Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2001 i MotorTrend

It’s the biggest and most important test we do each year, and It takes an incredible amount of manpower to achieve, but only a handful of people know what it’s really like to participate in our top-secret Car of the Year testing. So now, I’ll clue you in. Our task: To thoroughly evaluate every all-new or significantly changed model and choose one decisive winner. No Top 10 list; no “best of the rest” finishers. This year, it’s 21 wildly varying competitors fighting it out for the most highly sought award in the car business. Our 10 tough categories of tests are the playing field. Our 10 editors are the jury. It’s not an easy game. The entire testing process takes about two months and requires more total miles than you’re…

◼ Audi’s new A4 sedan, just introduced in Europe, is about a year away from reaching the North American market, as an ’02 model. Engines will include the current 1.8L/170-hp turbo four and a new 3.0L/220-hp (In Euro trim) five-valve V-6 to replace the current car’s 2.8L/190-hp V-6. ◼ BMW will badge its new small “1 Series” cars the 2002 and the 1702. The 2.0L four-powered 2002 is named for the venerated sport sedan of the late ’60s and 70s. The 1702 will get a 1.7L four that probably won’t be sold in the States when the car debuts some time in ’04. ◼ Jaguar commemorates its entry into Formula One with a limited-edition version of the supercharged XK8, called the XKR Silverstone. It features a special platinum silver paint…

A sport/ute in search of a name Saturn took the wraps off its first sport/utility vehicle in rain-flooded Miami at the South Florida International Auto Show, 10 years after the “different kind of” GM division debuted its very first car at the same event. Riding on a unique platform, the simply named Saturn SUV adapts sedan suspension components to create a carlike ride. Likewise, engineers liberated L-Series engines to offer a 2.2L/138-hp base four-cylinder and up-level 3.0L/181hp V-6. Transmissions include manual, five-speed automatic, and continuously variable (CVT). The available all-wheel-drive system routes power to the rear when needed, although it can’t distribute power side to side. An overall length of 181.3 in., about 4.0 in. longer than a Honda CR-V, places the Saturn on the larger side of this…

What makes any design good or bad is arguably in the eye of the beholder. When it comes to cars, an attractive design is important to both the person behind the wheel and to the one in the next car, who has to look at it. Will you get a thumbs-up or thumbs-down from your fellow motorist? Worse yet, will he ignore your ride altogether? It also goes back to first impressions: It’s doubtful you’ll fall in love with, or buy, a car that just doesn’t look good to you. Do you get a sense, from behind the wheel, that the car has been well designed to do what it’s supposed to do—whether its mission is to get you through the turns quickly, beat the musclecar in the next lane,…

It’s one thing to be on the outside of a drop-dead gorgeous car, looking in. But that’s not how we drive: It’s from the inside, looking out, of course. So that inside had better be a pretty palpable place. Is there room for you, your passengers, and your stuff (even in a sports car like the MR2 Spyder, where you only want one passenger, and very little stuff)? Do the seats hold you comfortably? Are the controls within reach and easy to use—or clumsy to operate? What about visibility? Are the materials appealing? Hey! Let’s talk stereos!! Supple high-quality leather seats, leather and wood steering wheel and gearshift knob, California walnut trim, a 14-way—fourteen!—power driver seat (10-way for the front passenger), and in the optional hi-lux package, a Mark Levinson…

It’s difficult to describe this category in terms of conventional, dictionary-style definitions. Yet, it’s easily explained by asking some important questions about any new vehicle you’re considering. Will I still like it when that “newcar smell” wears off? Would I want to keep it or dump it? Would it ease my commute, or only make a migraine worse? Can it do what I need a car to do? If money, including the price of gasoline, is no object, and you haven’t much need for the back seat and never carry more than your briefcase or luggage for that extended weekend in St. Moritz, the Mercedes-Benz CL500 should top your list as the kind of car you can live with every day—for the rest of your life. But even the CL500…

