Indholdsfortegnelse for August 1997 i MotorTrend

Calling it a sport/utility for the 21st century, Isuzu has unveiled the VehiCROSS (pronounced vee-cross), a go-anywhere machine that combines conventional ruggedness with unconventional—in some cases even futuristic—running gear. It’s on sale now in Japan, and the firm is considering expanding its reach to other world markets, including the U.S. The VehiCROSS was designed by Simon Cox, Isuzu’s chief stylist in Britain and the same man who penned the visually similar Deseo concept SUV that graced Isuzu’s stand at the 1995 Tokyo Motor Show. Based on a modified Trooper two-door platform and weighing in at 3858 pounds, it’s powered by a 210-horse high-performance version of Isuzu’s 3.2-liter DOHC V-6 engine that’s matched with a four-speed automatic transmission and dual-range transfer case. Topping the list of techno wizardry is a special…

Unraveling the Cougar Conundrum Mercury says it wants to get youthful. The most definitive evidence of that quest promises to be the rebirth of its Cougar sport coupe, set to arrive for the ’99 model year. While we can confirm several of the basic design parameters—the new car (seen here in computer-enhanced form) will be slightly smaller, lighter, and more agile than the existing Cougar and will change from a rear-drive to a front-drive configuration—specific architectural details continue to be a bit of a mystery. Info leaked last year indicated the new Cougar would be built on a variation of the CDW27 platform, known in Europe and Asia as the Mondeo and here in North America as the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique sedans. Ford has undertaken extensive development work…

Along with swapping its original Geo nomenclature for a genuine Bowtie badge, the Prizm sees big changes in ’98. This fuel-efficient, smooth-riding, now-compact sedan gets a fresh exterior, increased body rigidity, a new engine, plus dual front and sideimpact airbags. A lower hoodline improves aerodynamics for better fuel economy and decreased wind noise. Aesthetically, the car now looks even more like its assemblyplant sister, the Toyota Corolla. The Prizm’s only engine is a 1.8-liter/120-horsepower DOHC all-aluminum four. Along with greater fuel efficiency, Chevrolet claims it helps cut more than a second off the car’s 0-60-mph time. The 1.8 can be teamed with a five-speed manual, three-speed automatic, or four-speed automatic transmission. Stopping power has been improved courtesy of revised front calipers and larger rear brake cylinders. In addition to daytime…

Despite what you saw in “Volcano,” the Petersen Automotive Museum (located at the now-legendary intersection of Wilshire and Fairfax) was not wiped out by a sea of molten lava. That’s fortunate because inside the museum is a fabulous assortment of red-hot Ferraris, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Italian marque. The only such exhibit in North America, “Ferrari at 50,” includes such notables as a ’47 Spyder Corsa (Serial No. 002), Enzo’s own ’63 400 Super-america, and a ’67 275 GTB/4 Berlinetta, plus a host of one-of-a-kind coachwork cars and a treasure trove of artwork. We assembled a tour of these breathtaking Italian sports cars on Motor Trend Online, to be found in the Multimedia section under Auto Shows. While visiting our Web site, be sure to stop by our…

Sometimes you need a little reminder of what really makes a performance car great. Chevy Specialty Vehicles offers a 600-horsepower memory aid in the form of the awesome Big-Block Camaro. Simply put, this is a big gulp of unbridled performance. Wrapped in bulging, blood-red bodywork licked with flames, the Big-Block Camaro looks plenty intense. However, it’s when you turn the ignition key and experience the seismic rumble of the 510-cubic-inch V-8 that you believe the Big-Block’s rabid paint scheme is too understated. Slip the GM Motorsports 4L80-ER four-speed automatic into drive, then jam your right foot to the floor. The tortured shriek of the whirling 315/35ZR17 BFGoodrich tires (and your own tortured shrieks) are drowned out by the rich roar of the lunatic V-8. With its chassis set up for…

Its looks can be deceiving. Without a person nearby for perspective, the ML320’s long wheel-base combined with large doors and short over-hangs make it look small—say, about the size of a Honda CR-V. Yet, dimensionally, it’s larger than most of its midsize SUV peers. The soft, rounded styling and sloping hood are more reminiscent of a domesticated minivan than a rugged, adventurous 4x4; but when the going gets rough, this Mercedes employs some of the most sophisticated off-road-ready technology available. Its expansive interior can swallow a potential seven passengers or an Explorer-busting 85.4 cubic feet of cargo, yet it exhibits a nimble, carlike driveability more reflective of a smaller sedan. Yes, Mercedes’ new ML320 (also referred to as the M-Class) offers more than meets the eye. Yet, the ground-rippling impact…

FIRST DRIVE It sports the wide-eyed quadheadlamp treatment of the E-Class. It shares chassis components and dimensions with the C-Class. But the all-new ’98 CLK is not based on either one of these popular platforms. In fact, it’s the entry-level member of a new class of grand-touring, sport/luxury coupes called the CL-Class. And when it goes on sale this fall, this sleek Benz will be accompanied in its named class by the carry-over V-8-powered CL500 and V-12 CL600, both former members of the ultra-luxo S-Class and previously badged as the S500 and S600 coupes. Got all that? Following on the heels of the SLK roadster, M-Class sport/utility, and European-based A-Class city car, the CLK is Mercedes’ fourth new vehicle line introduced in the past year, an astonishingly aggressive pace for…

During the classic muscle era, nothing announced the power under the hood of a vehicle like the scoop on that hood. Of all those hoods, none garnered the cachet of the “Cowl Induction” design used by Chevrolet on the ’69 Camaro Z28 and ’70-’72 Chevelle SS models. This rear-facing design has been so popular that aftermarket companies have produced versions for nearly every Chevy and a bunch of vehicles that have nothing to do with General Motors. Aeroform’s $595 Cowl Induction composite hood for the ’97 Ford F-150 and Expedition features double-wall construction, a powder-coated latch, screens to filter out trash and release heat, and installed windshield-washer nozzles, and comes with all the necessary hardware to mount it to the truck. The unit ships with black gelcoat on both sides,…

Laden with journalistic cynicism, about 30 of us were led into Mattel’s Hot Wheels Design Center already somewhat dismissive of the experience. But threaded amid the anonymous office cubicles were some of the most elaborate Hot Wheels track layouts ever assembled and a whole boat load of the tiny cars with which to play. It was a race to see which would drop faster: jaws, objectivity, or dignity. As 30-somethings rushed to the self-propelled XV Racer tracks, the Gen-Xers stopped goatee trimming and bolted for the intricate loops and infinite jumps of the gravity-powered classic Hot Wheels set-ups. Suddenly, it was Christmas 1970 all over again. Mattel didn’t become the world’s largest toy company by ignoring markets, and with the original Hot Wheels buyers of 1968 approaching age 40, it…

When undertaking a paint-restoration project, especially when wet sanding or using heavy abrasive cleaners or compounds, you must be careful not to rub—or burn—through the paint layer you’re working on. If this happens, there’s no recourse but to repaint that area. That’s why it’s critical to know before you start how thick the paint is. This can be measured by using a paint thickness gauge. Pro Motorcar Products (Dept. MT, 1500 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48304; 800/33-GA∪GE or 800/334-2843) offers models across a wide price range. We tried two—one retailing for $49.95 and the other for $499—to see how they compared. A factory paint job is usually 4-5 mils thick, with about half of that thickness made up by the clear coat and the other half made up of…

Wish I could do that.” Grandstands at World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint car events ring with that phrase. (In the malted beverage section the chant is: “I could do that better!”) We offer these wishers and boasters a tip on how to quit dreaming and start driving: California Lightning Sprints. With ready-to-run race cars going for as little as $6000 used, anyone can soon be doing his best Steve Kinser impersonation. Anyone, that is, with the determination, commitment, and tenacity necessary to be a race driver. Make no mistake, these little cars (called “mini-sprints” in other parts of the country) are full-on, kick-your-tail, snap-your-neck, rut-hookin’, hard-crashin’ race cars. They boast the identical suspension arrangement—solid axles and four torsion bars—found on full-size Sprint cars and Midgets. The chassis are, with minor…

Ford took some big risks with the all-new-for-’96 Taurus. Sales leader of its automobile lineup and the best-selling passenger car in the country since 1992, the Taurus was dramatically—some contend controversially—restyled inside and out. No one would dispute the fact that this metamorphosis brought with it numerous significant mechanical improvements. The real question was whether the average American family-sedan buyer would find the transformation just a bit too radical. A year later, the debate continues, albeit at a considerably lower level of intensity. During that period, we put a Taurus through MTs long-term duty cycle and polled an owner group to see how closely their experiences paralleled ours. The results were enlightening—and a bit surprising. MT THUMBS UP 100,000-mile tuneup interval on Duratec V-6 Rear seat heater/air-conditioning ducts Large rear-seat…

HIGH-SPEED GAMBLE Congratulations on the “High-Speed Gamble” article (May ’97). My hat is off to the Motor Trend crew for producing one of the most awesome articles ever published. You people deserve a Nobel Peace Prize for gathering all of these wonderful cars from varied nations, and bringing out the best in each one. It was amazing that the 3.2-liter naturally aspirated NSX V-6 could keep up with the V-8 cars and the two turbo coupes. And then I read that Acura might bring a V-8 to the American shores! Chevrolet may have to build a ZR-1 again. Jason Lanier Lexington, N.J. via the Internet All that I can say is “wow,” since my chin is still on the floor. What a shootout! I think the people at Motor Trend…

Building on the worldwide success of its upscale Range Rover, Britain’s primo four-wheel-drive manufacturer, Land Rover, is set to enter the affordable end of the sport/utility market. According to a company spokesman, the new Freelander model seen here targets “a completely new range of customers” and carries high hopes: It’s expected to nearly double Land Rover’s European volume to almost 60,000 units. Euro sales start this fall, but in the longer term, the Freelander may also find its way to America. Styled by Rover design chief Gerry McGovern (also responsible for the acclaimed MGF), the Freelander is intended to attract younger buyers into the Land Rover fold and to steal them away from medium-size sedans. Three versions will be available initially: a fixed-roof five-door, the three-door Softback with a forward-folding…

Lightning apparently will strike twice when Ford resurrects its full-size performance pickup in 1998. The first concrete evidence of that intent is seen in this spy photo of a rough-looking prototype. Word is that this will be no simple cosmetic upgrade but rather a full-on SVT makeover. A heavy-breathing version of the SOHC 5.4-liter Modular V-8 should offer more than enough power to smoke the lightly loaded tires. An automatic transmission is definitely in the cards, but durability requirements and emissions hurdles could prevent the fitment of a manual gearbox. Like that previous Lightning, which was motivated by a 240-horsepower version of Ford’s 5.8-liter OHV V-8, this hot new hauler will benefit from chassis tweaks that will make it feel more like a Mustang GT than your standard load toter.…

This Web site is so popular among automakers and safety engineers that it recently locked up while Japanese automakers downloaded everything posted there. It’s the National Crash Analysis Center at George Washington University, created by a pioneering group of computer whizzes and students who are simulating far more complex car crashes and detailed models of whole crash scenes faster and cheaper, using declassified computer codes developed by the Defense. Department to simulate nuclear explosions. Initially, it took 12 hours on a multimillion-dollar supercomputer to model one, crash, and costs to automakers could run into the millions, an NCAC spokesman explained. But by dismantling and digitizing each part of a vehicle, the NCAC uses “variable and stable parallel computing” to do the same thing for as little as $30,000. The models…

Get ready for another action-packed month of Motor Trend Television. Twice each weekend on TNN (The Nashville Network), we’ll bring to tire-smoking life road tests, comparisons, historical retrospectives, new product reviews, and a host of special features. Heading up the hit list in July is a faceoff between the Chevy Tahoe and Ford Expedition, an inside look at Import Car of the Year, a comprehensive profile of the new Corvette, and a wild romp in the new Pontiac Firebird WS6 convertible. We’ll also spend some time with Chevy power guru Jon Moss and his awesome Tahoe SS super SUV. There’s lots more, too, so don’t miss a minute. Check local TV listings for showtimes in your area.…

