Indholdsfortegnelse for September 1983 i MotorTrend

No guts, no glory, they say. Through the gloom of 2:30am, the Daytona track, lit by piercing driving lights, weaves dimly this way and that across the RX-7’s windshield. All else is nightness, broken only by random flickerings and the illuminated haven of pit lane. On the track, taillights grow ahead, headlights recede behind. The rotary engine’s exhaust note wails through a pipe glowing red hot since the start, 11 hours ago. In fifth gear, past the Start/Finish line, now—Rush! run the car up the bank a little then squeeze on the brakes hard! shift down to 4th 3rd 2nd gear for the left-hand Turn 1 and bang! clip the apex—watch for cars leaving the pits on the left don’t miss the pit signals then wind it to 8800 rpm…

With the sole exception of the 1984 Corvette, no car in recent memory has generated as much pre-introduction speculation and anticipation as this one has. The spy photo/rumor merchants have been going full-tilt since word first got out that such a car was scheduled for production. Mid-engine. Two seats. Its painstaking progress has been chronicled with the same sense of urgency usually reserved for major world events like disarmament talks or political campaigns. We’ve been waiting for this one a long time, and for lots of very good reasons. For those who are observers of the car scene and the machinations of Detroit corporate life, the story of the Fiero has been laden with high drama, low humor, and a classic struggle between men who have a vision (plus the…

As we mill around here at the threshold of what promises to be the minivan revolution, one of the things we’ve been muttering, between the Bravos and the Attaboys, is “Why didn’t you guys do something like this a long time ago?” After all, the need—and, consequently, a market—has been there for years, dating at least from the oil crisis of 1979. When gasoline prices headed for the stratosphere and supplies got scarcer than high IQs in a henhouse, demand for vehicles possessing the weight and aerodynamic characteristics of Quonset huts naturally began to tail off a trifle. Like, boom! Bye-bye van market. An all-new mid-engine mini hat borders on the vantastic Wouldn’t that have been a terrific time to be ready with a neat little small van, one capable…

CHAPTER 1: “PASSIVE” TECHNOLOGY The first radar detectors were of a very simple technology called “passive.” These units had a very limited range, and weren’t very selective about what signals they would detect, so they were only marginal even when police radar was unsophisticated. And after the advent of low power, instant-on, and pulsed radar, and the proliferation of the higher frequency K band, passive detectors became virtually useless. CHAPTER 2: SUPERHETERODYNE TECHNOLOGY In the late seventies, detector technology was advancer by a more sophisticated type of circuitry called superheterodyne (ESCORT was the first high performance superheterodyne radar detector). This “active” technology carries a much higher cost, but has many advantages. Properly designed, it can amplify an incoming signa several hundred times (increasing the range of a detectoi significantly), as…

Since the day when the J-cars first set tire to ground, their detractors have faulted them for being underpowered—among other things. To those who knew them then, underpowered was perhaps too kind a description. In their first iteration, the J-wonkers couldn’t get out of their own way. Later models with the overhead cam 1.8-liter and 2.0-liter pushrod engines were slightly more responsive to vigorous pedal stomping, but not by much. The cars were still woefully short of power, and that deficiency wasn’t mitigated very much by anything you could call good handling attributes. Just about the only positive thing you could say about the original J-cars was the generally good packaging of people and luggage room in a car that small. The price was certainly not in its favor. It…

Ford of Europe just about knocked all of the EEC countries on their common market fannies when it introduced the Sierra last year. The car was so strikingly different from anything Ford had produced to date that there were serious concerns as to how it might be received. At the time, the Sierra was available only with the 1.3-, 1.6-, and 2.0-liter fours and the 2.3-liter V-6; and while the car was a hit with the European auto press, Ford executives weren’t quite sure how the public would take to it. The European bi-winged weapon that’s bound for the interstate They shouldn’t have worried. After nearly a year on the market, the Sierra has been as well received by the European buyer as it was by the motoring press. Sales…

When Tony Krivanek was 17, he lived in Pacific Palisades and was exposed to the Fiat 8V Zagato for the first time when an older kid from Brentwood bought one and gave Tony a ride in it. The experience apparently warped Tony’s development (for reasons that will later become obvious); and it didn’t do the car’s owner a lot of good, either, when he rolled it up into a ball—after six glorious months of ecstatic possession-breaking his back and two limbs in the process. You’d think that would discourage even the most avid enthusiast, wouldn’t you? Well, it didn’t. After a half year of pain and immobility, this anonymous stalwart (whose name has been misplaced in history’s computer) went out and bought another one, identical (or as nearly so as…

