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