White-haired John Lingenfelter resembles a blend of the blocky muscularity of a younger Marlon Brando and the marshal steeliness of an Erwin Rommel, Germany’s genius general, AKA “The Desert Fox.” Appearance aside, this man is internationally recognized as one of the premier Corvette-tuning experts, made most famous by his lightning-quick 475-horsepower ZR-ls. At his shop in pancake-flat Decatur, Indiana, he seemed to us farm-boy quiet, nearly reluctant to speak, and certainly not given to rambling hyperbole. His incredibly fast cars do the talking. But before we took to the track, we extracted a few words on his latest creation, a 450-horse version of the all-aluminum LSI tucked into a new C5 Corvette. “Well, it turned a two-way average of 190 mph,” he noted. “But then, it’s got a bit more…

Looking like some sort of Gen-X lifestyle assault vehicle, the ZR-24 Moab shatters the ho-hum conventionality of its production-line Cavalier counterparts. Named for the mountain-biking, off-roading oasis of Moab, Utah, the ZR-24 quite appropriately sports a rugged, dirt-tolerant interior, a roof rack to hold a pair of bikes, and an athletic stance dramatically skewed toward active outdoor recreation. Boosted ground clearance and 17-inch wheels wrapped with exotic Michelin Pilot rally radials help give the front-drive Moab the ability to venture off-road (particularly on hard-packed trails) with confidence and flair. To tighten up the handling, enlarged anti-roll bars are carried in firm polyurethane bushings; brake upgrades help, too. Under the hood, Chevrolet Specialty Vehicles worked its magic to energize the 2.4-liter DOHC inline four. The Moab hits 185 horsepower at 6250…

Just when you thought the last asbestos-chewin’, hydrocarbon-snortin’ Monte Carlo left Chevy when the Monte Carlo SS ended its reign in 1988, Jon Moss, shows up with a studly personality on one of the current production pieces. Although these three Monte units are not identical, each of them has a darn good shot of making it to production in the very near future. So, look past the paint schemes to the viable mechanicals underneath. What we have in the two mechanically identical, wildly painted pacers and the more highly tuned Earnhardt-black supercharged version are exciting variations on the current front-drive Monte Carlo. Each special variant was then set up the way Chevrolet’s savvy race-engineering experts (with unlimited access to the company parts bin) would build a great all-around accelerating, braking,…

For the first time, the two-door Escort has cast aside its rear hatch in favor of a conventional trunk, moving a rung up the automotive prestige ladder in the process. While a pre-production ZX2 model exhibited blitzkrieg 7.4-second 0-60-mph performance in our previous test (May ’97), this nearly-as-impressive production example quickens the pulse more than any new $13,000 car should. Much of the excitement is caused by the use of the Contour’s zippy inline-four Zetec powerplant. The specially tuned 2.0-liter/130-horsepower DOHC engine delivers swift acceleration, with 0-60 mph in this ZX2 flashing by in 7.8. seconds, putting the Escort ahead of all but the more-powerful Neon. Trackside debriefings revealed the handling to be equally as enticing, averaging 67.0 mph through the 600-föot slalom and 0.78g around the 200-íòot skidpad. Its…

When Chevy shows us its toys, there’s often one vehicle so subtle in the presentation of its modifications that their extent is easy to overlook. The seemingly innocuous Express van shown here doesn’t look much different from the one your cable installer promises to show up in one day, but underneath it’s an experiment in on-road, all-wheel-drive technology. And how the Express AWD is built is radical. The one van started life as two vehicles: a ’96 G1500 two-wheel-drive van and a ’96 K1500 four-wheel-drive Suburban, both of which were slated for scrappage before Jon Moss grabbed them. With the bodies removed from the two trucks, their chassis were cut in two and the entire front half of the Sub was melded with the back half of the van. After…

