There is no "Euro" spec

as soon as we stop calling facial tissues "kleenex" we'll get right on that

interestingly enough, the p-car guys seem pretty good about NA -vs- ROW, which may in fact be just as replete with inconsistencies as this "euro" thing.

i imagine the f-car focus on "euro" comes from the gray market imports (pre-EU) where the cars primarily (i assume) came from western "Europe" - so what's a boy to do?

doody.

 

Well, there's Northern Europe. There's also Western Europe and Eastern Europe, let alone Southern and Central Europe, and of course, there's South Eastern Europe as well as South Western Europe...

 

There's Europe, then there's Switzerland (CH) in a parallel Universe.....

 

Parallel? More like perpendicular.

 

Phil,

What's the big deal? So what if we in North America refer to our cars that were delivered in a European country (my Mondial for example was originally sold and driven in Italy, delivered to the US 5 years after it's original sale) refer to our cars as "Euro" cars versus "US" spec cars? Oh, sorry, not specific enough for you? Who cares?!?! It's only words, man. If it gets to the point in any specific discussion that it would matter whether it's a Swiss, generic European or other version, that can be clarified. In the meantime, Euro vs. US is probably sufficient for most purposes.

 

Euro is just a generic American term for anything that has a steering wheel on the left side but isn't US legal; really just a euphemism for "gray market" which has negative connotations.

Its a moot point in Oz due to the RHD/ADR shemozzle (do not get me started) so simply hasn't entered the vernacular there.

Sort of like an Australian calling an Englishman a "pommy ba$tard" when he technically isn't a ba$tard - everybody still knows what is meant.

Cheers
Kevin

 

There is this specific digit in the VIN that indicates the original target market. So, no confusion at all.

 

The observation above is pretty accurate, it is really North American specs, or Rest Of the World specs.......

When all else fails....use your VIN #!!!!!!

 

whats the diff US spec or euro spec?

 

Pollution equipment....air pumps and cats.

On the 308s the oiling system was different as well.......wet sump vs. dry sump.

 

My car came from Germany back in 85. I'll say it's a German Spec from now on to avoid confusion.

Kenny K

 

Depends on the car/year, but in addition to the smog equipment differences, there are often bumper differences and some side-impact bracing in the doors. My '85 380SL is "Dutch spec" and was imported to the US c. 1990. It has had the door bracing installed, catalytic converters added, and some modifications to the fuel injection system, but I still have the small chrome blade bumpers from the old 450SL instead of the fugly 5-mph things that the US required.

Similarly on the 308's there are US bumpers that stick out much farther than the, shall we say, non-US cars. Also on the Boxer you hear about bumper changes and side markers that have to be a certain size, etc.

All because our government wants to keep us safe and our air nice and clean.

Cheers
Kevin

 

Agreed. I vote that we put the terms UKspec and Switzspec into law. Comon who's with me on this important legislation?

 

so.....how should we properly refer to them?

 

Australians? You could call them Ausies. Or Bloaks. Or Downunderers . ...

Ohhhh..... you mean the cars?!??? Call'em anything you want. Who cares? I'm going to keep calling mine a Mondial QV Euro spec. I don't rightly care what Fixer thinks. (No offense Fixer, but does it really make a sand-hill of difference?)

 

Eh mate, it's Blokes, not Boakes.
Philip

 

also, on the federalized versions, we have rear side marker lights and safety glass, and larger side marker lights in front. the 'euro' versions came with hotter cams too, and of course the instruments read in another language, like on my euro 308 GTS, the guages are in italian. also, the rear trunk area is different. the euro cars were generally lighter.
john

 

And its oi, not eh, hoser.

Cheers
Kevin

 

Good morning, Phil!!

So UK spec is pretty easy to tell, what with the RHD and all, but genuinely, what is special about Swiss spec as opposed to other European countries? I know in Italy you could get that 208 thing but then that was called a ...wait for it... 208, so not hard to tell. Are the Swiss cars anemic?

Cheers
Kevin

 

Amen Phil!

I don't see why it's so unreasonable to ask that people try to learn and use the correct version names when discussing issues that are version dependent.

The CH version became a virtual US version in about the mid/late-eighties (cats, fuel evaporation control systems, etc.) so Phil's point is that a CH version is essentially a US version whereas a GB version is not for that timeframe (but both CH and GB are "euro").