(O.T.) Studebakers in Sweden

Didn't realize Studebakers ever made it to Sweden. My uncle has a restored '37 Packard, neat car.

Sweden has always had a high standard of living, which means that they could afford big American cars.

Umm, no. They don't have as much disposable income as Americans do.

Their quality of life is comprised of many things, but the social services account for a lot of it and we don't have those in the U.S.

SG

account for a lot of it and we don't have those in the U.S.

From my World Atlas:

Sweden GDP per head US$ 25400 USA GDP per head US$ 26037

These data are probably 10 years old, but I can't imagine that USA has improved over Sweden since then.

No they have not... In the 1850-1900 period people in the countryside were out of jobs and poor, leading to alcohol problems. Reason for many people to emigrate to the USA.

It got better with the industrial revolution, but most inportant was that Sweden was not involved in WW1 or WW2

From

Well, they weren't combatants, but I wouldn't say they weren't "involved"...

Yes, these are GDP(PPP) massaged figures.

OK, let's put it in a different way then; they were not bombed, robbed and partially destroyed like other European countries

Yes, and their "involvement", if you look at who they were selling what to, explains why. "Neutral" is probably a generous way to describe them in WWII.

Johannes,

GDP sure, but how much is taken from takes about 33% unlike our 8%

Also, Sweden was "neutral" in wartime and now the official term is "military non-alignment"

FYI

SG

Though with the surpurb cars manufactured right there in Sweden I'm not sure why there was much demand for big American cars.

It wasn't always like that. Saab 93 and Volvo P444 were fairly small cars, the

The Volvo 120 "Amazon" was/is a downsized copy of the Chrysler 300. Chrysler had an assembly plant in Sweden.

Very nice car and you still see one now and then driven by a classic enthusiast. However, the design was Italian inspired and it looks almost identical to a FIAT 1900.