the car, rather that they hadn't revealed to the press what the name was going to be. They kept the press/public wondering whether it was going to be called Escort etc etc. I think the story in Autocar was told by Steve Cropley about how he was at dinner with the then CEO of Ford Europe who kept talking about how with the new car they need to "focus" on handling, "Focus" on quality etc etc and he only picked up on this after the reveal.
thats the one! it was a special feature in autocar wasnt it? was it like the 1000th issue or something?

The Black Duke

1,642 posts

200 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
DannyT said:
The story about the Focus that was in Autocar, was not that they hadn't named the car, rather that they hadn't revealed to the press what the name was going to be. They kept the press/public wondering whether it was going to be called Escort etc etc. I think the story in Autocar was told by Steve Cropley about how he was at dinner with the then CEO of Ford Europe who kept talking about how with the new car they need to "focus" on handling, "Focus" on quality etc etc and he only picked up on this after the reveal.
I cant believe people know this stuff that worse than me . Awesome though

RetroWheels

3,385 posts

278 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
In the early eighties, Ford produced a batch of the then new Escort mk3 van's and fitted them with 1.6 litre XR3 engines, due to the light weight of the van body, they were quicker than the XR3 ....

That's what i was told, in fact i think i remember being shown around one scratchchin, cant remember for sure ... i could have made this up , any one else remember this 80's story ?

nats1rt

228 posts

206 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
topless_mx5 said:
Cars cause global warming - FALSE
Haha +1

Hooli said:
speed kills - the biggest myth of all
+1

Hooli

32,278 posts

207 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
RetroWheels said:
In the early eighties, Ford produced a batch of the then new Escort mk3 van's and fitted them with 1.6 litre XR3 engines, due to the light weight of the van body, they were quicker than the XR3 ....

That's what i was told, in fact i think i remember being shown around one scratchchin, cant remember for sure ... i could have made this up , any one else remember this 80's story ?
same engine as the other 1.6s just a larger weber bolted on top. 36/32 instead of a 32/30 or something IIRC getmecoat
now add the exhaust off the injection models too (MUCH better manifold) and they are as powerful.

liner33

10,779 posts

209 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
Hooli said:
speed kills - the biggest myth of all
Tell that to Donald Campbell

jvaughan

6,025 posts

290 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
Hooli said:
RetroWheels said:
In the early eighties, Ford produced a batch of the then new Escort mk3 van's and fitted them with 1.6 litre XR3 engines, due to the light weight of the van body, they were quicker than the XR3 ....

That's what i was told, in fact i think i remember being shown around one scratchchin, cant remember for sure ... i could have made this up , any one else remember this 80's story ?
same engine as the other 1.6s just a larger weber bolted on top. 36/32 instead of a 32/30 or something IIRC getmecoat
now add the exhaust off the injection models too (MUCH better manifold) and they are as powerful.
also the Fiesta XR2iand the limited edition XRV.