| It's very hard to 'crack America'. Many have tried and | | | | more civilised and upon initial inspection this appears so. |
| failed, whether it's film, TV or music. For every Ricky | | | | The windows now go down and then back up again, |
| Gervais, there's a multitude of unsuccessful suitors, | | | | the tent on the roof has been correctly erected and |
| including the likes of Oasis and the Manic Street | | | | the pedals can even be adjusted to your shoe size - |
| Preachers. Mention either of those bands in Europe | | | | by electronic means would you believe. Thankfully |
| and you'll be inundated with fans. Ask the question in | | | | despite this, the car is as civilised as Borat at a dinner |
| America and no doubt a blank face will point you in the | | | | party and Chrysler should be thanked for keeping their |
| direction of a desert or church. | | | | cocktail, ten parts whisky and zero parts mixer. Power |
| You see, whilst the world becomes Americanised, the | | | | has rocketed from 400 to 500 horsepower, with the |
| US is very picky about what it accepts onto it's shores | | | | car's weight remaining unchanged. This healthy |
| - with the one exception of cars. For every Chevrolet | | | | equation results in 0-60 in 3.9 seconds and a top |
| or Chrysler dealer there are BMW and Mercedes | | | | speed surpassing 190 mph. |
| Benz franchises competing. Europe you see, knows | | | | If the devil was a car, then look no further. The |
| how to build a car and historically, despite Henry Ford | | | | exhaust bellows and the tyres squeal as they struggle |
| getting things rolling with the Model T, America has | | | | to get any of the power onto the black stuff. The |
| lagged behind. Therefore, flying in the face of the | | | | interior is cramped, the materials used are so cheap |
| American Dreamâ„¢, European cars dominate | | | | that having got my calculator out, I can confirm the |
| the roads around the globe, with the US begging | | | | total is the same as two pints of beer. If you've played |
| Europe for acceptance of it's motoring offerings. | | | | Gran Turismo, you'll know the car handles like a |
| Well America's deliverance may well come from your | | | | hippopotamus on ice and that at the end of any corner |
| local Chrysler dealer, although there are a few | | | | you'll be going backwards. The real version shows just |
| stipulations first. You need to be extremely rich, have | | | | how realistic the game is. |
| no children and be prepared to receive whiplash every | | | | It looks like the work of Lucifer too. The car literally |
| time you accelerate. Has the Chrysler Grand Voyager | | | | bulges with aggression and looks like it's going 150 mph |
| been fitted with a turbo where the rear seats should | | | | standing still. The front bumper could easily eat a |
| be? No - with a riotous bellow the Dodge Viper is back | | | | number of small children and the vents on the bonnet |
| in town. Ok, so this is a car only the top 1% of the | | | | look like they could suck a country the size of Wales |
| world's population could even consider buying, but it | | | | into the engine. Chrysler's big problem then is who will |
| clearly demonstrates that when they put their minds to | | | | buy the devil on wheels? Even David Beckham may |
| it, America can build a car that quite simply is a brilliant | | | | think the car is too bling, leaving the likes of 10 cent and |
| monster. | | | | his rapper friends…oh, 50 cent, my apologies, to |
| The old Viper was conceived and born when Chrysler | | | | foot the bill. |
| were in one of their financial crises. Despite this, for | | | | Compare the Viper on paper to a Ferrari, Porsche, |
| approximately $50 million (car design usually cost $1 | | | | Lamborghini et al and it'll lose. It isn't the fastest; it's not |
| billion) and only 17 men the Viper was launched and | | | | the prettiest and definitely not the best handling. All this |
| showed little signs of cost cutting. Admittedly you | | | | though, is like saying "no" to Cindy Crawford because |
| couldn't open the windows and the roof looked like the | | | | she has a mole. Despite a flaw or two, the Viper is - |
| last time I attempted to build a tent, but under the | | | | no arguments please - a supermodel for the road. Yes |
| bonnet was an 8-litre V10 engine that threw 400 | | | | it's high maintenance, hugely expensive and shouty but |
| horsepower onto the road. Subtlety was not a strong | | | | isn't that the idea of a supercar? What Chrysler have |
| point, but it is widely recognised and loved all over the | | | | done is create the perfect monster and show that |
| globe - even if that is thanks to a strong showing on | | | | America has what it takes to compete with Europe's |
| the Gran Turismo racing game. | | | | finest. Chrysler and financial crisis will hopefully never |
| So what's changed with the latest offering? Well | | | | be mentioned in the same sentence again. |
| worryingly, Chrysler announced the new car would be | | | | |