Indholdsfortegnelse for October 1987 i MotorTrend

Automobiles are getting better and better. Have you noticed? Have you noticed that 4-door sedans are now available with sports suspension packages and proper size wheels and tires so they handle well with few sacrifices in ride quality? It used to be that a good-handling car, one that offered a taut, firm ride on the highway, usually beat you to death on a rough road or around town on potholed streets. That’s not the case anymore. The engineers have taken the compromise out of suspension systems. Now, thanks to new technology, cars can adapt their handling personalities to most any road condition. That’s progress. What’s the secret? Adjustable suspension. Right now the systems are rather crude: adjustable shock absorbers with small electric servos mounted on the top turning the knobs…

FERRARI’S F4C TOPS THEM ALL! Enzo Ferrari has capped all the supercar claims, once and for all maybe, with the mid-engined F40. Derived directly from the GTO and Evoluzione (experimental) models, the twin-turbo 3-liter F40 has a nominal rating of 480 hp and a top speed of 201 mph, but it will be offered with a simple conversion kit of different camshafts and bigger IHI turbos allowing 680 hp and a top speed of 220 mph. Looking frail, the 89-year-old motoring legend had to be helped into the Modena auditorium to announce the F40, so called because it marks the 40th anniversary of Ferrari as a manufacturing concern. His voice shook a little as he told that, on June 6, 1986, he asked the Fiat Group board to be allowed…

It’s a lovely Southern California summer afternoon, the top is down on the Maserati Biturbo i Spyder, and we’re cruising Sunset Boulevard headed toward the beach. As they say in the commercial, it doesn’t get much better than this. Everything is going just great—oops! What’s that in the mirror? We’re being followed by a disreputable-looking type on a motorcycle, by Ron Grable complete with motorcycle mama. We’ll just speed up a bit and see if we can lose him. Oh no, he’s catching up… he’s almost next to us. What to do? “Yo, dude. Bitchin’ lookin’ wheels. How much it set you back, man?” During our time with the Biturbo Spyder, those were the two most often expressed sentiments: It’s beautiful, and how much does it cost. People usually don’t…

It’s ironic that, just as American Motors finally scrambled out of the woods after years of being chased by the bear, Chrysler should step in and reap the spoils. Chrysler, of course, knows full well what it’s like to be chased by the bear, having been close to being devoured itself not so long ago. Now that things are relatively fat in Chryslerland, the troops of Chairman Lee have gone bargain shopping and bagged a steal of a deal in American Motors. The fact is that the purchase is so new, no one quite seems to know how all the pieces will fit into the overall corporate structure at Chrysler. Most immediately concerned, of course, were the AMC employees who took us on a tour of the new Bramalea, Ontario,…

Charting the changes in General Motors products each year is always a challenging job. Sometimes the challenge grows from the similarity of divisional offerings, sometimes from the differences. For 1988, there is a pleasant mixture of the two. The 1988 field of GM products still demonstrates the precept of evolutionary rather than revolutionary change. There emerges no definitive product superstar this year, though there is a raft of all-new cars. Buick and Oldsmobile each introduces their GM-10 fwd replacements for bigger rwd cars, and Pontiac displays its version. Chevrolet doesn’t get its GM-10 until next year. In addition to all-new cars, there are several interesting hardware improvements in engines, a couple new product revisions along sporting lines, and a full-time all-wheel-drive option for a sport sedan. The general trend we’re…

When Wilbur Gunn left his native Springfield, Ohio, after his divorce and settled in England, never to return, there may have been a juicy scandal connected with the breakup. Such has been the speculation down the years. There is no speculation about Gunn’s founding role in Lagonda, though, a name that has had a chequered history in sporting car circles. After his escape from Ohio, Gunn bought a house at Staines, Middlesex, and, in 1898, in the greenhouse on the property, built the first vehicle to bear the Lagonda name-a motorcycle. The name Lagonda came from a creek that flowed through Springfield, Ohio. The Staines site, through the addition of corrugated iron sheds and the like, became the place where all Lagondas, great and small, were designed and built until…