The public’s enthusiasm for diesel-powered cars has dwindled lately. Perhaps “disappeared” is a more accurate word. Everyone has known all along about a diesel’s comparatively lower power and higher noise. But the brainchild of Dr. Rudolph Diesel still managed to grow in popularity through the late ‘70s thanks to its reduced operating costs; not only is a diesel engine more fuel efficient than an equally sized gasoline powerplant, but the fuel itself was significantly cheaper. The operative word here is “was.” Since the heyday of the oil-burning engine, the world has changed in ways that have had a profound influence on the diesel car market. Diesel fuel’s price advantage has evaporated, and with it much of the demand for diesel automobiles. Life with GM’s paradiesel, Part One But some people…

Intramural rivalry between domestic auto manufacturers took a giant step forward in Detroit during the GP weekend. Both Ford and Chevrolet unveiled their latest motorsport projects; GT prototype coupes that will serve as corporate marquers in IMSA’s Camel GT competition. At the same time, American Motors announced the formation of Renault/Jeep Sport, Inc., a new division to develop a variety of motor racing programs for the Franco-American firm. For the two traditional rivals, the GTP car announcements represented a fundamental contrast in styles. Ford Chairman Philip Caldwell presided over the Mustang GTP’s debut in Dearborn. He stated flatly that Ford was back in racing, and that the company expects to use its factory involvement as a learning tool. He characterized the new prototype as a clear example of U.S. technological…

LATEST SCORE FROM WOLFSBURG: GOLF 2, COMPETITORS 0 Five million cars is a lot of sheet metal under the bridge for any manufacturer. Five million cars of a given type sold in less than nine years is quite an accomplishment. Now Volkswagen is readying the replacement for the firm’s multi-million seller, the Golf. Marketed with the Rabbit nameplate in North America and as the Caribe in Central and South America, the Golf was the car that saved Volkswagen from disaster as Germany’s No. 1-selling car six of the last seven years. But while the sales numbers remained strong, the Golf was obviously aging with every new market competitor that went on sale. Which is why, late this month, VW will introduce the second-generation Golf to the German public. Whenever a…

New technology is almost old hat. Virtually every new car touts some fresh technological advancement—in aerodynamics, engine controls, or materials. This progress is almost always evolutionary in nature, each step a small enlargement on what went before. In Pontiac’s new Fiero we have an exceptional situation. At first glance, the car shows the trappings of exotic engineering—a mid-ship engine, electronic fuel injection, 4-wheel disc brakes, and plastic bodywork. On second glance, you realize that—delightful as it is—none of this really represents new technology because it’s all pickup: the drivetrain from the X-body, the front suspension from the Chevette, the Iron Duke engine. But then on third glance, you find technology that is not only genuinely new, but startling enough to go beyond the evolutionary and qualify as revolutionary. The Fiero…

Chrysler positions the New Yorker as the flagship of its fleet, and for ‘84 has added some interesting new options, including one that makes it a faster flagship. At the top of the list is the optional 2.2-liter turbocharged engine with electronic fuel injection, the same setup used on the new Laser and Daytona sport coupes. The chassis remains unchanged, since the car was an ‘83½ intro, but optional cast aluminum wheels are offered for ‘84. A welcome bit of boost for the flag carrier Exterior changes have been kept to a minimum, with minor front bumper and fascia modifications, new wraparound taillights and side marker lights, and exterior side and trunk molding updates. Increased attention to interior creature comfort is evident, with leather-wrapped steering wheel, full padded instrument panel,…

ESCORT WINS AGAIN! JULY 1983 BMWCCA ROUNDEL TEST “… the filter (ST/O/P) ESCORT is simply outstanding… unit decreased non-police alerts by over 90%. …a price far below that of many other detector units. The ESCORT simply keeps getting better!’ ESCORT WINS MAY 1983 CAR and DRIVER TEST “The Escort looks so comfortable, contented, and familiar at the top of the heap that it’s hard to see that something new and special has been added… live with a new Escort for a while and you’ll realize it has advanced new circuitry that should go down as a genuine breakthrough.” ESCORT WINS NOV 1982 CAR and DRIVER TEST “The Escort, a perennial favorite of these black-box comparisons, is still the best radar detector money can buy The Escort is a Quality piece…

JVC’s AUDIO EXPRESS Audio Express™ is JVC’s entry in the field of car audio electronics combining high power in a mini chassis. The top-of-the-line receiver is model KS-C100 which features an auto reverse cassette with digital Phase-Lock-Loop (PLL) synthesized tuner (requires separate amp). A special feature called Music Scan is used to locate the beginning of selections on a recorded tape. Selections can be found by simply applying the Music Scan button in conjunction with either fast forward or rewind. The deck will then automatically advance the tape to the beginning of the next selection or present selection, and then automatically switch to the play mode. Other features of the sophisticated KS-C100 include a digital clock, switchable Dolby B and C noise reduction, metal tape compatibility, separate bass and treble…

