C U Later

What is the difference between a CUV and an SUV? (a CUV being a Crossover Utility Vehicle)

 

Google gives this answer:

For many car experts, the difference between the two is simple: A crossover is based on a car's platform, while an SUV uses the chassis of a truck. The result is that crossovers use "unibody" architecture, meaning the body and frame are one piece, while SUVs use a "body on frame" design.

 

But then again, would car experts really care?

 

They shouldn't.  But as Autoguide tell us today, BMW and Benz to Sell More CUVs Than Cars This Year.

 

By the way, the term CUV isn't used much here in the UK, we'd just call them cross-overs.  It's a bit like sidewalk & pavement or Trump & childish moron.

 

Those of us that like cars and driving should view this as a bad thing.  People who aren't very interested in cars and see them in the same category as washing machines used to buy Japanese cars in the '80s and Korean cars in the '90s and now buy CUVs and SUVs.

 

But buying them they are.

 

In big numbers.

 

Forcing even the likes of Lamborghini and Rolls Royce to start building the things.

 

And forcing The Grand Tour boys to do a film with three of the least worst:

Albeit reluctantly.

 

Last week Autocar revealed the top 10 sellers in the UK in January, which included:

• The Nissan Qashqai
• The Vauxhall's Mokka X
• The Kia Sportage
• The Ford Kuga

Oh dear.

 

I suppose I should be grateful there are only four in there.  And none in the top three.

 

Anyway, despite the constant negative press CUVFEFE.

 

The Five Macans

In November 2013 I created a post called "The Fifth McGann".

It commemorated a new car in a gap that I thought didn't exist - the Porsche Macan.

Although, given the number of similar cars selling in large numbers from just about every manufacturer - none of which I would touch - the gap must have existed after all.

Porsche have now painted five of these in famous past Porsche racing liveries and launched them to the world in Singapore.  A marketing event that seems to have worked.  Car+Driver have it, Autoguide have it and I have it.  (No link to me having it, you're already here)

It irks me a bit because, at the end of the day, while Porsches have always appeared on race tracks - Macans don't.

Here are the cars:

I'd never heard of the red Salzburg car.  If I had to pick a favourite, it would be the Rothmans one: 

Not that they would be able to acknowledge a cigarette company nowadays.  Obviously, the Orange and blue Gulf livery is by far and away the most iconic.

 

But if you want a really iconic livery, painted on a car you could race, you have to look somewhere other than Porsche: