And that Steely explains why there are more "German" cars built in the US than imported into the US. It would also explain why so many previously superior German cars are now unreliable, over priced bits of trash, when imported to Oz.

Sorry Is Mise, safety has little to do with government regulations, & everything to do with the loose nut behind the steering wheel, the driver.

In 1964 I drove in the last Le Mans start sports car race at Bathurst. You know the ones, where the cars are lined up on one side of the track, & the drivers on the other. At flag fall drivers run across the track, jump into & start their cars, & go racing. A great test of which cars start well.

Bathurst in those days was a narrow bumpy scenic drive road, with few safety fences, no gravel traps, but lots of trees close by, embankments & big drops off the road all over the place.

40 drivers raced off, not a seat belt, or roll over bar in sight. 25 miles later they finished the race, all in good health, despite over 1000 collective miles of flat out racing at speeds up to 150 MILES per HOUR. In fact, the introduction of seat belts ruined a good bit of innocent fun.

You see, not one of us sent a single text, or answered a phone. None were looking into shop windows, waving to friends, or listening to the latest music. Safety is in the driver, not the laws.

SteeleRedux, I think you'll find that the Holden V6 is a 'knock-off' of the Buick V6. So it's an American motor. The Falcon 6 I believe (not sure) to be an all Aussie design. And you are quite right about the life span of a 4cyl compared to a 6cyl engine. But in the interests of quoting the right facts, it is worth noting that Europe also has some vast stretches of freeways and autobahns and they travel at speeds far in excess of ours. Europeans favour economy to power. This explains why the staple in Europe was a manual, diesel. Manual is more economical than automatic and diesel is more economical than petrol. This was well before 'dieselgate'. A previous model of the VW Golf could give in excess of 1000km on a single tank of diesel. In Australia we have always had a 'rev-head' culture and the V8 became our staple. I don't know how the Germans managed to succeed with union intervention at every turn. BUT, there is no doubt in my mind that Australia has been sent to the level of almost third world status because of the unions. I remember one year, the govt gave GMH a $300 million grant. GMH disclosed their profit for that year as $300 million. You work it out. Any attempt at trying to open the borders was met with a definite NO as lobbying by the aftermarket groups and their campaign contributions comes with more money than we do. There is so much more to tell about the motor industry and it's failings, mostly due directly to the govt's, I can't cram it all in on this post. There will be other opportunities in the future I'm sure.

Hasbeen, I am excited once more to hear someone talk on facts and not these bloody PC lies. Your post lifted my spirits no end. And I'd like to give the finger to these PC Nancys who have NO idea of what they speak, even with their big shot university degrees and all. Well, I know it doesn't take much to make my day, but you sir, have just done so.

Dear Hasbeen,

How are you old fella? Still never letting facts stand in the way of a a good reminisce?

Let's see, there were 13 deaths at Panorama alone from 1964 to 1994 after which they got serious about safety. Since there has only been one.

http://www.mount-panorama.com.au/history/memorials/31-race-memorials.html

My take it was better safety that turned these figures around, ones that let motorsport participants return home to their loved ones after a day of racing. Your take is that it was the loose nuts behind the wheel that were the problem. Well if that is the case mate then your generation wins hands down in the nutter case, something I had guessed was the case but now you have confirmed.

Merry Christmas :)

Hasbeen,

"Sorry Is Mise, safety has little to do with government regulations, & everything to do with the loose nut behind the steering wheel, the drive"

I agree with you but what I was thinking of was the safety features that some manufacturers left off their cars, such as the simple safety strap that passed under the front of a tail shaft and that would catch it if the forward universal on the tail shaft broke.

A mate was driving an early Holden on the Newcastle Expressway, tail shaft gave way, hit the deck, caught in a road joint, the car rode over it and twisted the back axle through a bit over 180 degrees, tore out the hydraulic brakes (front and rear disabled, no twin master cylinders) and the handbrake.

He stopped by 'rubbing' the left side of the car on the sandstone wall of a cutting, didn't do the paint much good.

Hang on SteeleRedux. Your not getting away that easy. Did you break down when these deaths occurred. Memory serves, the cars were getting faster so I would imagine the closer to 94 the death rate rose accordingly. Then again I do not trust stats, but what the hey, I'm curious, I don't have to accept them if I don't like them. It was inevitable that safety features were eventually going to be adopted. So SR there was a death after all the new safety measures were installed. Gee I would have demanded zero deaths after installing all these 'safety' features. Now that puts in question the safety measures if they have failed, even for one death.