If patience is a virtue, then Tom Sneva must be bucking for sainthood. In his previous nine appearances at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the ever-quick veteran has proven worthy of a win on many occasions. But the Brickyard is a place that will yield no triumph before its time. Despite taking three pole positions and an equally unprecedented number of 2nd-place finishes there, that magical visit to Victory Circle somehow managed to elude the twotime national champion. With a driver of Sneva’s caliber, a win in the 500 has always been just one lucky break away. This year, the law of averages finally decided to play on his side, but the long-overdue first conquest proved no ordinary victory. In order to shatter what was becoming an all too familiar pattern,…

The Sierra XR4 we’ll see in the U.S. in a little over a year is expected to be a bit different from the current European edition. Mechanically, the 150-hp, 2.8-liter 60° V-6 will be replaced by a 160-hp turbocharged, fuel injected, intercooled 2.3-liter L-4. With nearly the same gearing as the Eurocar plus a 60-lb-lighter powerplant with 10 extra horses, the U.S.-bound XR4 should be noticeably guicker than its Atlantic sister. As is the case with the 6-cylinder car, the U.S.-spec model will be offered with a 5-speed manual gearbox exclusively. Power steering, optional on the European XR4, is expected to be standard. In a move unprecedented for Ford, U.S. XR4s won’t be built by Ford of Europe but reportedly will be assembled by Karmann in Osnabrück, Germany. This is…

Volkswagen did a wonderful thing turning the ubiquitous and bland Rabbit into the Rabbit GTI. The various bits and pieces and the technology that made the Rabbit’s European version, the Golf, the terror of the autobahns in GTI trim worked a similar transformation on our version. The Rabbit GTI is faster than the stock version. It handles better. And it’s a giggle to drive. What more could an enthusiast want? Can Superbunny really use more horsepower? Reeves Callaway says yes. We believe him Simple. What does an enthusiast always want more of? Horsepower. So when word came in that Reeves Callaway had worked some of his turbocharging magic on a Rabbit GTI, we had to have a taste. Callaway has been in the turbocharging business for six years and seems…

Three kinds of Classified Ads are available to advertisers. Commercial Classified: $100 for 25 words. $2.75 for each additional word. One-inch photo or illustration, add $110. A 5% frequency discount for ads in six or more issues. Car Club Classified: $60 for 25 words. $1 for each additional word. Add $35 to include photo. Personal Classified: $35 for 25 words. $1 for each additional word. Add $35 to include a photo. Name and address free on all ads. 25-word minimum. Count telephone numbers as one word. Advertisers using P.O. boxes are required to supply permanent street address and telephone number. Orders are not acknowledged. Closing date: All ads must be received by the 15th of the third month preceding publication date (e.g., April issue closes January 15). Payment must accompany…

“R” DAY WILL COME Spotted recently on a General Motors test track in Michigan: the first U.S. prototype of the Isuzu R-car, the new frontdrive subcompact that will be shipped by GM’s Japanese affiliate to Chevy and Pontiac dealers, beginning in the fall of 1984. GM is keen to add the little Isuzu to its small-car arsenal for the mid-’80s, in light of plans to phase out production of the aging rear-drive Chevette by the ‘87 model year (its sister model, the Pontiac 1000, may fade in ‘85). With a 2-door hatchback scheduled for introduction late next year and a choice of 1.5-liter gas or diesel engines, the R-car likely will be pitched against such popular Japanese front-drivers as the Toyota Tercel, Honda Civic, and Nissan Sentra. Isuzu, which also…

BONDURANT HAS A BETTER IDEA … … or at least a more satisfying arrangement. The roadracer-turned-race-teacher recently changed over to Ford products at his School of High Performance Driving. The Sears Point, California-based operation trains over 1000 students a year, and one of 1982’s graduates happened to be Donald E. Peterson, president of Ford Motor Company. From that relationship grew an agreement to replace the school’s Datsun Z basic race training cars with mildly modified 5-liter Mustang GTs. For Bondurant’s use, the cars have standard HO-level powertrains and a mix of SVO and aftermarket suspension pieces. Goodyear NCT tires (P215/60R15) get a nice grip on Sears’ irregular pavement and break away in a predictable fashion that’s just right for learning—as we discovered in a recent sampling of the cars, the…

