• Pkock@alien.topB
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    11 months ago

    It is not much larger to American eyes, but after just getting back from Italy, I cannot understand why they brought the 500 instead of the Panda, which is their most popular car there as well. It is big enough to not seem like a gag and the Panda 4x4 is much cooler IMO.

    • KG8893@alien.topB
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      11 months ago

      Different vehicle classes have different tariffs. It’s why the Subaru Brat was sold with jumper seats in the back, so the import tariffs were the same as a passenger car instead of a small pickup. The US also has a requirement for any car sold to be crash tested here and to meet certain standards. In other countries the car companies are allowed to sell more freely.

      On the other hand, I thought the Panda was supposed to be sold here

    • kopiernudelfresser@alien.top
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      11 months ago

      Bigger margins on the 500, and under the skin the US/Canada market 500 is rather different from the RoW 500. The lower margins probably make adapting it to the US regulatory environment uneconomical. VW never bothered federalising the larger and higher priced Polo for that reason.