Indholdsfortegnelse for November 1995 i MotorTrend

Mercedes-Benz’ E-Class has has made quite a name for itself. In addition to being the sales star of the automaker’s lineup, it’s also the all-time bestselling luxury import car in the United States. This month, the first major E-Class redesign in over a decade will debut on American highways. We recently had a chance to sample some early examples on a preview drive through Germany and Austria. The ’96 E-Class will be easy to differentiate from its predecessors thanks to a bold new face punctuated by large, oval headlamps. Initially, the E-Class will be available in two models: the E320, with a 3.2-liter DOHC 24-valve inline-six, and the E300 Diesel, with a 50-state-legal, 3.0-liter 24-valve inline-six diesel engine. The V-8-powered E420 won’t appear on our shores until the spring of…

In an effort to quash the anti-lock-brake controversy, Secretary of Transportation Federico Pena roared down an improvised track at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The track was split down the center, with one side dry pavement and the other water-soaked plastic. Four-time Indy winner Al Unser sat shotgun and barked instructions as Pena ran the course twice in a Cadillac Seville, once with the ABS working and once with it disabled. Without ABS, a rather wild-eyed Pena threw himself into a smoking 180. With ABS he was able to hold a straight line in the Danic stoD. The graphic demonstration was a joint effort by the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the National Automobile Dealers Association (N.A.D.A.), the American Coalition for Traffic Safety, and the Robert…

How elaborate a car stereo can you get for a given amount of money, say, $1000? There’s no easy answer because of all the variables, including the type of vehicle and the buyer’s goals, the formats (cassette, CD, MiniDisc), the importance of future expandability, and the amount of custom installation desired or required. Nevertheless, we can make some general recommendations. Keep in mind that most people don’t replace all of their car-stereo components at once. Combining new gear with old, at least temporarily, is a good way to save money. Stock rear speakers, for example, often are retained in order to fund higher-quality speakers for the front of the car, where performance is more critical. Keep this tip in mind as we detail what you can get for $1000 and…

The 10 most powerful American engines can all be described as heavy breathers. Put simply, the more air an engine can swallow in a given time period, the more power it generates. In effect, engines are air pumps. Several important variables affect engine output: size, or displacement; compression ratio; engine speed; and volumetric efficiency. A larger-displacement engine is like a bigger hammer. In this powertrain lineup, the 8.0-liter V-10 is Thor’s own nail-driver. Remember the old adage, “There’s no substitute for cubic inches”? Displacement is the volume of the cylinder from the bottom to the top of the piston stroke. The “smallest” displacements in this group are the 4.6-liter engines in the Cadillac DeVille Concours, Lincoln Mark VIII LSC, and Ford Mustang Cobra—they’re at or less than 280 cubic inches…

ROAD TEST The definition of what constitutes a proper sport/utili-ty vehicle continues to evolve. Responding to changing consumer tastes and market demands, the package parameters have been redrawn to encompass everything from the large, boxy, definitely trucklike originals to today’s smaller, far more carlike offerings. For ’96, Subaru, never a company known for conventional thinking, has taken the process one step beyond, billing the latest iteration of its Legacy Outback as “America’s First Sport/Utility Wagon.” Building on the Outback model introduced last year, the ’96 expands the envelope for both performance and styling. Visually, it has a revised front fascia with a bolder grille and larger foglamps protected by integral stone guards. Also on hand are bigger wheels and tires, a roofline DOHC variant that’s paired with an electronically controlled…

ROAD TEST The ’87 Pontiac Trans Am was, in its time, considered a hard-charging, tire-smoking bad boy. As reported in the April ’86 issue of Motor Trend, with 210 horsepower it rocketed 0-60 mph in a blazing 8.3 seconds. This history lesson is designed to put the performance value that is the ’96 Pontiac Sunfire GT Coupe in perspective. Motivated by a 2.4-liter/150-horsepower DOHC four-cylinder, the Sunfire GT Coupe sprints 0-60 mph in an embarrassing, ’87 Trans Am-like 7.9 seconds, and costs less than $17,000. (The loaded ’87 Trans Am topped $18,000.) The Sunfire GT Coupe also holds its own in contemporary comparisons: It’s quicker and less expensive than both the ’96 Honda Civic Coupe EX and the Nissan 200SX SE-R. The Sunfire, introduced in late ’94 as a replacement…