This will be a very rare bird; just 25 to 30 SLP Pontiac Firehawks will emerge with the pumped 330-horsepower LT4 V-8 first seen in the ’96 Corvette Grand Sport. The quick-revving LT4, with its increased-flow-rate injectors, reworked ports, bigger valves, high-lift cam, and higher-compression pistons, was created as a special optional variation on the standard LT1 small-block V-8. SLP Engineering got its hands on the last 150 or so of these hot engines and while some slid into about 100 30th-anniversary Camaros, a few of the blueprinted strays will go into this special number of Firehawks. This engine combines with the Borg-Warner six-speed and the hottest version of the Firebird chassis to produce a barn’s worth of hoot. Every quick-shifting trip is a basso symphony of V-8 vocalizations that…

Remember him as you will, but John Zachary DeLorean was a car guy par excellence. His decade-plus power tour of Pontiac Motor Division (first as chief engineer, then as general manager) had changed the face of the formerly moribund “tin injun” division by epic proportions. From the fuel-injected ’57 Bonneville to the inaugural Grand Prix in ’62, and on through the infamous ’64 GTO and ’67 Firebird, the avant-garde DeLorean was on a tear. Suddenly, Ponchos weren’t the drab sedans your Aunt Blanche drove, but emerged as big-engined, tire-burning, hot-looking street machines laser-targeted at the rampant youth market. In those wild, never to be repeated days of automotive lust (unbridled by fuel economy requirements or federal crash standards), the “big three” of automotive performance were Chevy, Ford, and Pontiac. If…

Among the growing wave of automakers offering on-board navi-gation is BMW, which now provides it on 5- and 7-Series models as a $2800 option ($2990 on the 528i). Using hardware made by Philips, BMW’s sys-tem is part of an On-Board Monitor feature that, in addition to navigation functions, integrates the controls for the audio system, travel computer, telephone, heater/ventilation system, digital signal processing, and even a television for rear passengers. We spent a couple of weeks with the system in a 540i and found it to be a sophisticated offering that’s competitive with the best on the market. Like other top-notch systems, BMW’s keeps track of vehicle location with both Global Positioning Satellite input and a dead reckoning system that uses wheel sensors and a magnetic compass to monitor the…

’97 FORD F-150 LARIAT SUPERCAR Proving infinitely useful, our F-150 pickup has accumulated miles like a Concorde jet, climbing 6000 since the last update. Its impressive 8000-pound towing capacity has been put to use hauling a Ford-powered sprint car to Western-region racetracks in support of dirt-slinging Road Test Coordinator Brad Long’s oval-track addiction. On these motorsport adventures, the recently fitted SnugTop shell has proven extremely useful for securing tools, coolers, and miscellaneous gear in the truck’s bed. The cap itself has received mixed styling reviews: Some staffers find its curves flow with the F-150’s lines to create an SUV-like appearance, while more conservative types find its non-conventional shape less appealing. We’re in total agreement that there’s a definite trade-off for the convenience of secure storage: visibility. While backing out of…

Honda will roll the sixth generation of — its popular Accord lineup into show-rooms this fall. While the sedan is destined to retain a good deal of its existing, fairly conservative styling cues, the new coupe model—seen here in an exclusive factory authorized illustration—promises to be one of the sharper automotive shapes of the ’98 model year. Aggressively chiseled with flat surfaces, severe creases, and a steeply raked windshield and beltline, it stands in marked contrast to the soft, aero-balloon designs that dominated the early ’90s. Why a cool-looking coupe? Honda research indicated that high fashion counts heavily with the profiling singles who make up the majority of coupe buyers, and that this group simply wasn’t interested in a mere two-door version of the staid Accord sedan. Designed in America,…

Howling around the high-speed bowl at the Nardo test track in southern Italy, this prototype Lamborghini is being evaluated as the Diablo replacement. The Sant’Agata supercar maker is hopeful that its new mid-engine flagship model will be more popular than ever before, now that the traditional Ferrari rival, the 512/Testarossa, has been replaced by the front-engine 550 Maranello. Not to go on sale for another 12-15 months, the new Lambo shares its platform with the current Diablo, again with all-around double-wishbone suspension and electronically adjustable dampers, and a 5.7-liter V-12. The engine will be updated to give yet more power (reportedly more than 500 horses), and the cabin will have improved accommodation, but the biggest change is in the styling. Although the car’s front end is a recognizable evolution of…

