A thing rarely seen

"Cé hé sin" (michael-m-mouse)
07/07/2016 at 16:51 • Filed to: Mercedes, Ute

One never seen in fact.

DISCUSSION (22)

Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever > Cé hé sin
07/07/2016 at 16:58

That’s rather impressive. Used the upper half of the hatch to make the back window/rear cab section. Transition from upper gate (now back of cab) into former rear door (now quarter/bedside) looks nice as well.

duurtlang > Cé hé sin
07/07/2016 at 16:58

Are you referring to the Benz or the mk2 Ford Focus sedan ?

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > duurtlang
07/07/2016 at 16:59

Or the Accord sedan hiding around the corner?

duurtlang > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
07/07/2016 at 17:01

That’s an Accord from the late 90s. They can be observed, sometimes. Had it been an Accord, or any Honda really, from the last half decade or so I’d be more surprised.

Cé hé sin > Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever
07/07/2016 at 17:02

If only he could have raised the rear side windows slightly, or just used black paint above them.

Cé hé sin > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
07/07/2016 at 17:03

Or the Alfa GT which was on the right and out of shot?

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > duurtlang
07/07/2016 at 17:04

That would indeed be more unexpected, though these late 90s ones are getting more rare too.

Cé hé sin > duurtlang
07/07/2016 at 17:05

Four door Foci are common enough. We rather like three box cars.

Ash78, voting early and often > duurtlang
07/07/2016 at 17:30

Get ready for America...sadly...MOST of them are sedans. Makes no sense.

Ash78, voting early and often > Cé hé sin
07/07/2016 at 17:31

Wow, a W210 that hasn't bled its owner to death? That's just as impressive as the ute conversion.

duurtlang > Ash78, voting early and often
07/07/2016 at 17:36

It’ll be rather weird to me. I made a long reply to Cé hé sin a few days ago about depreciation and whatnot, and I looked at what kind of Focci were offered on a popular local Dutch used car website. I looked at the 2010 and 2013 Focus.

The higher number of the 2013 is caused by something similar to a tax loophole, which made them (a specific diesel engine version) artificially cheap. This didn’t impact body style preference though.

2013 Focus:

gasoline: 81, diesel: 120

manual: 192, auto: 11

wagon: 135, hatch: 68, sedan: 1

2010 Focus:

gasoline: 65, diesel: 33

manual: 97, auto: 1

wagon: 63, hatch: 31, convertible: 3, sedan: 1

Brian, The Life of > Cé hé sin
07/07/2016 at 17:42

Is this the only pickup with a rear window wiper on the planet? Perhaps.

Ash78, voting early and often > duurtlang
07/07/2016 at 17:43

For some reason, the US, parts of Latin America, Eastern Europe, and China tend to love sedans. I’ve heard them called “aspirational” because they sort of resemble large sedans (which are status symbols all around the world). But to me, anything smaller than an American midsize (or European large) car looks unusual if it’s not a hatch or wagon. But I’m in a very, very small minority of Americans in that opinion. Maybe not where you'll be in New England, but be prepared to see 20+ Jettas for every Golf. I'm not exaggerating at all — until just a few years ago, that was just about the ratio of sales. It's tipped a little more toward Golf/GTI lately, but it's still 10x in favor of the sedan. And public awareness is similar...everyone knows the Jetta, but most don't know the Golf. And if they do, they mentally think it's smaller and cheaper than Jetta. Perceptions are funny.

TheHondaBro > Cé hé sin
07/07/2016 at 17:45

Or the Maybach Exelero which is somewhere?

duurtlang > Ash78, voting early and often
07/07/2016 at 17:46

be prepared to see 20+ Jettas for every Golf

Here, in the Netherlands, the VW Golf is the best sold vehicle. Literally, the #1 of all vehicles by all brands. The Jetta has been discontinued. Yes, discontinued. They sold 11 Jettas last year and 18105 Golfs, when it was the #2 car (behind the Peugeot 308).

Cars like Jettas (smallish sedans) are perceived as overly conservative. Cars for the elderly.

Ash78, voting early and often > duurtlang
07/07/2016 at 17:52

Wow, I knew it was less common, but I didn't know it was that bad. I used to see the occasional Jetta/Bora, but almost exclusively in Spain/Italy — almost never in the north or the UK.

duurtlang > Ash78, voting early and often
07/07/2016 at 17:55

They haven’t been discontinued in for example Germany. The Jetta isn’t the best example either, as it’s ancient and designed for different markets while the Golf is modern. Still though, competing cars in this segment don’t sell as sedans here either. If they’re even offered as sedan.

dogisbadob > Cé hé sin
07/07/2016 at 18:07

Oh look, a bunch of cool cars we don’t get over here and an awesome ute

Cé hé sin > duurtlang
07/07/2016 at 18:09

I’ve asked Mr Google and our figures for the six months to June are:

Golf (second bestseller, after the Hyundai Tucson) 3,585

Jetta (no. 34) 982

I was surprised too because I don’t see many Jettas.

The Tucson is a surprise - it came from seemingly nowhere to lead the market but people can’t get enough of this kind of vehicle now. The Cashcow is the best selling Nissan and the similar Kadjar is the most popular Renault.

Cé hé sin > dogisbadob
07/07/2016 at 18:17

L to R:

Peugeot 206

Renault Megane

Honda Accord

VW Polo

Focus four door

Just to the right and out of shot:

Alfa GT like this

Kinja'd!!!

RT > Cé hé sin
07/07/2016 at 19:26

The only Jettas I tend to see around here are the Boras/Ventos, and only very sparingly in certain areas.

I see at least three Huracans for every Jetta, and that’s being generous.

shop-teacher > Cé hé sin
07/07/2016 at 22:34

That is both incredibly awkward, and completely amazing. Love it!