ACURA SLX Although spokespeople for the original Japanese luxury line are being characteristically tight-lipped about the first sport/utility vehicle to wear the Acura name, they will admit that it will be based on the Isuzu Trooper (shown here), in an arrangement much like the one that created the Honda Passport from the Isuzu Rodeo. Expect the new Acura, which will be named the SLX, to carry a high level of standard equipment, including a leather interior. New front and rear styling treatments will tie it in with the look of Acura’s car line, but few mechanical changes are likely. Power will come from Isuzu’s newly tweaked 190-horsepower SOHC V-6 and will be fed through shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive. Body type: 4-dr., 5-pass. Drivetrain: Front engine, 4WD Airbag: Driver/passenger Base curb weight,…

FIRST LOOK More than a year ago, an unscheduled meeting of Chrysler Corporation’s Exec-utive Motorsports Committee was called to order high in the heavens aboard the company’s Gulfstream execujet. As frigid night air whizzed by at 450 knots, stout cigars thumped against crystal ashtrays, brandy decanters clinked, and the power elite turned their attention to matters of the moment. Something had to be done about the Viper. A new GTS coupe was heading for production in ’96, and the ownership body, thousands strong and growing, was becoming restless. Tuners were having a field day with the world’s only V-10-powered sports car, and some enterprising privateer had brazenly raced a pair of near-stock Vipers at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. With absolutely no factory support, that effort earned two top-20…

TOP 10: THE YEAR’S MOST INNOVATIVE CAR CARE PRODUCTS Every year, hundreds of new ry products designed to help us t 4 care for our vehicles and make our driving safer or easier are introduced to the market. Many are good products, some need more time at the drawing board, and a few stand out from the rest in terms of innovation and design. Of the offerings we’ve tried over the past year, the following 10 are those we feel offer a clear step forward in the care of vehicles or drivers. DEXRON III ATF With Dexron III automatic transmission fluid, the General Motors Power-train Group has given us one less maintenance item to worry about. This new formulation, which supersedes the widely used Dexron II series, is claimed to…

SUV LUV Your August ’95 issue was a thrilling ride! As the proud owner of a ’94 Dodge Ram 4x4, I feel that the Rambased super V-10 is the best all-around sport/utility vehicle I’ve ever seen. Chrysler might miss out on a marketing coup if it doesn’t build one of its own. David A. Baltzer Watkins Glen, N.Y. I was shocked to see the dramatic changes shown in the ’98 Ford Bronco (Aug. ’95), renamed the Expedition. The Ford designers need to look back on the original Bronco and build on the nostalgic two-door, four-wheel-drive removable hardtop. I fear otherwise that the spirit of the old horse has been lost. Mike Winn Jacksonville, Fla. The world really needed another carmagazine cover filled with sport/utes. Since I now boycott any article…

Hot-rodders who’ve longed for a sport coupe that’s more aggressive and less expensive than Lincoln’s luxurious Mark VIII, take note. Under the watchful eyes of Ford’s Special Vehicle Engineering group, Roush Industries has developed a high-performance variation of the 4.6-liter DOHC Modular V-8 engine for the limited-production Thunderbird variant. Originally planned for release in April 1996, this hard-charger will now arrive as a ’97 model, although its introduction date will be moved forward if certain obstacles can be overcome. At the top of the fix-it list is a projected $29,000 sticker price. Ford hopes to lower that figure by several hundred dollars at least, sufficient to warrant a run of approximately 2000 vehicles. The free-breathing 32-valve Modular V-8 has received several functional upgrades for this application. A unique oil-pan baffle…

AFVs ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE After years of development JlMlland field testing, alternative-fuel vehicles (AFVs) are now beginning their hesitant march to market. Ford’s Crown Victoria sedan, now optionally offered as an assembly-line-built dedicated compressed-natural-gas (CNG) vehicle, is the latest offering. But it’s not the only one. Ford now offers a bevy of alternative-fuel vehicles in selected markets. Its Qualified Vehicle Modifier program, which uses authorized upfitters to convert vehicles to bifuel (CNG or gasoline) operation, now includes CNG variants of the F-Series pickup and the Econoline van. Flexible-fuel Taurus models built to run on either M85 methanol or gasoline, or any combination of the two in the same fuel tank, also are available. Chrysler continues to be the most prolific provider of alternative-fuel vehicles, with natural gas, methanol, and…

If you’re talking to a friend on your cellular phone, a dropped call is a nuisance. But if you’re doing on-the-road business, it can be embarrassing and downright irritating. You may want to drop your phone every time it drops a call, but there’s a better alternative: Hook up a signal booster, which lowers the number of dropped calls and improves sound quality by minimizing the signal loss your car’s metal body shell creates. One example is the SB2000 booster amplifier from ORA Electronics. Offering the familiar look of a small car-audio amplifier, the $399 unit boosts transmitting and receiving signal power, effectively turning a 0.6-watt hand-held cell-phone into a 3.0-watt car phone. The amplifier, which is compatible with all cellular phones and can be mounted under a car seat…