If you’ve ever thought about ordering accessories for your automobile through the mail but were unsure of the results, Motor Trend’s Auto Info Mart provides you with a unique opportunity to see what’s available from the surplus of mail order goodies. Choose from a wide variety of companies offering catalogs and literature full of information on the latest in aftermarket accessories. Fill out and mail the coupon on the last page of this special section, then sit back and let the stores come to you! BEVERLY HILLS MOTORING ACCESSORIES New and exciting accessories for you and your automobile-from super plush floormats and sheepskins, to 100% cotton car covers to protect your car’s interior and exterior, to marque clothing and jewelry for yourself or as a gift. All AMG components available.…

Wherever Yugo Regarding Jack Nerad’s article on the Yugo (August), he obviously went to Yugoslavia to promote his opinion of how a wealthy American suffers while experiencing a few days in a “Socialist” country. I have been to Yugoslavia 18 times; I am from California, 29 years old, and I find the country safe, unalarming as far as communist countries go, and extremely beautiful, especially the coastal areas. I would love to have had the opportunity to travel there for Motor Trend and get paid to test the Yugo and see the countryside. I got very little from Mr. Nerad’s text other than he did not like Yugoslavia, the car, the people, the land, or anything at all. Maybe he should do a report on a Buick Century in Fresno…

’89 NOVA: SLEEKER AND MORE Chevrolet’s Toyota Corolla-based Nova small car will follow the fashion of its progenitor vehicle in 1989, when the Corolla is almost entirely redrawn. The Toyota Sprinter, the Japanese home-market version of the Nova, shows the direction. Virtually every exterior panel will change, Toyota and GM sources confirm. Reliable sources say the Nova will get a Chevy-signature egg-crate grille, with an oversize Chevrolet bow-tie logo affixed thereto, and aero-style composite headlights. Bodycolor bumpers, extended rear spoiler, and other cues will help the new look. The Nova 16-valve model will move from ’88’s notchbacks-only rule to 5-door hatchbacks only, and the engine won’t change. Base cars get a 1.6-liter 3-valve L-4 with throttle-body fuel injection, making about 90 hp. CHEVY HATCHES NEW CORSICA Chevrolet is embroiled in…

There may be no car more easily recognized in this country than the Chevrolet Corvette. Its high performance, handling, creature comforts, and styling have correctly made it the stuff of American power car dreams. As good a sports car as the Corvette is, however, no one, least of all Chevrolet, compares it to vehicles like the Ferrari Testarossa or Lamborghini Countach, which reside at the pinnacle of desirability, styling, and technological sophistication. Now, according to reliable General Motors sources who spoke on a condition of anonymity, it’s almost certain a low-volume, early-’90s Corvette will join the ranks of those few extraordinary, world-class exotic cars. The price will be steeper than you can probably guess. The image and impact will be revolutionary. The target is the Ferrari Testarossa. With help from…

Usually the introduction of a new car is about as emotional as a trip to the post office to buy stamps. Sure, new cars can be exciting, tingling the adrenal glands with ripples of stimulation, and, sure, thousands of hours of blood, sweat, and tears go into the creation of each and every new model, but most of the time, let’s face it, there’s not much emotion there. When all is said and done, a car introduction is primarily a business enterprise with little more inherent drama than the opening of a new supermarket or frozen yogurt store. Which is why the introduction of the Renault(?) Premier was so different from the norm. Rather than a christening, it was an intro that resembled nothing so much as an Irish wake,…

When the fog and rain, clouds and sunshine, I the evening’s cool and the day’s warmth conspire just so for their mysterious mix of who-knows-what, some thing special happens in the lush vineyards in the cozy valleys stowed snugly north of San Francisco. California’s wine country, with its jewel-like, perfect little Napa and Sonoma valleys, is agreeably something special indeed. Something special indeed of another sort happened when Mazda engineers put creative juices to work on the new MX-6 GT Luxury Sports Coupe. Styled elegantly to slice through the wind. Powered capably to leave the world behind. Tuned finely to match any turn of the road. Crafted exquisitely to do all this with refinement. The MX-6 GT is the reaping of a technologically vintage harvest. But it’s something more than…