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Price is what you pay, but value is what you get in return. And unless you’re related to guys like Bill Gates, who can afford to get less than what they pay for, you know what we’re saying here. Value comes in many sizes, prices, and flavors in our ’01 Car of the Year competition. Chrysler’s PT Cruiser ranks as one of the prime bargains in all automobiledom, with fully equipped models priced at little more than $20,000 (how much it’ll cost you to entice one off your local dealer’s lot is another question). Where else can you get this much style, function, practicality, and fun, for that kind of money? Measured strictly by price, this year’s crop of contenders may…

We began this evaluation at our test facility to gather our usual round of acceleration, braking, and handling data. Our Sequoia arrived in “base model” SR5 4x4 trim, packing the only engine offered—a 4.7L/240-hp all-aluminum DOHC V-8. The Z71 off-road-equipped Tahoe came with the optional 5.3L/285-hp OHV Vortec V-8, and the Expedition with Ford’s optional 5.4L SOHC V-8, good for 260 hp. All three were equipped with four-speed automatic transmissions. When it comes to towing and managing heavy loads, torque is as important as horsepower; maybe more. Ford manages the highest torque output number (345 Ib-ft), but it comes at the highest rpm of the bunch (4500). Chevy’s Vortec offers what is probably the best balance: 325 Ib-ft at 4000 revs. The Toyota is a good news/bad news situation: the…

The folks at Toyota have really done their homework, developing a vehicle that is further refined over its domestically labeled competition. It packs the capability, prowess, and power of a full-tilt off-roadable SUV, along with the comfort and flexibility of a minivan. The Toyota’s on-road handling is superior to the Tahoe’s and Expedition’s (it didn’t jolt like the Chevy nor wallow like the Ford), but fell short on the dirt where the Tahoe’s Z71 suspension package was most at home. Power? I’ll take Toyota’s linear torque curve and deep-breathing DOHC voice any day. If I had to pick one of these as my do-everything vehicle, the Toyota would get the nod—Scott Mead Typical Toyota. With great patience and mounds of support data, it enters the (full-size) Thunderdome, both battleaxes swinging.…

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V-10-powered hyper-exotic is spicier than any pepper Hold the Cayenne: It’s sports cars, full speed ahead! Porsche surprised the Paris Auto Show with its ultra-exotic Carrera GT concept, a two-seat midengine open sports car packing a 5.5L 40-valve V-10 that produces 558 hp and 442 Ib-ft of torque. Weighing just 2750 lb, the Carrera GT is capable of a sub-4.0-sec O-1OO-kph (0-62-mph) time and a top speed of 205 mph, Porsche says. Power gets to the ground via a six-speed gearbox with a “thoroughbred motor racing clutch.” As sports cars get more civilized, manufacturers like Ferrari and Porsche are out to prove they can still design and build hard-edged machinery. The Carrera GT is Porsche’s volley at the 485-hp Ferrari 550 Pininfarina Barchetta (Dec. 2000), plus it will serve as…

Trading heritage for volume? Jaguar’s big gamble in the premium compact sport sedan market dominated by the BMW 3 Series, the Audi A4, and the all-new Mercedes-Benz C-Class, has been revealed, and officially named: the ’02 X-Type. The Ford-owned British automaker expects the X-Type to double Jaguar sales to more than 170.000 annually worldwide. It’s a big gamble because Jaguar uses parent Ford’s latest frontdrive Mondeo platform as the basis for the car, which was developed under the codename X400. Because the notion of FWD doesn’t fit Jaguar’s upper-crust sporting image, the X-Type will be available only with all-wheel drive. But don’t worry, the X-Jag looks nothing like any Mondeo. AWD is a first for Jaguar and makes the Audi A4 quattro the X-Type’s most direct competitor (see “News…