The 10 most powerful American-built ’96 models gathered for this test produce an average of 310 horsepower. In model year ’89 (hardly ancient history) the most powerful American production car was the L98 5.7-liter V-8 Corvette, and it made only 245 horsepower. But the horsepower explosion of the ’90s doesn’t stop with this elite group; everything is more powerful. Consider that the 2.5-liter DOHC V-6 in the ’96 Ford Contour produces 20 more horsepower than did the 5.0-liter V-8 in the ’90 Ford Crown Victoria (150 to 170). Back when fuel economy and emissions weren’t great concerns, the way to make more power was to burn more fuel, and the easiest way to bum more fuel was to increase engine displacement. For instance, when Cadillac introduced its revolutionary overheadvalve V-8…

General Motors’ unconventional offspring of the ’90s B isn’t wavering in the right lane with the cruise control set on 55 mph. No, sir. Five model years after the first Saturns rolled onto dealers’ lots, GM’s “other” car company is launching a redesigned sedan and wagon. Research showed that Saturn owners didn’t want revolutionary changes in the new models, just evolutionary refinements. Although instantly recognizable as Saturn products, the second-generation cars are definite departures from the earlier models. The new look is more aerodynamic, cutting through the atmosphere with a 0.32 drag coefficient—a significant 0.02 improvement over the ’95s. Up front, modular headlamps lend a more integrated appearance and feature standard daytime running lamps through use of a second filament in the center high-beam location, Saturn stylists gave the outer…

There will never be another car like this. According to Ferrari’s president, Luca di Mon-tezemolo, road rockets like the F50 will soon be outlawed. The F50’s raucous engine note, its thirst for fuel, its raw speed, and its sheer brazenness offend the people in gray suits who like to decree what’s good for us. With their ever-tightening grip, the bureaucrats responsible for homologation regulations will soon squeeze the life out of the 200-mph megacar market. So the F50, says il presidente, “is the first and last Formula One car with two seats.” DRIVING IMPRESSION But there’s no point in looking hopefully toward your savings account or arriving breathless at your nearest Ferrari dealer, because there’s more bad news: The F50 is priced at $475,000 before luxury tax, only 55 people…

What comes after lightning? Thunder, of course… which we assume to be the reasoning behind naming a radically restyled Ford Ranger “Project Thunder.” Currently under construction, Project Thunder was conceived and is being built by Craftec, Inc., of Coldwater, Michigan. Craftec isn’t the only major player backing the project, however. Ford Special Vehicle Operations is providing technical assistance on the hot, supercharged 5.0-liter SVO V-8 that will power the wild street-driven truck. Details are still in the planning stage, but Motor Trend recently obtained this rendering, which sheds some light on what the finished truck will look like. Starting with a standard-cab Ranger Splash, the transition to Project Thunder will be dramatic. Craig Wood, owner of Craftec, calls the look “new-stalgia.” The idea is to blend ’60s-style muscle with ’90s…

Grille guards and brush guards for off-road vehicles have been around for decades. It wasn’t until recent years, though, that this gear was dealt a new level of sophistication by none other than Range Rover and its innovative European-style front-end bars and taillamp protectors. You might wonder if most Range Rovers boasting these distinctive protectors ever make it to the outback… or any unpaved roads at all. Not likely. We’re willing to bet that owners of most upscale sport/utilities rarely meet roads more challenging than those leading to a favorite ski lodge. Does that mean you should forego a beefy off-road look? No way. For many owners, image is everything. Thus, our suggestion for this weekend project: Add a European-style grille guard, brush guard, and head-lamp/taillamp protectors to lend a…

Ford celebrated the 30th anniversary of “America’s favorite ponycar” in 1994 with the release of an all-new Mustang. The ’94 Mustang had a lot to live up to; it had to be better than the six million Mustangs built before it, while carrying on the styling cues and performance flavor that have spawned a nation of Mustang lovers. With a limited budget of $700 million (a pittance compared with the $6 billion allocated for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique), engineers built the new car on an improved version of the code-named Fox chassis used for the ’79-93 Mustang. A familiar powerplant, the ever-popular 5.0-liter V-8, was put to work in the GT version, allowing a comfortable transition to the new car for enthusiasts and tuners alike. Ford’s accomplishments with…

