Just got back from Italy. Flew this time with a certain Irish budget airline. Hideous but cheap enough I suppose. Travelled from Stainsted Eh-powt, also hideous, but there you go.
I was visiting the head offices of a very well known apparel and footwear brand. Without advertising, suffice it to say they are at the top of their game and are internationally famous in the field of premium young fast fashion.
Their headquarters are vast and the internal architecture and interior design is stunning. The building is populated by large numbers of elegantly edgy young fashionistas and their clearly successful managers. The place oozes money and style.
It was though, interesting to observe the car choices. I had imagined that the sort of people who would work for such a company and in such a clearly image concious environment might have reflected some of that influence in their choice of cars. I had thought that I would see a car park full of Alfas, Maseratis and the like. I was quite wrong.
The Managing Director picked me up from the airport in his base model Passat estate. It was newish but not in the first flush of youth. A divisional director took me to dinner at a very swanky eatery and gave me a lift there in his diesel Punto, again a base model. The export sales director subsequently ferried me back to the airport in his Focus estate.
I know these guys quite well and I know they are way more than capable of affording more indulgent cars. I managed to work the conversation round to the subject of car choice at one point and tried as politely as possible to find out why they had made such practical selections.
Was it, I wondered, to do with punitive company car taxation or some company policy for example? The truth of the matter is somewhat surprising and I may say refreshing.
They all confirmed that they were indeed entitled to company cars but chose not to avail themselves of that option. Taxation was a consideration of course. They all took the view that they would rather be paid a bit more and do their own thing re cars. All were allowed to rent cars for business use if required but for the most part just used their own. Despite their strong interest in the world of expensive high fashion they simply did not see their cars as a significant element of that and preferred to spend their money on eating out and holidays etc.
I am not for one moment using this to illustrate any personal opinions. I just thought it was interesting by comparison to the typical British attitude. Maybe they were not typical either but the more I thought about it the more I noticed that ther were fewer so called premium cars as a percentage of the total and perhaps a larger number of practical or less expensive ones.
Edited by Humph Backbridge on 20/11/2008 at 18:27
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Its not an attitude that is unknown in this country.
My dads old business partner was much the same. Owned a farm, hundreds of acres, always entertaining. He got paid the same generous salery as my dad yet at a time when my dad owned a Citroen XM, Subaru Impreza Turbo and Honda Integra Type-R, he had a Citroen BX 17 RD, followed by a Xantia diesel base model and then a Xantia estate also diesel. He could afford much more but he just didnt care - maybe because he had on 3 occasions had low speed head-ons with tractors.
Even now he only has a 5 year old Merc C-Class diesel, base model of course in doom blue.
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"A divisional director took me to dinner at a very swanky eatery and gave me a lift there in his diesel Punto, again a base model."
I knew someone would confirm I had class - sooner or later ;)
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Oilrag.
I think a lack of side windows falls somewhere below 'base model'. ;>)
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I suppose they're just not into cars and see them just as means of getting from A to B. I'm just as happy to spend it on cars and not on holidays and eating out which I consider a waste of money a lot of the time. At least when the money is spent I have a fun car in the garage rather than an inch on the waistline and a few yellowing snaps in a drawer that I never look at. :-)
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Italians are generally into cars (as is always said by motoring journis, drive a Ferrari over here and people think you are a poser/show off etc.. but over there people gather round and appreciate it). What differs is the having cars to impress. They dont do that as a rule.
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"below 'base model'. ;>) "
Thanks for confirming it Tom. I was sweating for a moment thinking I had gone for unnecessary luxury. ;)
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Italians are generally into cars (as is always said by motoring journis drive a Ferrari over here and people think you are a poser/show off etc.. but over there people gather round and appreciate it). What differs is the having cars to impress. They dont do that as a rule.
Driving a base model Passat or Punto, especially a diesel, doesn't suggest these particular Italians were into cars, more like self-flagellation!
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doesn't suggest these particular Italians were into cars more like self-flagellation!
