Indholdsfortegnelse for April 1999 i MotorTrend

We might as well apologize to Vic Doolan right up front. You’ll notice that this issue’s cover calls BMW’s all-new X5 a “sport/ute” and a “4x4.” But those aren’t accurate, according to Doolan. Listening to the polished, straight-talking president and CEO of BMW of North America is both educational and enlightening. He’s only too happy to tell you—in no uncertain terms—what the X5 is not. “Adaptation was not an option. It is not a minivan, and it’s not a truck,” he drills, in a tone more convincing than Bill Clinton could ever muster. “The X5 is not a crossover, and not a hybrid. It’s a thoroughbred—pure, undiluted BMW.” Cheap hyperbole? Marketing spiel? Based on our first analysis of this long-awaited package, the answer appears to be no, though. By definition,…

361 Ib/ft @ 3900 rpm Don’t be deceived by the 750iL. It’s easy to be misled by the sedan’s stately, understated styling, to be taken off guard by its cool, businesslike ambiance, or find yourself lulled into a sense of underexpectation by its luxurious pampering. Within its heart, though, lies a beast in waiting. A ravenous 5.4-liter SOHC V-12 ready to be unleashed. Yes, it may be dressed impeccably and speak with an eloquently Teutonic accent, yet it’s a raw, primordial force that will widen your eyes, steam your blood, and pin you to your seatback with every bit of the forceful effectiveness of many more overt brutes. In everyday use, this stately BMW V-12 is the ultimate gentleman. Its civilized and mannerly presence blends harmoniously with the 750iL’s overall…

398 Ib/ft @ 4500 rpm We’d just picked up the new 456M at Ferrari’s headquarters in Maranello, Italy and, flanked by two motorcycle polizei (“retained” for our needs), were being given a presidential-level escort through miles of schizophrenic city traffic that leads to the high-speed autostrada. Lights flashing, sirens wailing, traffic parting, and everyone staring, it was pretty damn cool, I must admit. After clearing our path to the on-ramp, the grinning cops gave a wave—and a wink—signifying to go ahead and do what they’d do if they were driving this $225,000 436-horse V-12, ultra-fast, ultra-rare product of the greatest sports car maker the world has ever seen. Say no more, gents. We hit the curvy on-ramp in second gear, planted the pedal, and lit up the 285/40ZR17 Pirellis for…

420 Ib/ft @ 3800 rpm Name all the current Mercedes-Benz production cars, and we bet you’d forget one—the CL. The limited-production German coupe is without peers, as nothing can compare to the variable valved-timed V-12-powered, technology-infused, rock-solid sheer excess of the CL600. Not only is it one of the most powerful grand touring cars on the road, it also features some of the industry’s leading convenience and safety equipment. Before driving this vehicle, we advise studying the operator’s manual. With so many buttons, switches, gauges, and information centers to distract an ill-informed or unprepared driver, a $140,000 disaster is only an untimely lumbar adjustment away. The CL600, based on a modified S Class platform, coddles both driver and front passenger. In a car like this, you aren’t even required to…

The humble Honda Civic began its long life here in ’74 as an imported, economical transporter for the masses. It quickly earned popularity in the U.S. with uncompromising reliability, money-saving fuel economy, and meager price, and has now become America’s best-selling compact car. In ’85, the sleepy commuter got a dose of caffeine with a peppy Si model, and the response from young buyers looking for an inexpensive and spirited driving experience was immediate. But by ’95, more powerful compacts from other manufacturers made the buzzy little Civic Si less attractive, and it was dropped from the Civic line. In ’99, the time is again ripe for an Si model, and Honda has answered the cracking voices of young drivers across the country with a new, improved Civic Si coupe.…

1963 Romping in Riverside: Motor Trend was the prime sponsor behind the first Riverside 500 stock car race, an annual event that later became known as the Motor Trend 500. Run on the legendary racetrack (it’s now a shopping center) in Riverside, California, the 1963 event boasted a purse of $66,500, “the biggest pot ever offered west of the Mississippi.” Dan Gurney took the checkered flag, which earned him a silver trophy, a check from race promoter and MT Publisher Robert Petersen, and a kiss from Race Queen Margie McNally, later to become Mrs. Petersen. 1951 This car would’ve been a blast: Only six years after the first atomic bombs were built, it seemed perfectly natural to consider an atomic-powered car. The idea was even studied by the University of…