FACTORY NEWS SHELBY’S VIPER Dodge has never claimed that the Viper wasn’t inspired by the Shelby Cobra of the ’60s. Heck, Carroll Shelby himself drove the Viper pace car at the ’91 Indy 500. Now, Shelby has collaborated with Fitzgerald Motorsports of Laconia, New Hampshire, to produce 50 Guardsman Blue-striped, Wimbledon White Carroll Shelby limited edition Viper roadsters. Each “Viper RT/10 CS” is modified with a new exhaust system, new aircleaner elements, high-performance ignition wires, a 3.73:1 final-drive-ratio gear set, a retuned suspension, and a set of three-piece wheels. Those modifications are worth a claimed 35 horsepower. The rest of the 8.0-liter V-10-powered Dodge powertrain is left mechanically intact. Beyond the paint job, Fitzgerald adds a composite hardtop and rear-deck spoiler, and then guts the front grille opening and festoons…

In a bid to restore its fading reputation as a rival to Ferrari, Lamborghini has introduced the most powerful Diablo ever. To celebrate 30 years of the Sant’Agata marque, a Special Edition version of the mid-engined monster, designated SE30, was offered in summer 1994 with less weight and more power—but the car you see here, called the Jota, goes one step beyond. Where the Diablo SE30 generously gave 525 horsepower, the Jota thumps out 580; where the SE was capable of 202 mph, the Jota screams all the way to 210 mph. When Lamborghini’s Diablo replaced the Countach in 1990, it was the fastest production road car money could buy. Throbbing to the tune of a 5.7-liter quadcam 48-valve V-12, the 492-horsepower Diablo would run 0-60 mph in about four…

Here’s the first “official” look at Ford’s all-new F-150 full-size pickup truck. The best-selling vehicle in America has been totally redesigned for ’97; while all of its legendary ruggedness remains, the styling team clearly felt that the time had come to endow the F-150 with a rounder, more sophisticated appearance inside and out. Another element acknowledging the increasing importance of the F-Series in personal use as’well as in work capacities is the prominent application of chrome trim. Due to arrive in showrooms in early 1996, where it will share floor space with the current carryover F-Series trucks until early next fall, this new F-150 features a more steeply raked windshield to enhance its aerodynamic qualities. The front glass is bonded in place, a standard practice in passenger cars. Side glass…

The first-generation Delco/Bose system in the ’93/’94 Camaros could pound out the requisite tunes with adequate gusto. But it was a simple system, with just three full-range speakers covering all the bases. That changed for the ’95 Camaro, with an all-new Delco/Bose upgrade offering a total of five full-range speakers and double the power of the earlier iteration, for a total of 300 watts. While the old hardware was certainly adequate relative to its marketplace peers, the newer gear truly excels. And as an additional bit of good news, the price of the option only increased from the original $500 to $606 in ’95, and remains there in ’96. The three speaker locations used in the earlier system are still occupied by 6.5-inch full-range drivers. The rearmost is positioned way…

Alarm and keyless-entry systems have become mainstream items on many of today’s vehicles—but what if you have one without the other? Adding keyless-entry capability to an alarm-equipped car, so your security system’s remote transmitter operates solenoids that lock and unlock your doors, is possible with aftermarket kits available from most major auto alarm companies and an array of specialty suppliers. A more common desire is the addition of an alarm to integrate with a car’s factory keyless-entry system. Many drivers like the idea of their OEM keyless-entry transmitter arming and disarming the security system as it locks and unlocks the doors—but they don’t know where to turn. Again, many of the full-line auto security companies address this need. One example of a system offered specifically as a keyless-entry upgrade is…

Previous-generation Vipers made 400 horsepower at 4600 rpm. To beat the EPA’s drive-by noise test, Dodge neglected to mention that an additional half dozen or so horses were available at 600 rpm higher. For ’96, a new, quieter rear-exiting exhaust system allows Dodge to get credit for all 415 horses at 5200 rpm. Plus, new spark tuning and fuel calibration help further boost torque (which wasn’t underrated as far as we know) by 26 to 488 poundfeet. Converting this into forward motion is a challenge: Launching at much over 1700 rpm results in serious wheelspin, while much under 1800 rpm bogs the motor. But it does strike with the venom expected of America’s most powerful car. It can not only overwhelm its own tires, but the tires on the car…

Runzheimer International, a management consulting firm working for the AAA, surveyed 80 locales throughout the U.S. and determined operating costs for a ’95 Ford Taurus GL in each of those metropolitan areas. Runzheimer’s figures include everything from gasoline to insurance and depreciation. On average, compared with 1994, depreciation increased $133 to $3073; finance charges rose by $38, to reach $686; fuel and oil prices went up $30 per year; insurance increased by $14, to $783; and tires went up $30 per year. HIGHEST & LOWEST RESALE VALUES These ratings are taken from the ’95 editions of “The Complete Car Cost Guide” and “The Complete Small Truck Cost Guide,” from IntelliChoice, Inc., and indicate the percentage of original value the vehicle is expected to retain after five years. TOP 10 MOST…

