The Queen goes Autoshite

[In The Pit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2644092/If-hat-fits-Francois-Hollande-orders-old-Renault-storage-Queens-state-visit-Citroen-doesnt-fit-headgear.html

 

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/may/30/france-queen-hat-renault-velsatis

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/10866291/Queens-hats-too-big-for-Francois-Hollandes-Citroen.html

[anonymous user]

but will it grenade itself on the day? Place your bets

[wuvvum]

It must be frustrating to be the president of a country that doesn't have any prestige manufacturers left and to have to chauffeur foreign heads of state round in £1500-'orth of old Renner.  If I were the president of France I'd resurrect Facel Vega just to build me a decent state limo.

[inconsistant]

If I was the Queen I'd put on the biggest hat my butlers could find and threaten l'incident diplomatique by refusing to get off the plane until a Matra Rancho appears.

[Shep Shepherd]

It must be frustrating to be the president of a country that doesn't have any prestige manufacturers left and to have to chauffeur foreign heads of state round in £1500-'orth of old Renner.  If I were the president of France I'd resurrect Facel Vega just to build me a decent state limo.

 

Or Monica:

 

[Cavcraft]

It must be frustrating to be the head of a country that doesn't have any prestige manufacturers left

 

Ahem...

 

[wuvvum]

Ahem...

 

 

I were talking about France like.

 

Although it's a problem that must afflict many heads of state.  Does King Juan Carlos get chauffered around in a SEAT Altea?  And what about King Willem-Alexander?  DAF 66?

[Partridge]

Ahem...

 

What's wrong with Jaguar et al?

 

Going back to the OP's point, I'm just so pleased how French has made the big papers   

[Junkman]

Can't they dust off a 15/6?

Or borrow a used Diesel W123 from their friends further East?

[Spiny Norman]

I remember a story where Chirac went to the French motor industry in the late 90s and said, "Zut! This is embarrassing, the Germans have the Mercedes, The Brits have Jaguar and Range Rovers, The Americans have Cadillac, even Berlusconi gets a Maserati Quattroporte, I am not rocking up to another fucking G8 summit in a Laguna, build me something BIG!"

 

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why there is such a thing as the Peugeot 607.

[chaseracer]

Merde alors, Francois - la solution est évidente...

 

 

[oman5]

If Hollande ever visits here, we should repay the compliment. what old snotter from our illustrious motoring past could we shove him in?

[warren t claim]

If Hollande ever visits here, we should repay the compliment. what old snotter from our illustrious motoring past could we shove him in?

P5b

[Guest Breadvan72]

The Brendamobile P5b is still up and running.  It's at Gaydon, IIRC.

[Junkman]

It's at Gaydon, IIRC.

In that case the likelihood it's still running and not totally borked is rather slim.

[catsinthewelder]

If Hollande ever visits here, we should repay the compliment. what old snotter from our illustrious motoring past could we shove him in?

 

Lord Sterling to the beige courtesy phone please

[Junkman]

This really made me think. It is kind of strange that one of the biggest car making countries in the World considers a 405 with a wooden banana glued to the glove box door a luxury executive car.

OK, I'm from Austria, which has a similarly significant automotive history as Australia, or Senegal, but even it makes the drivetrains for Rolls Royces and an Aston Martin saloon.

[pshome]

Can't they dust off a 15/6?

Or borrow a used Diesel W123 from their friends further East?

 

Last time we sent large amounts of Diesels across the border, they didnt appriciate it....

[brickwall]

Top bird Her Maj is.

[Parky]

Lord Sterling to the beige courtesy phone please

Alternatively Vulgalour to the beige courtesy phone please!

[castros_bro]

This really made me think. It is kind of strange that one of the biggest car making countries in the World considers a 405 with a wooden banana glued to the glove box door a luxury executive car.

OK, I'm from Austria, which has a similarly significant automotive history as Australia, or Senegal, but even it makes the drivetrains for Rolls Royces and an Aston Martin saloon.

 

How could you forget HMW super sport the pinnacle* of Austrian luxury motoring.

 

[wuvvum]

 

OK, I'm from Austria, which has a similarly significant automotive history as Australia

A-hem...

 

[brickwall]

So was Herr Hitler and he had some influence on Germanic motoring.

[anonymous user]

I wonder whether she will compare it to the Dauphine that she used to have

[forddeliveryboy]

Haflingers and Pinzgauers are ace! Why make on-road machines when you've the country with the finest motor engineers across the border? So good even the Germans couldn't resist a bit of industrial kleptomania and kept nipping across for a few more ideas.

 

 

 

Merde alors, Francois - la solution est évidente...

 

 

 

I think if she weren't Queenie she'd rather enjoy something like this - at least she could service it. The sooner our royals start to be seen using bikes and minimal transport (as well as posh stuff for when it's needed), like some of their European cousins, the better.

 

 

 

This really made me think. It is kind of strange that one of the biggest car making countries in the World considers a 405 with a wooden banana glued to the glove box door a luxury executive car.

OK, I'm from Austria, which has a similarly significant automotive history as Australia, or Senegal, but even it makes the drivetrains for Rolls Royces and an Aston Martin saloon.

 

Yes, but the French don't place quite so much emphasis on how posh something looks, more on how well it works. Since they've clamped down on speeding, there's no longer the need for stuff which is good at and beyond 200km/h. Their cars are comfy and practical and handle well - or did so, traditionally. Off the motorway, they're as fast a car as there is with little effort required on the driver's part.

 

The 2cv was remarked on as having a ride as good as a Rolls-Royce by the British press in the fifties - it didn't need the massive radiator grill and dead cow skin to impress its owners. Similarly, the Germans soon dumped their massively fast Benzes for Light Eleven Citroens when they got fed up of not being able to catch the Resistance in them.

[Ratdat]

A car that is worth bugger all and is deemed too shite even for most folks on here to chance... yet it's fit for heads of state and royalty.The world really has changed. 

[inconsistant]

If Hollande ever visits here, we should repay the compliment. what old snotter from our illustrious motoring past could we shove him in?

 

 

 

[castros_bro]

If Hollande ever visits here, we should repay the compliment. what old snotter from our illustrious motoring past could we shove him in?

 

 

[oman5]

YES!!! but he has to wear the "special ceremonial garb, of a striped jersey, red neckerchief and beret. here. have a gauloise. want a light?"

[pshome]

Senegal makes Smarand's under licence from Iran... will be hard for Austria beat such a prestigous operation.

And they made this steel Mehari with a jeep nose, the end of the Haflinger?