When launched as an ’88 model, the current Lincoln Continental was roundly criticized for a lack of exterior personality, an excess of “gizmo” electronics, and power levels below those of its closest domestic competition. While exterior changes to the ’98 model appear subtle at first glance, the car actually has undergone a number of understated but effective changes to help its cause. First is a significant freshening of its steel, chrome, and plastic body parts. Come this fall, the Continental will sport new hood contours, fenders, sideview mirrors, bumpers, grille bright-work, wheels, body-side cladding, rear quarter panels, trunklid edges, and exhaust ports. The overall styling accent alludes to a bold, Jaguar-like muscularity. What about the gizmos? Word is that customers who could care less about multiple electronic steering/seat/mirror/ride and radio…

The California Air Resources Board has added yet another medium-duty category to its Low Emissions Vehicle program. This very stringent standard—SULEV, for Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle—was on the books only a few months before Ford stepped forward to meet it with the cleanest internal-combustion vehicles ever mass-produced. Ford’s answer is an extremely cleanburning F-250 pickup, along with an E-250 Econoline Van and Club Wagon. Each of these medium-duty vehicles runs exclusively on compressed natural gas and achieves an emission level 85 percent cleaner than that currently required in California. The automaker’s secret? Of course, the clean-burning properties of natural gas certainly help. But to make the cut, Ford engineers incorporated an innovative preconditioning catalyst to treat the CNG vehicle’s hydrogen-rich exhaust before it reaches the three-way catalytic converter. Used…

Inside the vast juggernaut that is the Chevrolet Division of General Motors is a secret department that’s the automotive equivalent of the famous Lockheed Skunk Works. It’s called the Specialty Vehicles Department—an island of wild creativity in a sea of careful, design-for-production conservatism. Jon Moss runs this high-performance empire, overseeing a group of talented engineers and craftsmen chartered with asking—and answering—the “what if?” questions that arise within Chevrolet. Often, the answers become tire-smoking production cars like the Impala SS. That’s the really fun part. By many, Moss is considered to have the best job in the automotive world. After all, what could be more enthralling for an enthusiast than crafting exotic machinery all day, every day, with the resources of Chevrolet backing you up? This oversimplification discounts the pressures that…

Twist the ignition key and nearby flora wilt as panicked fauna scamper for cover. The Xtreme Force S-10 pickup settles into a jagged 1500-rpm idle with a stuttering exhaust bark that clearly indicates you’d best be on a racetrack—or have extremely understanding neighbors. The Xtreme Force is plenty intense. With plans in the works to create an NHRA Pro Stock Truck division for the 1998 drag racing season, Chevy thought it only natural to put together a special S-10 pickup that would offer an idea of what such a race truck might be like—and to give S-10 owners a look at what’s possible on the modification front with their own vehicles. In typical Chevrolet Specialty Vehicles style, the resulting machine is downright extreme. A dynamometer peak of 403 horsepower gives…

If S-10 enthusiasts had a hunger for V-8 power, what type of ultimate compact pickup would they build? The answer must be something close to the Xtreme Plus 4 concept truck. GM currently builds a four-door S-10 for the Brazilian market. So why not a hot version for the United States, as well? To create this heated-up teaser, Chevrolet stretched the regular S-lO’s frame a full 17 inches and bolted on the four-port Brazilian Crew Cab and a regular Fleetside inner box structure and tailgate with Stepside outer and fenders grafted on. The lower cladding is part of a “Hugger” package. The final body touches are a unique grille and halogen head lamps. Stopping the Xtreme are standard front discs and “adapted” Camaro discs in the rear. Front torsion bar…