ROAD TEST It’s no secret that we’re huge fans of BMW’s spectacular M3. Few cars can even come close to matching its ability to deliver performance and practicality at a reasonable price. Our recent encounter with the limited-production Lightweight variant (Aug. ’95) showcased the pur sang side of its multifaceted personality. This time, we’ve opted to sample a version far better suited to real-world driving conditions: an M3 with the Luxury package and five-speed automatic transmission. Designed to meet the needs of sybaritic city dwellers who still answer the call of seldom-traveled twisty backroads in their spare time, it sacrifices little in the way of sheer driving competence, but gains a good bit in the way of enhanced ambiance. This particular M3 is one of the best looking we’ve seen…

What an absolutely wonderful sound the ’96 Taurus SHO makes—but then what other powertrain melody compares to the sweet song of a 32-valveV-8? Regular production of the Taurus SHO won’t start at the Atlanta, Georgia, assembly plant until spring, but Motor Trend recently got a shot at an “engineering sign-off’ vehicle and took the opportunity to let ’er rip. We were definitely impressed. Since the whole idea of the new Taurus SHO was to integrate the smooth, quiet surge of a V-8, Ford engineers, along with their partners at Yamaha Motor Corp., were forced to rewrite the rule book—the SHO’s new V-8 has a narrow 60-degree bank angle. The tight confines of the new Taurus engine bay necessitated the narrow angle (down from the typical V-8 figure of 90 degrees),…

At first sighting, William Tucker’s Grand Cherokee isn’t likely to cause much of a commotion; the fine art of subtlety is being practiced here. While this Jeep doesn’t scream “look at me” through outrageous use of color or wild modifications, stints of extensive staring aren’t uncommon, as admirers try to figure out just what’s behind this picture. Design Automotive Group, those talented folks who make Tek-style aluminum-frame tonneau covers and Teksport racks, and were responsible for the high-profile Tekstyle Terror and Bad Boy Ranger sport trucks, recently turned their attention to a Jeep. Design Group President William Tucker purchased a V-8 Grand Cherokee as a driver, with no intention of messing with it—but he just couldn’t resist. Although quite capable in stock form, the Grand Cherokee was modified into a…

Owners of the megamotor 8.0-liter Dodge Ram can now add even more power beneath the hood. The Carroll Supercharging Company promises its Mach II Dodge V-10 bolt-on supercharging system can boost the V-10’s output to a whopping 500 horsepower. EPA approval for the kits is pending in all 50 states. Performance fans can choose the 424-horsepower, 8-pound-boost Stage 1 kit for $4495, or opt for the 475-horsepower, 10-pound-boost Stage 2 setup for an additional $590. The top-of-the-line offering is Carroll’s 500-horsepower, 12-pound-boost Stage 3 kit, which adds headers and exhaust upgrades along with a $3285 tariff in addition to the $5085 Stage 2 pricetag, for a total kit cost of $8370. Installation time is projected at about 12 hours for the Stage 1 setup, 16 hours for Stage 2, and…

’95 BMW 740 IL High-tech luxury envelops the driver and passengers of the BMW 740iL, as they hide behind its tinted glass like starlets on Oscar night. The limolike, spacious interior features first-class footrests for the rear passengers, and enough elbowroom for professional basketball players. Concurrent with its entry in the three-way “Executive Suite” comparison in our August issue, it was decreed that the 740iL should be the next addition to the MT long-term fleet. Starting at $59,900 and adding a premium audio system, coldweather package, traction control, “comfort” seats with memory, and even infrared parking distance control, it didn’t take long to increase the total to $67,645. In its brief time in our stable, a privileged few have rapidly racked up the miles. We’re waiting for the onboard computer…

Every ’96 car and truck features new OBD-II engine electronics; to many in the aftermarket business, these new computers could mean the end of the road. OBD-II is the second generation of mandated onboard diagnostic systems. The first onboard diagnostics (OBD-I) were required in California starting with ’88-model vehicles to detect emissions component failures, and soon spread to all U.S.-sold vehicles after an EPA mandate. More-stringent requirements from California led to OBD-II, which has been phased in since ’94. Unlike OBD-I systems, OBD-II computers can detect not just partial failure, but the deterioration of emissions system components. To do this, far more engine operations are measured and the computers are much more powerful. This new technology presents a significant obstacle for aftermarket manufacturers. To ensure that vehicles remain within emissions…