Given the content of this month’s “Traveler,” it may sound like a poor pun to refer to the LX 470 as the gold standard of lux ury sport/utility vehicles. But that label really tits tne cabin-cruiser Lexus, wnicn was completely redesigned for '98. As you’d expect, just about every worthwhile feature is standard: full leather interior, genuine wood trim, a top-notch sound system with in-dash CD changer, three-row seating, and every power accessory you’d want. Motivation comes from an ultra-smooth 4.7-liter DOHC V-8 good for 230 horses, mated to a multimode four-speed automatic transmission. But don’t let the lux fool you: The LX 470 is also a highly capable off-roader packing fuli-time four-wheel drive, two-speed transfer case, and driver-adjustable suspension that can be raised for serious trail work or lowered…

If there were any doubts about Dr. Ferdinand Piëch’s plans for Volkswagen to become a world presence, as well as a dominant player in the U.S., they were shattered like a champagne bottle on the bow of a ship at the Paris Auto Show and coincidental ’99 Jetta launch. At a press conference the day before the show, Dr. Piëch, chairman of the board of management, said of the consolidation of the automobile industry, “I would not expect to see disappearing brands, but disappearing owners.” He’s certainly leading that trend with the VW/Audi group now controlling VW, Audi, Scoda, Seat, Lamborghini, Bentley, and, announced the following day, Bugatti. When privately asked if there are plans for the VW/Audi group to race at Le Mans next year, Piëch responded, ‘Yes, with…

WEEKEND PROJECT Spin a Roots-style supercharger faster, and it will (to a point) make more boost. Since the supercharged 3800 V-6 offered in some current Pontiacs (Grand Prix and Bonneville) and Buicks (Regal and Park Avenue) already has an Eaton Roots blower nestled atop, it’s simply a matter of fiddling with the drive pulley ratios in order to get that supercharger spinning faster. Thrasher Engineered Performance and Magnuson Products have different methods to twiddle with those ratios, though both retain the stock 7-inch - diameter crankshaft drive pulley. Thrasher has developed a tool that removes the stock press-fit supercharger pulley (which is about 3.85 inches in diameter) and allows replacement with its own press-fit 3.5-inch diameter pulley. That’s enough, the company claims, to increase boost pressure from the stock 7…

QUICK TEST Three hundred horsepower really gets your attention. And given that kind of thrust, even a vehicle weighing better than 5500 pounds is well motivated, as we found out. For ’99, the Lincoln Navigator (4x2) $39,510 and (4x4) $43,160 will be offered with a standard 5.4-liter DOHC that makes 300 horsepower at 5000 rpm and 335 pound-feet of torque at 2750 rpm. (Cadillac’s full-size Escalade gets by with just 255 horsepower from its 5.7-liter OHV V-8.) Keep in mind that when we introduced you to the Navigator in our July ’97 issue, the standard engine was making 230 horses and it took 10.3 seconds to get to 60 mph. So how quick was our preproduction pilot version of the premium Lincoln 4x4? Would you believe it took just 7.7…

Ever go to a Pony League baseball game and hear a dad yell, “Sean, tag the runner and get the force at second! Sean!” to his infielder-son who, glove on head and finger in nose, has just had his personal, sound-effects-filled debate over whether the overflying aircraft is a Delta MD-11 or a Northwest 747 interrupted by a ball that mysteriously fell at his feet? The seven-year-old’s reaction inevitably is “Huh?” His little, work-in-progress brain, overloaded from the instantaneous application of pressure, won’t process the arcane requirements of this stupid game. (An underpowered computer means the same thing when it says, “Working, please wait.”) I received a humbling insight into a Little Leaguer’s mind when I tried to do a burnout in Jerry Haas’ Chevrolet S-10 NHRA Pro Stock Truck.…

SILVERADO SS SALIVATIONS I was intrigued by your article about the Chevrolet Silverado SS. Yet another fantastic, mouth-watering creation from Mr. Moss. This truck revives that quickened pulse once sustained in the presence of the previous 454 SS. It’s been more than obvious to me, for at least the last five or six years now, that the Chevy-versus-Ford war has consistently left the Bow-Tie engineers smiling. P. Sohaney Crown Point, Ind. I was so happy to come home from work and find on the kitchen table my latest Motor Trend. Then, when I opened it up and saw your article on the Silverado SS, I had to have oxygen given to me. That is the most awesome concept truck from Chevy and Jon Moss I have ever seen! With all…

