The "I just saw a...." thread

[Kitdy]

I saw my first new CTSs in the wild. Wow. The long hood is so fitting on a Cadillac. A nice integration of the old boat hoods and beautiful slightly sifter Art and Science design.

[franfran]

Last Friday I was heading home on the M60 and saw a Volkswagen Golf - the very first one (would that be early 70s?) - exiting the car park of the bowling club at Northmead. A couple of odd things about it were that it was two tone (not original I presume) and it had, fixed to the front of the bonnet, the flying A badge that was used on 1950s Austins....

[Kitdy]

I was shocked to see an Alfa 156 today. It must have been imported. You can import and drive whatever you want after 15 years in Canada. Look on with envy, USA.

[Ferrer]

Some days ago I saw the new BMW van being filmed for a promotional video in Barcelona.

It looks ridiculous.

[NSXType-R]

I've been seeing a lot of Mercedes CLAs lately.

I drove next to it in traffic and heard the start stop mechanism. It's surprisingly loud from the outside, although I'm not sure if it's audible from the inside. It sound incredibly unrefined and loud, I thought it was a diesel.

[Kitdy]

The AMG version sounds really rough.

[RacingManiac]

In Taiwan, you see more variety of cars than here....even though primarily they follow the USDM template for Japanese cars...they also have more EU cars...

That said...
I think this is a B14 Sentra...



Swift


1er Hatch


2nd gen Focus


?? Hyundai?


What is this?


Skoda


A1


Polo


Though more than anything you see scooters...

[RacingManiac]

Oh odd Audi...

[Kitdy]

What are/did you drive?

[Ferrer]

I like the simplicity of Taiwan number plates.

I've been seeing a lot of Mercedes CLAs lately.

I drove next to it in traffic and heard the start stop mechanism. It's surprisingly loud from the outside, although I'm not sure if it's audible from the inside. It sound incredibly unrefined and loud, I thought it was a diesel.

It is noticeable; there are better and worse systems. PSA's is one of the best.

Also, in a somewhat related rant, I hate the combination of a Stop Start system with an automatic gearbox. In a manual they are fine, since if you do not want the car to switch the engine off you just keep your foot on the clutch. That is handy when having to stop at roundabouts of entrance ramps on motorway (when stops are short and you may need a quick and speedy incorporation). But since automatic cars do not have a clutch pedal you can't use this trick and the car ends up with the engine off at the worse moments. In the end you just turn it off...

[RacingManiac]

What are/did you drive?

Nope...don't need to drive. I stay away from driving when I go to Asia..

[NSXType-R]

I like the simplicity of Taiwan number plates.

It is noticeable; there are better and worse systems. PSA's is one of the best.

Also, in a somewhat related rant, I hate the combination of a Stop Start system with an automatic gearbox. In a manual they are fine, since if you do not want the car to switch the engine off you just keep your foot on the clutch. That is handy when having to stop at roundabouts of entrance ramps on motorway (when stops are short and you may need a quick and speedy incorporation). But since automatic cars do not have a clutch pedal you can't use this trick and the car ends up with the engine off at the worse moments. In the end you just turn it off...

I can understand why that would be annoying. The 1995 TL we have has a similar problem in reverse. In stop and go traffic the transmission would suddenly realize it wants to be in 1st gear instead of staying in 2nd and it does a sudden downshift, lurching your car forward. The transmission isn't so great.

Nope...don't need to drive. I stay away from driving when I go to Asia..

Oh yeah, I can see that totally in Taiwan. They have those weird scooter waiting boxes that I have no idea how they work.

[Ferrer]

I can understand why that would be annoying. The 1995 TL we have has a similar problem in reverse. In stop and go traffic the transmission would suddenly realize it wants to be in 1st gear instead of staying in 2nd and it does a sudden downshift, lurching your car forward. The transmission isn't so great.

I can relate to this. The dual clutch in the Merc works fine in the open road but in start-stop traffic it always seems to pick the wrong gear (too short) and does so as well when almost come to halt but don't stop and then re-accelerate.

Not particularly smooth or comfortable.

If I have to put up with an automatic I'd rather have a torque converter automatic gearbox.

[NSXType-R]

I can relate to this. The dual clutch in the Merc works fine in the open road but in start-stop traffic it always seems to pick the wrong gear (too short) and does so as well when almost come to halt but don't stop and then re-accelerate.

Not particularly smooth or comfortable.

If I have to put up with an automatic I'd rather have a torque converter automatic gearbox.

So how old is your Mercedes? I honestly don't mind torque converter automatics, I've been around them all my life.

[Ferrer]

About 14 months old. It's an A220 CDI. You've probably heard me ranting about it since a family member decided to get it.

For me it's manual, then torque converter auto, then dual clutch gearbox. At least until they sort out low speed manoeuvres in dual clutch transmissions.

Nevertheless, manual dominates here even if ironically we are 50/50 in the family.