For Chrysler, 1988 is the year of refinement. Holding new-product introductions to one fresh platform (tagged New Yorker for Chrysler, Dynasty for Dodge), Chrysler’s lineup primarily receives minor engine, chassis, and cosmetic touchups, as attention to detail appears the theme for the coming year. Engine smoothness, performance, reliability, chassis/body fit and finish, interior appointments, and the latest electronic updates have become the focal points. Rounded external edges, deeper spoilers, swoopier noses, and fatter wheels and tires also make an appearance, giving us the impression that this year’s Chrysler buyers might well get more car for their money. You will, however, need a scorecard to keep track of the nameplate/platform distinctions, as Chrysler continues to cross-brand a number of products. The all-new New Yorker/Dynasty line fits well in Chrysler’s lineup. Built…

A solution to those tiresome parking problems, perhaps, but after several years of development, this Fiat 125 prototype was scrapped. Intended only as a city runabout, the Michelotti-styled front-drive 2-seater had the popular Fiat 126’s 650cc twin-cylinder engine mounted transversely over the rear axle. It could also be propelled by electric power. The new Jaguar XJ6, though modernized, is faithfully similar to its stylish predecessor—unlike this alternative, spawned in 1976. The man responsible for this concoction, Sergio Pininfarina, concluded that it deviated too far from the big Jag’s original, classically clean lines. Fortunately, Jaguar’s proprietors, British Leyland, concurred. At Motor Trend, we have grown quite accustomed to seeing new cars introduced amid proud fanfare. But what of those cars the manufacturers haven’t shown us? What of those they didn’t dare…

Move into the future with this digital, hand-held air gauge from Neotech. The NEOTECH 500 is the first low-cost electronic tire pressure measuring device designed specifically for use in the high-performance marketplace. The accurate gauge displays in 0.2psi increments, has a range of 0-50 psi, and is not affected by altitude, temperature, or shock. For long life, the display turns itself off 5 sec after displaying a reading. An audible beep informs the user instantly when the Neotech 500 has completed its measurement. It retails for $39.95 from Neotech Industries, Dept. MT, P.O. Box 610669, Dal las/Ft. Worth Airport, TX 75261-0669; 214/539-1094 or 800/622-6776. Octane Boost Corporation is proud to introduce its newest oil treatment, 104+ OIL BOOST. Because of a unique molybdenum formula bonded to the oil through a…

FORD’S SECRET 2+2-SEATER Ford’s so-called “Barchetta” is a developing tri-national sportster of great interest. The small car reportedly is a 4-place convertible intended for sale here in mid- to late-’89. According to a source unconfirmed at this writing, the car will employ chassis and drivetrain components used under the Mazda 323, including Mazda’s 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine, 5-speed manual, and 3-speed automatic; it was styled in Dearborn studios and will be assembled in Ford of Australia factories. The source claims an optional hard roof will be available. —Daniel Charles Ross EVERYONE LOVES A CLOWN Shown is a very different version of GM’s newest prototype, the very first photograph of a super-secret Pontiac APV Circus Wagon and Balloon Car. The Circus Wagon is available only in white to better define the colorful,…

HIGHWAY HEAVEN We have to wonder if she travels the same roads we do, but in her second “State of the Nation’s Highways” report to Congress, Transportation Secretary Elizabeth Dole reported that “the overall condition of the nation’s highways improved significantly during 1984 and 1985, in spite of a 7.6% increase in travel during the same period.” Dole said the improvement was due to more emphasis by states on rehabilitation projects rather than new construction and to “dramatically increased” highway revenues. At almost $64 billion by 1986, it’s no small potatoes. But, as Dole pointed out, the pay-as-you-go share is rising. Currently, fuel taxes and other user fees account for 60% of all highway revenues and 81% of federal highway dollars. The highway report also noted that, while travel has…

