Who says Europeans don't appreciate American muscle


Saw this during a visit to a supplier in Monaco. Also saw a 3rd gen TransAm the day before.

Fox-Body Mustangs were run in one of the European touring car series. Kinda neat seeing those pics with a Mustang on a roadcourse with BMWs and the stands full.

Pat

That is just weird. Although I guess when you are constantly seeing the next big euro-trash exotic rolling up the street, a Camaro is definitely something different. I don't think they were every officially sold there.

Oh, and what the hell is up with the side mirror(s) on that thing?

Notice the marker lamp or reflector above the Camaro emblem on the front fender.

both required by euro laws, I believe.
side mirror is one of those break away types; tight streets, pedestrians, and all.
notice on some of the world market cars here in the states, a few have that fender location side marker. Others have the hole there with a fill plate but no marker, cheaper than keeping the light or stamping a new fender w/o the hole.

I visited Europe back in the late 80s on an exchange program and stayed with families in several countries, including a family in Denmark. They said that American cars (especially musclecars) are actually very desired, but that they are usually much more expensive than European cars, and also a lot rarer. The guy said the common European looks at American muclecars (f-body/mustang) and sportscars (Vettes, Vipers) about the way we look at Porsche/BMW or even Ferrari in some cases. Makes me wonder sometimes what I could sell the LT4 Hawk for if I advertised it over in Europe (since they were never exported out of the US/Canada).

Only thing that I don't care for in that picture is that it looks like the car is being used as a barricade for the packing garage

That's exactly what they were using it for. It's probably the only car in town long enough to block the entrance.

While there I also saw one of the latest generation Mustangs.

The cab driver on the trip from the airport claimed he was planning a trip to the states to buy a Roadrunner. He definitely knew more about classic Mopars than I did, but I don't know how he could afford a classic muscle car on a cabby's salary.

Don't know about there, but in Norway (Sweeden?) a bus driver makes more than a clinical psychologist. I know one who quit her job to drive busses for that reason.

Export package Camaro. Both it and Firebird were indeed sold in Europe. Here's an Export Firebird in France: http://www.ls1lt1.com/forum/showpost.php?p...amp;postcount=8

Pretty sure the 4th gen bird was never exported NEW, not that there aren't any in Europe (I know of several that were brought over by military people, etc). While the Camaro was exported and had/has export parts available from GM, I never recall seeing any export parts for the Firebird from GM. I do believe some of the earlier gen birds were available for export.

Oh yeah, as to salaries the cabbies in most European countires make pretty good money. Plus their car (usually a Mercedes or some other nice luxo sedan) is heavily subsidized by the government in most countries because they want all the cabs to be very nice modern luxo cars. I remember asking about that while in Finland (one of the first countries I went to) after I noticed all the taxis being really nice Mercedes sedans. Just a guess, but I'm betting a lot of cabbies over there way underreport their income, and thus miss paying out as much in taxes, which with tax rates around 50% or more is a BIG deal.

Did you look at the post I referenced? That bird has export mirrors, export side markers, export tails, and a unique rear bumper.

Yes, I did look at it, but
1) the front markers look tacked on to me (could be a aftermarket conversion)
2) you can't really see anything very well in those pics (don't see any difference in those pics of the tail/bumper)
3) like I said I don't ever remember seeing GM part numbers for the 4th gen bird.

Doesn't mean you can't have a 4th gen bird in Europe, just that I don't think they were ever sold there NEW. The mirros for an export Camaro would fit a Firebird, so that would explain those. I could be wrong (memory's the first thing to go), but I was pretty certain I remember GM making the decision to only export the Camaro for the 4th gen f-bodies.