Imagine the most beautiful car in the world. Now imagine that it never moved. This would be the result if style and design didn’t work hand in hand with technology and engineering in the creation of an automobile. And engineering goes beyond just engines and suspensions; it’s the way the buttons work—or don’t; it’s how electrical systems perform—or won’t. It’s how a vehicle’s safety equipment can save your hide—or can’t. Clearly, this is important. No question which car is the engineering marvel: The CL500 is a veritable rolling Mercedes high-tech laboratory. This husky luxo-coupe features Active Body Control suspension, which uses hydraulic, electronic, and mechanical parts to counteract body roll, dive, and squat. Combine that with the smooth 5.0L/302-hp 339 Ib-ft SOHC V-8 and stereotypical Mercedes bank-vault solidity, and the…

Chrysler’s new PT Cruiser is really turning heads, and selling well thanks to its retro styling, versatile interior, and low price. However, one thing the PT lacks is big power—until now. Whipple Superchargers has developed a bolt-on super-charger kit that the company says will deliver up to a 50-percent gain in horsepower and torque through much of the 2.4L 1-4’s rpm range. On a chassis dyno, Whipple claims its supercharged PT cranks out 226 hp and 244 Ib-ft of torque, which is a hefty 82-lb-ft gain over stock. The complete supercharger kit costs $3650 and is a fairly straightforward installation that should take 5-8 hours to perform. At the track, we tested two versions of Whipple’s PT warriors, one with a five-speed manual and another with a four-speed auto. In…

AT THE PEBBLE BEACH golf course in picturesque Monterey, California, Cadillac launched its new-for-’02 Escalade luxury sport/utility and pulled the wraps off its highly anticipated, production-spec ’03 “luxury roadster,” based on the Evoc concept car (“News” Nov. 2000). This “art and science” presentation gave us the opportunity to drive a preproduction version of the all-wheel-drive Escalade, and to get a glimpse of where the manufacturer intends to go in the very near future. We can’t divulge much about Cadillac’s upcoming model lineup, but we can tell you big things are on the way for GM’s premium brand—and what it’s like to drive its new, full-size SUV. The Escalade’s capable foundation is the new GMT800 platform shared with the Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon Denali. Built in Arlington, Texas, the…

’99 BMW 328i As with the Windstar, our BMW 328i is also nearing the end of a year in our midst (or is that our mitts?). Our last report noted a taillight bulb that kept blowing out. We’d been buying our replacement bulbs from the auto parts store, much as many owners would, checking to make sure we were using the right part number, and we. were. Someone had the bright idea (sorry about that) to try a factory BMW replacement bulb from the dealer. The bulbs looked exactly the same, and we couldn’t imagine there would be a difference. Guess what? End of problem—go figure. Otherwise, the Bimmer remains drum tight, extremely satisfying to drive, and problem free. Tire wear has been reasonable, considering the performance nature of the…

ACURA 3.2 TL • Base engine: 3.2L/225-hp SOHC V-6 • Opt. engine: None • 0-60 mph, sec: 6.7 (2000) • Fuel economy: 19/29 • Price range: $29,030-$31,030 What’s hot: Superb value and feature content What’s not: Bland exterior styling What’s new: Standard carpeted floor mats LINCOLN LS • Base engine: 3.0L7210-hp DOHC V-6 • Opt. engine: 3.9U252-hp DOHC V-8 • 0-60 mph, sec: 7.4 (2000) • Fuel economy: 18/25 • Price range: $32,250-538,400 What’s hot: Handling response; avail 5-spd manual What’s not: Seriously lacks interior storage What’s new: Complementary maintenance OLDSMOBILE AURORA • Base engine: 3.5L/215-tip DOHC V-6 • Opt. engine: 4.0L/250-hp DOHC V-8 • 0-60 mph, sec: 7.8 • Fuel economy: 19/28 • Price range: $31,100-536,500 What’s hot: Great looker, inside and out What’s not: Fit/finish not up to…

