Things never said by roadgeeks

[kphoger]

The vehicles sold in Central America are typically the same models sold in more prosperous nations. Recent best-selling cars in Guatemala, for example, include Chevy Aveo, Toyota Hilux and Yaris, VW Polo, Mazda3, Hyundai Santa Fe... While they are generally the smaller offerings from each marque, they are hardly cars unseen in the USA and Europe. Considering that the argument has been made on here that 87 octane (R+M)/2 has outlived its usefulness, I find it interesting that gasoline with a significantly lower rating is still being dispensed in North America. FWIW, Colombia also dispenses 83 octane gasoline.

[dfwmapper]

Same model doesn't necessarily mean the same engine options. What might be sold in the US with 3 different engine options including some with a super/turbocharger may only have the base model available in those countries. And there's a little less concern over engine performance when you're in a country that has no posted limits above 80 or 90 km/h than there would be when trying to merge into 70mph traffic on the freeway.

[kphoger]

If those same base engine models or similar are also sold in the American market, then my point remains that we have not outlived the usefulness of low-grade gasoline.

As for engine performance, you may be underestimating Central Americans' love of hard acceleration as soon as the light turns green, passing against oncoming traffic on uphills, and driving as fast as traffic and road geometry (not posted limits) allow.

[J N Winkler]

The US/Canada is a pretty specific market for the automakers because of stringent requirements for safety and emissions control equipment.  Quite often a "world car" will have one FSM just for the US and Canada and another for the rest of the world.  Even when engines of the same displacement are available elsewhere, they don't necessarily have the same induction systems or sensor complements.  For example, in the early 1980's big Fords sold in the US and Canada had moved on to throttle body fuel injection, while the same cars sold in Mexico had variable-venturi carburetors and a 5.7-L V8 option was available.

I think the strongest argument for being able to drive a car in a country where US regulations for minimum gasoline octane do not apply is that international conventions guarantee the legal ability of a car to travel in foreign countries without requiring permanent importation (including conversion of fuel and exhaust systems to meet local regulations) in each country.  This means that any automaker who sells a car that is too frail to run on foreign gas risks ceding market share to another automaker that sells a more forgiving design.  However, this reasoning does not necessarily extend to (say) driving a catalyst-equipped car in one of the very few countries, such as Algeria, where leaded gasoline is still legal and is still widely sold.

[PHLBOS]

For example, in the early 1980's big Fords sold in the US and Canada had moved on to throttle body fuel injection, while the same cars sold in Mexico had variable-venturi carburetors and a 5.7-L V8 option was available.

The 5.8L (aka the 351 Windsor) offered on full-sizes Fords & Mercurys had the variable-venturi carburation system through 1991.  In the US market, that engine was restricted to the Police-Packaged Fords (LTDs then later Crown Vics) after 1980.  IIRC, that 5.8L/351W VV was still offered as an option for the retail full-size Fords & Mercs in the Canadian market after 1980.

The throttle-body then later sequential-port-injected 5.8s were only offered on the F-series trucks, Broncos & E-series (Econoline/Club Wagon) vans.