When you look at the portfolio of any student of automobile design, whether it’s the Pasadena Art Center College of Design, the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit, or London’s Royal Academy of Art, one thing becomes immediately obvious: Car designers love to do sports car, especially mid-engined ones. Unfortunately, one of the cold realities of working for a car company that sells “volume” products is that the opportunities to work on a sports car design program are few and far between. Let’s face it, most of your time is spent on reworking the nose of last year’s Blastmaster GRX to make it into next year’s. Late in the fall of 1978, the crews at the General Motors Design Staff Advanced and Experimental Studio and the operation’s Advanced III Studio…

Two months ago, in our July issue, we ran an article on convertibles we’d like to see. One of those drop-top variations on a production theme was an open-air version of the ultra-slick 1984 Corvette. In that story we implied that certain members of the staff might possibly go off and build a Vette roadster if some other party didn’t get off the stick and do it. Fortunately for MTs editorial productivity, Brady Hall (no relation) did get off the stick and has done up a new Corvette convertible. Anyone with even a second level brain/memory unit remembers back when Corvettes and convertibles went together like ham and eggs. For 22 of the Vette’s 30 years of production, the model had been offered in a soft-top version direct from the…

Jeep’s new-generation Cherokee/Wagoneer is 1000 lb lighter and nearly 2 ft shorter than its predecessor, and is the first all new design from the division since that original Wagoneer appeared in 1963. And with that, we close the book on the old-line senior Jeeps. Because today’s XJ-series compact sport/utility four-wheelers represent such an advancement over the previous vehicles that there’s little point in even talking about comparisons. AMC’s new compact fourwheeler gives utility a modern face—and a bright new outlook In overall size as well as appointed mission, the new Cherokee lines right up alongside Chevy’s T-Blazer and Ford’s Bronco II in the first wave of downsizing to reach family 4-wheel-drive vehicles. Both AMC’s reckoning and the early sales of the Ford and GM offerings indicate a hot market getting…

What we will attempt to resolve here is one of the world’s oldest questions: quality versus price. When you plunk down your hard-earned for designer jeans, are you really getting significantly more value than if you had bought regular old Levi’s? What esoteric quality commands a &100-bill pair of Pierre Cardin leather gloves, when Sears sells basically the same item for a $20? Purists will wax eloquent about the choice of materials (unborn calfskin from the equatorial region of the third moon of Jupiter) and heap relentless praise on the craftsperson who has lovingly poured his/her sweat/blood/tears— not to mention a 30-year apprenticeship— into hand-sewing this particular item. We are constantly lectured from every quarter on the importance of being chic or having The Look, as if these abstract values…

Lincoln-Mercury interior designers can probably be forgiven for not anticipating how a certain weakness in their work would come to light. Sure, the Cougar’s power window, seat, and mirror controls are handy, lined up there on the forward slope of the center console. Who could have foreseen they’d be perpetual targets for an insubordinate golden retriever who refuses to remain in back seats? Almost from the moment we got the car, this particular staff mutt was trying to plant his forelegs on the armrest, only to have them slide forward and run the driver’s seat up against the wheel. Or tilt an outside mirror skyward. Or drop the passenger’s window. Quality and paradox in a fine personal coupe It’s a small problem (though less small when the seat height adjustor…

Everybody likes to have something different. Better yet is to have something different that’s a little different from everyone else’s different something. In the realm of covetable automobiles, Ferraris qualify as some of the most supremely, surpassingly, divinely different inventions of all time. So a Ferrari that is itself different from most others of its kind has an instant appeal that surpasses all other considerations. A Ferrari unlike all those other Ferraris Such a Ferrari is the 208GTBi Turbo. Born of an unlikely mix of company arrogance and government regulation, the car is a bit of an absurdity. And when brought to our shores—which involves unauthorized importation and compliance retrotuning—it’s nearly indefensible. Except that it’s different. And delightful. When the Italian government (one of them anyway) decreed a 2000cc threshold…

Jaguar can trace its long and distinguished racing heritage back to the mid-1920s, when it produced a line of Swallow motorcycle sidehacks that were used successfully in the Tourist Trophy competition. During the golden era in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, the Coventry-based firm numbered five class wins at Le Mans among its most prominent achievements. But since 1963, the factory’s limited resources have been required elsewhere, primarily as the result of its merger with Leyland and the subsequent development cost of the XJ-S. Now, after 20 years of watching from the sidelines, Jaguar has announced a formal return to racing. The 1983 works team consists of two XJ-S coupes built to FIA Group A spec. These rather heavily restricted—no major changes to the 5.3-liter DOHC V-12 and. all…