Everyone knows that Ford’s fabulous GT40 (and its Mark li/Mark IV variations) is among the most successful—and undeniably most beautiful—race cars ever. So what’s this license-plated version doing terrorizing the streets of London? Over the years, various race-sanctioning bodies have mandated that, for a design to be raced as a “sports car,” there must be a certain number of street versions built; it’s called “homologation.” Most often, manufacturers complied. Occasionally, they complained. And sometimes, they simply ignored. But Ford wished to take no chances of a rules infringement with the GT40, and did indeed build a handful of street cars. They were powered by slightly detuned Ford 289 V-8s, and even ran around on wire wheels. You couldn’t just tootle down to your Ford dealer and buy one; they were…

future forecast Acura is preparing to take on the likes of Ferrari’s 360 Modena when it revamps the now-decade-old NSX. And the attack won’t be led with aV-6 engine. Word on the street is that the replacement for 1 the current 3.5 RL sedan will be based on a larger, rear-drive platform, andML.be powered by a V-8…. Honda’s new V-8 will displace between 3.8 and 4.0 L, making it competitive with top-line models from Lexus and Infiniti. Acura will spin off a high-performance version of this powerplant for the NSX, which will remain midengined; early reports spoke of a front-engine roadster, a la BMW Z8, but we hear that’s not the case. Considering that the aforementioned Ferrari already puts out 396 horses, we can’t imagine the NSX showing up with…

General Motors’ GMT 360 platform sportAitilities, the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, and Oldsmobile Bravada, are designed to have distinct personalities. But GM’s new all-alloy Vortec 4200 inline-six truck engine will be the same, whether you order the Chevy, the GMC, or the Olds. That’s a good thing. “Quiet” and “smooth” don’t begin to describe how good this new powerplant feels at idle or at wide-open throttle. During our short bursts up a few crowded streets in Los Angeles, and on even more crowded freeways, the drive-by-wire responsiveness seemed well-matched for the most luxurious of the three SUV variants. Power ramps up smoothly to 3200 rpm, then the engine really comes alive, almost startlingly so. A tip of the Motor Trend hat to the engineer who tuned the exhaust note. In…

Volvo’s Saab story With a keen eye on Saab’s Viggen variants, Volvo has built a highperformance concept version of its new V60 sedan, called Blue Bolt. The Blue Bolt’s 2.5L/300-hp turbo five delivers 295 Ib-ft of torque through a six-speed manual gearbox to all four wheels. The car’s most advanced feature is its Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept, or “FOUR-C,” which adjusts the shock damping to respond to different road surfaces as well as driving input. Volvo indicates that the system monitors wheel position, assesses grip, and alters the damping of each 19-in. BBS mag wheel 500 times per second. The driver can choose between Comfort, Sport, and Advanced Sport suspension setups, the last of which shuts off the Stability Traction System. Its electronically managed four-wheel drive is designed for…

Life’s too short: Why drive boring cars? Most important is that today, vehicles don’t need to be expensive, or offer particularly high performance, to be fun. Someone summed up the Toyota MR2 Spyder with this anonymous note at the top of its comment sheet: “FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUNFUNFUNFUNFUN.” Tune elaborated: “Nice to have an affordable two-seat mid-engine roadster again! Hot chassis, steering, brakes.” Walton calls Mister Two-Spider “the world’s biggest go-kart.” Clearly, the mid-engine roadster is tailormade for the twisty mountain roads we used for one element of our Car of the Year evaluation. Flick the steering wheel left, downshift, then wind up the engine toward its 8000-rpm redline and upshift, then flick the wheel right and downshift, wind back up to max revs before the next…

Fond as we are of ’60s musclecars, we can’t say it often enough: These are “The Good 01’ Days” for performance. And we mean total performance, not just acceleration. Today’s cars deliver more total performance than those of any previous generation—family sedans that offer the acceleration of the aforementioned muscle machines, excellent braking and levels of handling achieved by many sports cars of the ’80s. Consider Toyota’s new MR2 Spyder, with its modest 1.8L/138-hp DOHC four. Doesn’t sound like it should burn up the pavement, right? Look at the numbers: 0-60 mph in 6.6 sec, matched, coincidentally, by the gargantuan Lexus LS 430. The quarter in 15.2 sec at 87.9 mph. A mere 113 ft to bring it back down from 60 mph. Its 0.88g skidpad figure topped the Car…