MOTOR TREND Online www.motortrends.com Motor Trend has been aggressively expanding its online presence, with the launch of the free High Performance-mail service (www.highperformancemail.com) and Truck Trend Online (www.trucktrend.com). Even so, our crack Web team still found time to update and improve existing MT Online sections. The ’99 Buyer’s Guide is a great interactive tool that allows shoppers to browse by vehicle type, price, engine type, manufacturer, and drivetrain, or just perform a Quick Search and target a specific model. Photos, text descriptions, and specs provide help in guiding purchase decisions. Tap into the freshened Performance Database to call up test numbers from a massive archive, or use the site’s Search function to dig up road tests. A collection of buying and leasing articles can help you brush up on purchasing…

torque1 (tôrk) n. 1. The moment of a force, a measure of its tendency to produce torsion and rotation about an axis, equal to the vector product of the radius vector from the axis of rotation to the point of application of the force by the force applied. 2. A turning or twisting force. torque21. A collar, necklace, or armband made of a strip of twisted metal worn by the ancient Gauls, Germans, and Britons. Tork, Peter1 (tôrk, pē’ ter) n. 1. One of four actor/musicians from the mid-’60s comedy television show, “The Monkees,” who portrayed the dim-witted band member of the faux rock group of the same name. Dictionary definitions be damned, to us, torque means that seat-of-the-pants feeling of mammoth acceleration. By the way, most people incorrectly refer…

350 Ib/ft @ 4400 rpm Corvettes were never designed to be people movers. They were designed to be fun-to-drive, all-American sports cars that can lay a patch of rubber longer than the buffet line at a cheap Vegas hotel. One of the biggest pleasures in life is jumping into a Vette and doing a big, smoky burnout. Every new Vette owner should try it at least once. Switch off the Electronic Traction Control, mash the throttle to the floor, and hang on. Do this in an automatic-equipped Vette and the initial lunge of torque feels strong enough to induce whiplash. All fifth-generation Vettes feature world-class electronics, near-perfect suspension, and a rigid structure made possible by the twin, hydroformed side rails. However, none of this matters when it comes to peeling…

410 Ib/ft @ 2650 rpm Pound for pound, inch for inch, capability for capability, the Ford F-350 Super Duty Crew Cab V-10 is the best vehicular value on earth. For $33,085—less than a loaded Lexus ES300—our 6660-pound, 7-plus-yard-long, 6-foot-6-inch-tall, 8-foot-wide Crew Cab’s list of boasts starts with generous leather-wrapped room for six full-size, Stetson-wearing wranglers. It can haul enough gear—2.7 tons worth!—to keep a Marine squad operational for a month. The truck’s torquey V-10 has the grunt to yank a 10,600-pound trailerful of horses through Montana, yet it tops out at only 96 mph, where its electronic speed limiter spoils the fun. Unloaded, it sprints 0-60 mph right at 10 seconds. (Its lighter F-250 Super Duty V-10 sibling hustles to 60 mph in 8.0 seconds.) And it pampers with amenities—like…

345 Ib/ft @ 4400 rpm This car torques to me. 1 close my eyes and twist the key. Instantly, the Firehawk’s 5.7-liter/327-horse-power OHV V-8 speaks up with a deep, dual-pipe bass rumble that sounds as sweetly familiar as the first stanza of the Star Spangled Banner. Blip the pedal and the chassis rocks with race-car authority. And I know that, outside of a V-10 pickup, there’s just no place to go for more grunt per dollar. At $31,000 it’s the cheapest in this test. This is true Detroit muscle. The real beauty of this car is its simplicity. Simplicity? Yes, relatively so with its gutsy V-8, six-speed manual, and five rear axle. But all three work with a remarkable level of polish. Indeed, the SLP-tuned Firehawk, which can be ordered…

