A Social Observation

[MJE]

I have just been to our local nature reserve. As I was throwing a muddy pushchair into the boot of our Kangoo I glanced across at a Mum dithering doing the same thing with her Lexus 4x4. It struck me that the Kangoo and its Citroen and Fiat cousins are the ultimate non-aspirational cars. The Chavs won't touch them because they don't make you look as if you have money, the toffs won't touch them because they carry no status. This makes them the coolest cars in the world at the moment as money grubbing aspiration is obviously uncool. My partners new Suzuki Swift does a much better job of being a Mini than the BMW Mini ever could, over-egged, ubiquitous and over-priced as it is. The Swift is sharp looking, fun to drive, practical and cheap...just like the original Mini. The Renault 4 was similarly non-aspirational but obviously cool, a trick that Renault look as if they are going to miss with their latest Twingo.

 

[malcolm]

The whole aspiration vehicle thing is odd to me.

I can see the sense behind getting a sports car because you like to go quickly or enjoy the feeling of the direct steering. And it seems reasonable to buy a car with lots of seats if you happen to have a large family. If you like quiet and comfortable cars then there are sensible places to spend money there too.

Do people really buy cars for what other people will think about them? Surely if that were the case then nobody would ever buy a BMW.

 

[claude van rouge]

Ice Cold

If it's cool to have a Kangoo and also cool to have an R4 does having a Kangoo and 2 R4's make one ice cold :wink:

 

[MJE]

Ubercool I would have thought....These are the cars I would consider uncool, BMW Mini, Audi TT, BMW in general (especially X5) and without doubt the Peugeot 206 CC...a ridiculous vehicle. Most cars driven by Premiership footballers are uncool. Basically anything that looks as if it is trying too hard. Top Gear's cool wall deems most small French cars as cool as however OTT Clarkson and co are they are pretty savvy as journalists and writers, the audience being artless/witless Max Power types generally get it all wrong. Renault 4=small French car=cool.

 

[Tolchock]

I’d have to disagree with the Suzuki Swift being a better Mini than the BMW Mini as having driven both cars the Mini has got the advantage in power and handling, although the Swift is a really good car for the price.