Sports car popularity comes and goes. Top-down two-seaters were hot in the ?50s and ’60s; even today, America’s fever for cars like the original Jaguar E-Type, Corvette roadster, and Shelby Cobra burns as hotly as ever. By the mid ’70s, however, it all went wrong, and just a handful were left. America had all but forgotten how to go topless. Today, roadsters are back with a vengeance. Mazda started the trend when it brought the Miata to America’s shores in ’90. Several new Ger. man roadsters followed in the latter half of the decade, in the form of Mercedes-Benz’ SLK and the subjects of this comparison BMW’s Z3 and the mid-engine Porsche Boxster. After a long hiatus, BMW got back into the roadster business when it introduced the Z3 in…

Big sport/utilities sell in big numbers, and generate big profits for their manufacturers. So it was only a question of time before Toyota jumped on the bandwagon, currently driven by vehicles like Chevrolet’s Tahoe, Ford’s Expedition, and GMC’s Yukon. Ford sells about a quarter of a million Expeditions every year; sales of the GIVI twins amount to perhaps 75 percent of that total. Chevy’s Tahoe is the oldest nameplate in this group, but was completely redesigned just last year. It’s based on the year-old Silverado truck platform, using coil/link rear suspension, instead of the pickup’s leaf arrangement. The few-year-old, still first-generation Ford Expedition is based on a half-ton truck and also employs a different rear suspension; the package has been updated and upgraded each year since its introduction. Toyota is…

Anyone who was there knew he’d just witnessed something special, an “event” in every sense of the term. It had been nearly a decade since Formula One raced before a U.S. crowd, and even then, it never had a permanent place here. Over the years, the Fl circus had gypsied its way between Sebring, Riverside, Watkins Glen, Long Beach, the parking lot of a Las Vegas hotel (of all places), Dallas, Detroit, and Phoenix, for the last time in 1991. We’re pleased to tell you, after all that, it has indeed found a home. And a grand one, at that: a newly remodeled, FIA-spec, simply world-class Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Say what you will about some of Tony George’s often-controversial plans or the IRL versus CART chasm: This event went off…

They’ve been called “the melding of sport/utility and a pickup.” With four full-size doors and a short cargo bed, this newest variation on the SUV/truck theme has more interior than the average extended cab pickup, yet still offers an exterior cargo area for lifestyle gear or work-a-day loads. Latest on the scene is the Toyota Tacoma Double Cab. Available in 4x2 PreRunner or 4x4 Tacoma form, the Double Cab sits on a 121.9-in. wheelbase—same as the Xtra Cab, but with more passenger compartment and less bed. In 4x2 trim, the engine offerings are a 2.7L DOHC four-cylinder with 150 hp and 177 Ib-ft, ora 3.4L DOHC V-6, loaded with 190 hp and 220 Ib-ft. Order the 4x4, and you get a V-6, period. The 61.5-in. cargo bed can be expanded…

IN SELECTING CHRYSLER’S 300M AS our ’99 Car of the Year recipient, we said, “The 300M is one of the freshest statements to come out of Detroit in years…a solid message that America really can build a machine that masterfully blends performance, luxury, styling, and value into a five-passenger sedan.” How would we feel about it after a year of daily commuting and long-distance travel? Some 12 months later, the above comment still stands. There are certainly plenty of near- and midlevel six-cylinder luxury performance sedans on the market, but the 300M packages a considerable number of this niche’s most desirable characteristics at a price few others can match. Chrysler has played up the 300M as a genuine descendant of those “letter-car” greats of the ’50s and ’60s, like the…