FIA President says cars in Europe “are like matchboxes”

O car park United States of America is different from European. Many vehicles are robust, with high suspension, large, and are equipped with powerful engines – such as pick-up or large SUVs.

On the other hand, in Europe – although family SUVs are very popular – cars are generally much more contained in dimensions and motorizations. Because there are environmental regulations to be complied with.

Mohammed ben Sulayem, president of the FIA, revealed in a recent interview which he prefers – he is from the United Arab Emirates. In statements to The Drive, the federative leader revealed: “I love V8 Americans. You have to remember where I grew up: open roads, cheap fuel, just like in the United States. So American cars fit very well there.”.

If, on the one hand, you appreciate the machines used in the US, on the other hand ben Sulayem showed no enthusiasm for European cars: “I come to the United States and see big cars here, and they impose presence. I'm going to Europe and they're like matchboxes“.

The chairman of the FIA, who actively advocates the return of V8 engines with less relevance to a hybrid component, has a vast collection of cars – including European supercars as a Koenigsegg Agera RS or Mercedes-AMG One.

But he realized a preference – the cars he himself modifies: “My restomods. I love them because I make them myself. It's not about paying a few hundred thousand euros to a company and they give it to me. No, it's the journey. It's about testing the driving characteristics, cutting the chassis in front, putting a different chassis, moving the engine, so on. The suspension must be perfect in terms of compression and bounce, wheels, brakes, steering box, steering column, everything”.