As a precursor to the LT-5, the most ^exotic Corvette ever assembled, the ’89 Vette will be introduced with the most awe-inspiring drivetrain available in a contemporary American automobile. Despite many public references to the name “King of the Hill,” the informal name for the higher-performance prototypes, the actual chassis option package for this killer car will be ZR-1. It harks back to the days of the ZL-1 427-cu-in. option in Corvettes of the ’60s, and the LT-1 350-cu-in. engine packages of the early ’70s. The ZR-1 features a 6-speed ZF manual gearbox and the LT-5 “optimized” 5.7-liter V-8 intended for the production Corvette “Indy.” The twin-cam 4-valve-per-cylinder engine is Chevrolet inspired, though some of the tweaking and prototype work was accomplished by Lotus. Checking the ZR-1 box on your…

Take a good look at this car. Check the profile, the sloping hood and windshield, the way the top surface of its boxy rear deck sweeps forward into the wide roof pillars. If you didn’t know better, if you hadn’t already read the title, you might swear it was upscale GM. Except for the distinctive rectangular grille, it could be a new luxury Buick. Or even a Caddy. Fact is, it’s a new top-of-the-line, let-’em-know-you’ve-arrived, full-boat luxury Dodge. That’s right: Dodge. It’s called ’’Dynasty” (inspired by the Carrington clan?), and its Chrysler counterpart—which sports Cadillac-like vertical taillamps—wears the familiar “New Yorker” label. Wait a minute. Isn’t Dodge supposed to be the Shelby division, the youthful fun and performance branch of Chrysler Corporation? Well, yes. But there’s more. The hot turbo…

At a time when General Motors most needs brand-new products, the hotly awaited GM-lOs are finally beginning to roll out. The entire family of GM-lOs, represented here by the Buick Regal, are perhaps the first cars ever to be criticized for their styling before they were introduced. GM had the misfortune to have been working along generically similar lines for its front-drive W-cars at the time the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable were introduced. You can bet money this caused the General’s stylists no end of sleepless nights. It was too far along in the tooling process to make any major changes to the car, and it was impossible to further differentiate the GM-lOs from virtually concurrent Ford products. Against the backdrop of Taurus/Sa-ble’s first-strike acceptance, it didn’t take long…

The 1988 product line at Ford shows more round corners than a poster girl for the Dunkin’ Donuts convention. The science of aerodynamics was given a big boost by the overwhelming acceptance of the Taurus and Sable ground-breakers, and now Ford’s biggest car, the Lincoln Continental, has been put through the smoothing process. Even the Lincoln Town Car, a bastion of traditional big-car design, also changes soon. The new Connie has emerged from the stylist’s computer design tube a better-looking car, representing the only totally new Ford this season. The Ford Tempo and Mercury Topaz have been renewed with new exteriors, but almost everything else carries over from ’87 largely unchanged. The Continental, now front-drive for ’88, is a good-looking car from most angles. Flush composite headlights, mostly flush glass,…

The Jetta has played a key role in leading Volkswagen’s U.S. revival during the 1980s. Currently VW’s hottest-selling car line in the States, the top-line GLI model has just received a major powertrain upgrade in the form of VW’s potent 16-valve engine. This latest tweak is destined to make a proven winner even more desirable among the budget-minded sport sedan set. Volkswagen’s 4-valve engine made its American debut in mid-1986 under the hood of the flashy Scirocco. For 1987, the Golf GTI was also fitted with this new multi-valve powerplant. Given the history of the original Jetta GLI, it’s hardly surprising to see the high-performance twincam four make an appearance in the firm’s popular 4-door sedan. The real surprise is that it managed to get here as soon as it…

Jaguar has returned to international motor racing for one reason only, and that is to best the German auto manufacturers wherever meetings can be arranged. Silverstone, LeMans, the Nurburgring, Daytona, or Watkins Glen are all acceptable venues for confrontations that will take place almost weekly, for 10 months of the year, starting in 1988. Mercedes and BMW are the key marques Sir John Egan’s company wishes to dent worldwide. As it happens, Mercedes is not directly involved in auto racing, but BMW is regaining a strong foothold in sedan racing with the dynamic M3, while Jaguar has moved out of sedans into World Championship Group C Sports Car racing, where Porsche is Germany’s standard-bearer. It was the German press, not Jaguar, that dealt most harshly with Porsche when the Stuttgart…