The name Roswell has been burned into the collective American psyche as one of the great alleged government conspiracies of the century, ranking alongside the Kennedy assassination in public interest and scrutiny. July 4, 1997, marked the 50th anniversary of the legendary UFO case, inspiring Motor Trends resident conspiracy buffs to embark on a quest for answers to this unexplained phenomenon. The sacred mission sent us 1000 miles east to visit the legendary crash site in desolate New Mexico. Our investigation into the crash began at the UFO Enigma Museum, practically across the street from Hangar 84, where recovered alien bodies were reportedly taken. Amid the collection of exhibits, we learned that resident UFOIogists take the subject very seriously and approach the incident from a strictly scientific perspective. Likewise, the…

It’s like a paper clip. This pickup idea, called the Silverado Superwide, is just as clever and excruciatingly simple as that bent piece of bright wire. Move the back wheels outside the bed and get rid of those pesky inner wells that intrude on box volume and load convenience. The bright red truck looks like any extended-cab C-series pickup with a 6.5-foot bed, a duallie rear axle, and great looking alloys. (The truck’s hunkered-down stance is the result of a 3-inch ride-height reduction achieved with custom springs.) Behind the wheel with the bone-stock 5.7-liter V-8 accelerating, it pulls hard, as evidenced by the brief 8.4 seconds it took to get to 60 mph. Out on the road, the wider track seemed actually to lend an extra bit of hard-cornering stability.…

Take a nicely loaded Thunderbird LX powered by; the 4.6-liter SOHC V-8 (about $22,500), then add i a supercharger and some suspension bits, bigtires, and brake goodies from Kenny Brown Performance. The somewhat surprising result is the fantastically comfortable, quiet and quick GT coupe the rear-drive T-Bird should have always been. Suddenly, the lame-duck jokes stop, and the fact that the rear-drive Thunderbird goes away at the end of this year makes us, instead, very sad. Brown pumps the SOHC V-8 ’Bird to about 290 horsepower with a Vortech supercharger, 70-millimeter throttle body, cat-back Flowmaster exhaust system, and low-restriction K&N air filter and exploits it with a sport-shift transmission kit and a 4.10:1 gear in the rear differential. The engine sparkles with its throaty large-diameter exhaust and unobtrusive but authoritative…

It began with a phone call. A friend had just bought a bargain-basement-priced ’76 BMW 2002. Although it was mechanically in good shape, the paint job was trashed. It was badly oxidized on the hood, trunk, and roof—with a chalky pallor and no reflectivity left at all. Plus, the hood had deep scratches that looked as if someone had done a break dance on it wearing a suit of 60-grit sand-paper. Wanting to boost the car’s curb appeal without having to resort to the hassle and expense of repainting, my friend’s plan was to see how much life he could breathe back into the paint through tried-and-true finessing techniques. With camera in tow, I followed his progress. While this was an extreme example of deteriorated paint, the scenario is common,…

For professional results when detailing your vehicle’s paint finish, you need to evaluate its condition realistically. But different types of defects become more apparent under different conditions. While leaning down close to the paint, look along the surface at an angle; this will make it easier to see swirl marks, scratches, etching, and orange peel. Do this both in bright sunlight and under indoor lighting; the stark reflections from fluorescent lights are particularly good at showing up light swirl marks and orange peel. Use your sense of touch, as well; place your clean, dry hand flat against the paint and slowly rub it along the surface. Any roughness could be due to oxidation or an adhered contaminant. Once you know what you need to correct, you can plan your strategy…

Following the introduction of the four-door Escort last fall (and Mercury Tracer twin), Ford has introduced a sporty two-door variant: the Escort ZX2 coupe, aimed squarely at young buyers. Our test ZX2 was equipped with the optional Premium Sound AM/FM/cassette system teamed up with an 80-watt amplifier and six-disc CD changer ($515). This combination is sure to appeal to a wide cross-section of ZX2 buyers. Like the Escort and the Taurus, the ZX2 uses a variation of Ford’s Integrated Control Panel (ICP) concept as the central system component. Reaction to the ICP concept falls into one of two camps: Either you love it or hate it—proven by our own staff members who gave it mixed reviews. Unlike many other receivers, it is logical and functional with large, easy-to-use controls. If…