Mike_TX

Reason is, there is a stiff tax based on engine displacement in most European countries, as well as in the U.K., so they have to make the best they can of smaller engines.

Add to that the high cost of gasoline over there (again, primarily the result of high taxes), and smaller engines (including lots of diesels) with manual trannies are just more practical.

It ain't because they're smarter than us - they just can't afford to drive the big-engined, automatic trans cars we enjoy. My English buddies would LOVE to blow around in IS350's!