[ZTWsquared]

NefCanuck,Aug 6 2009, 10:36 AM Wrote:ZTW,

Given the reality of gas prices going nowhere but higher in the foreseeable future and an uncertain economy going forward, a refocusing (pardon the pun) on smaller cars is inevitable, even for the Americans.

Now whether that means the Focus is doomed to "economical commuter car" status or can be revived again as a "hot hatch" is yet to be determined :unsure:

NefCanuck
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True ... but in the past the American love affair with small cars was very fleeting and only when record high gas prices were in effect ... once gas prices started to go down their old buying habits reasserted themselves.

Relatively speaking gas is much cheaper in the US than it was last year (for example) ... and so perhaps this is a signal of some sort of longer-term sea change that Americans are truly looking at smaller cars as their first choice like it is here and in Europe.

OTH - this could also be simply a matter of the people who are turning in the clunkers don't have a lot of money and except for the clunker rebate would otherwise be used-car shoppers.

Call me a pessimist when it comes to American consumerism - but I think it's more the latter.