whats so hot about metros?

[cfg83]

Katana -

Originally Posted by Katana

I've always thought the Geo Metro was the American equivalent of the car i have, the Citroen AX. They are roughly similar, similar gas mileage, bare bones features etc. Here's a picture of my car to give you an idea.



After visiting this site those rear wheel arches are screaming for covers, especially as older Citroen's like the CX, 2CV, DS, SM had wheel skirts/covers as standard.

Welcome to EM! Citroen's have a very nice aero-pedigree. I like the design touches that I *think* are justified for aero reasons :

- Flush door handle.
- Slight wheel skirt over the back wheel.
- Clean straight horizontal lines along the side.
- Smooth nose with emphasis on lower grill access. Reminds me of the 2nd Gen CRX.
- Smooth wheel covers that are almost racing disks.

CarloSW2

[Will]

Originally Posted by BlackDeuceCoupe

No, Will, not at all. I'm a vegetarian...

That explains it.

Seriously, veggie is cool. I was just wondering, because some people enjoy going at others for no reason but to do it. Well, I guess ego often has a great deal to do with it.

[Will]

yeah, i was just wondering. no, your cool (all lower case) HA HA HA HA

[Katana]

@BDC
Now you've explained it i think I've heard the expression in the past. I don't drink alcohol myself, the smallest amount give me itchy skin and make me very queasy, so it's not something i would hear in conversation a lot as i don't frequent pubs and clubs. I know what a ploughmans is, but i don't like cheese either so they aren't my thing.

@cfg83
The only pics i have are a bit random as i did them while polishing the car last year.
I documented it in a thread on detailing world forum if you want to see the rest.
Pink to Red - Citroen AX

I never really thought about the design touches until i was browsing this site recently, mainly the wheel trims, i always thought they looked dorky but they serve a purpose.

[Katana]

I am smart enough to figure it out, and i don't mind. *looks at signature*
I'd much rather be living in canada or a moderate european country with free healthcare, i'd be broke without it.

[MetroMPG]

I know this thread has roamed around a number of topics, but let's not get into politics please. Thanks!

[Katana]

I imagine the SUV craze in the late 90's killed them off, not much point in trying to sell something if no one wants it.
In Europe the move away from cars like the GM/AX and lightweight cars is mainly for safety reasons. Though manufacturers are now making small cars that get great marks in the Euro NCAP crash tests.

I think when the production of carbon fibre materials becomes cheap enough it will be used in affordable cars to save weight and increase mpg while still being very strong if not stronger than steel/aluminum. The VW 1L car is a good recent example of a completely carbon fibre car made with aerodynamics in mind.
Though high end cars like ferraris, lambo's, koeniggseggs, mccalren slr etc. all have had carbon fibre bodies for years for weight reduction, but that's more for increasing the power to weight ratio than mileage.

I won't bring political things in to this, sorry, but i will say i have a couple of stories like that myself BDC and so do many people in this country. (last OT comment i swear)

[MetroMPG]

Like the new SIG, Katana. Yours and dcb's both.

---

I suspect the car was killed by the same thing that kills most models: declining sales and/or low profit margins. I've only ever found one reference to the Metro's sales figures: "GM sold more than 700,000 from 1989 to 1998." (source)

Though it doesn't say what the sales were in the final years (they actually continued selling through 2001).

On an average yearly basis over 10 years, 700k reprepresents slightly better sales than the current Chevy Aveo has seen on average since '04.

[MetroMPG]

I wonder if that means the Aveo is doomed too?

[cfg83]

Katana -

Originally Posted by Katana

@BDC
Now you've explained it i think I've heard the expression in the past. I don't drink alcohol myself, the smallest amount give me itchy skin and make me very queasy, so it's not something i would hear in conversation a lot as i don't frequent pubs and clubs. I know what a ploughmans is, but i don't like cheese either so they aren't my thing.

@cfg83
The only pics i have are a bit random as i did them while polishing the car last year.
I documented it in a thread on detailing world forum if you want to see the rest.
Pink to Red - Citroen AX

I never really thought about the design touches until i was browsing this site recently, mainly the wheel trims, i always thought they looked dorky but they serve a purpose.

Hmmmm, I am not sure. Did you create a grill block behind the lower grill (passenger side), or did the car come this way? :



If that's the way it came from the factory, that's another built-in hypermiler mod.
CarloSW2