Well that was sort of my thought. Perhaps not as physical maybe ! But, it was a noticeable juxtaposition or paradox, call it what you will. These particular people are pretty well known as style leaders in their field and on the international fashion scene. It was almost as if the cars were some kind of statement of anti-style. ( no offence intended to owners of similar vehicles )
Maybe this is the new thing. Maybe Oily is secretly actually a style guru...........
;-)
Edited by Humph Backbridge on 20/11/2008 at 21:07
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I am actually Hump, metal side panels are very exclusive on a Punto ;)
Edited by oilrag on 21/11/2008 at 07:46
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This thread reminds me of a report that I read in Australia a few years back. Jac Nasser was head of Ford Australia, and was summonsed to the U.S. to be No.2 in the hierarchy. It was reported that, in the "Senior officials" carpark amongst the chauffeur-driven Lincolns, bay 2 was inhabited by a self-drive Mondeo, admittedly very heavily leaned-upon by Messrs Tickfords. Great was the elevation of eyebrows amongst the Ford upper-classes, I understand.
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Car buying in Europe and especially southern Europe is clearly different to the UK. There are far fewer company cars, people keep cars for longer and there appears to be less snobbery about them.
It would interesting to know what 'extras' these basic cars had Humph? Did they for instance have a/c, central locking, electric and heated mirrors and electric windows, as those would be for me the basic things I would want to have in a car. In fact in small car, I could do without the c/l and e/w, but even in the UK I want aircon and the mirrors are a safety issue for me.
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I'm an Alfa/Fiat owner as well as being an avid biker who owns a Ducati.
I think the distinction to be made here is that the Italians are car conscious. That is they are very capable of appreciating others' vehicles (2 or 4 wheeled) without feeling as though they have to enter into the "Mine's better than yours" mentality so prevalent here in the UK.
I agree that it's a refreshing attitude to have and I only wish that it was more obvious in the UK.
Edited by Navyboy on 21/11/2008 at 08:31
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I think that hits the nail on the head although I'm still surprised that style-conscious Italians would choose a base-model Passat over a drop-dead gorgeous Alfa or Maserati.
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A true fashionista couldn't have a flash car, it would detract from the two most important things in his life - himself and his clothes.
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A true fashionista couldn't have a flash car it would detract from the two most important things in his life - himself and his clothes.>>
A very astute statement which perfectly describes the relationship between me, my old Mondeo and my Balmain leather jacket ;-)
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Waino,
At least you've got the leather jacket - some of us drive a Ford and shop for clothes in Primark.
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Whats important, style wise, to an Italian male, is how well he can pull Italian women. As Italian women mostly want to be seen clinging to a sexy well dressed Italian male cars do not figure highly on the list as Italian women cant be noticed in cars.
Which is why well dressed Italian males driver fancy scooters, with a well dressed woman clinging to his back. (no leathers or helmets - that's not at all stylish)
Unless its southern Italy of course, where all they can afford is a piaggio three wheeler open van for market day, with the wife, 6 children, baby, and the family dog all clinging onto a scooter following behind.
Edited by Altea Ego on 21/11/2008 at 09:46
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the owner of the winery were I work in N Italy drives a 1988/89 S class Mercedes which you couldnt give away. Dented side panels, broken bumper, torn seats ect ect.
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It would be interesting to know if they'd bought their modest car new or if they were sufficiently adverse to spending money on cars to have bought them used.
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I think iffithelps and Altea Ego have it about right. These guys are astonishingly proud of their clothes etc but also by coincidence all have huge motorbikes as well. I suspect they just regard cars as convenient transport and nothing more.
Like I said at the beginning, I am not expressing any view of this, just thought it was interesting by comparison to the general way of things here.
It has been many years since I was close to the corporate car park contest but friends who still work in that sort of environment tell me it is still alive and well.
Don't think I could be bothered with all that now but who can say for sure....it's quite easy to get carried along by things sometimes....
Ciao Ragazzi !!!
Edited by Humph Backbridge on 21/11/2008 at 12:12
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