Things were looking up. Though the mid-and late-’70s often yielded heavy, poorperforming, overstyled cars, there were some signs of life by 1982. It was okay to utter the word “horsepower” again, and this time around, it came with an infusion of handling, brought on by the increasing popularity of imported cars. Don’t think so? There were a record 14 entries for Motor Trend’s Import Car of the Year competition. Though turbocharged offerings appeared to be the way to achieve both performance and fuel economy, the new-for-’82 Camaro Z28 and reborn Mustang GT announced a return to V-8 power. ON TRACK • Mario Andretti owns every race victory and championship title worth having, with one exception: the 24 Hours of LeMans. His 1982 effort at winning the French endurance classic included…

If you’re in the market for a European car and have even the slightest inkling of a travel bug in you, don’t make a move without checking the manufacturer’s European delivery program. Virtually all the major European automakers offer such programs, and it’s a great way to save some money on your car, which then can be used for a trip to Europe to drive it on the roads for which it’s been bred. In the simplest of terms, here’s how it works: The automaker offers an inviting discount on the vehicle—as much as 10-15 percent—which can be enough to cover airfare. In return, the customer flies to Europe to pick up the vehicle. While there, he can spend time driving around (and avoiding the hefty car-rental fees), after which…

Already a hit replacing the Escort in Europe, Ford’s impatiently planning high-performance versions of its new Focus for North America. At January’s Los Angeles Auto Show, it showed the Cosworth Focus concept vehicle, which takes inspiration from Focus World Rally Car and components from a host of familiar aftermarket manufacturers. Ford’s recently acquired Cosworth Engineering developed the turbocharged and intercooled version of the 2.0-liter DOHC 16-valve Zetec E four-cylinder engine featured in the Focus that wears their name. The turbo itself is a liquid-cooled Garrett GT17 single-bypass unit that feeds a water-to-air Garrett intercooler through custom stainless-steel plumbing. With the exhaust routed through a Borla XR-1 muffler, the engine sends “200-plus” horsepower to the front wheels through a five-speed manual transmission and limited-slip differential. Along with the boosted powerplant, the…

LATEST FROM THE DETROIT AND LOS ANGELES AUTO SHOWS One of the main themes of this year’s Detroit and Los Angeles Auto Shows was four-door trucks. In our October ’98 issue, we predicted an oncoming flood of these people-friendly haulers, and the dam has since broken wide open. Here’s a look at three of the more significant concept and production models, and more are sure to follow: LINCOLN BLACKWOOD Lincoln may be driving a wooden stake through rival Cadillac’s heart with the Blackwood concept truck. Basically a Navigator-ized version of the Ford F-150 Crew Cab due out for model year 2000, the two-wheel-drive Blackwood draws its name from a 4-foot, 8-inch bed covered by more than 20 square feet of African Wenge wood. The bed’s hard tonneau cover is raised…

Fact: Frequent washing is the single best thing you can do to maintain your vehicle’s finish and preserve its showroom shape. Fact: Careless washing can leave the paint in worse condition than when you started. Yes, as simple and easy as a casual driveway carwash seems on a bright Saturday morning, there are subtle pitfalls with which a careless washer could actually harm the finish, leaving scratches or stains that could require extra work to remove. Half the battle is just being aware of the potential problems. Then following through by using the right materials and techniques will make that wash as simple and easy as it should be, while also giving you the spiffy results you want. Here’s a fist of some basic car-washing do’s and don’ts that will…

Unwilling to rest on its laurels, Lexus has propelled its popular ES 300 into the new year with a number of functional upgrades headed by powertrain improvements that enhance both the performance and general sophistication level of this slick sedan. Complementing that extra goodness are new safety and convenience features meant to further separate the entry-level Lexus from the Toyota Camry, with which it shares basic structure. Underhood, the ES 300’s smooth-revving 3 O-liter DOHC V-6 gains the same technology found on the new Lexus RX 300 SUV: namely redesigned heads with a continuously variable timing package for the intake valves, a variable-runner intake manifold, and a lower-restriction muffler. This hardware not only boosts peak output—maximum horsepower rises from 200 at 5200 rpm to 210 at 5800 revs, while torque…

’99 AUDI A6 AVANT QUATTRO Serving up luxury family style, the A6 Avant provides a compelling alternative to the sport/ute mainstream. Abundant power features, seating for five, and flexible cargo carrying are hard to argue with. Though receiving a few digs for modest acceleration, the 2.8-liter V-6 is in its enthusiastic element in the l/2-3/4 throttle zone, where it can be held on hills via the Tip-tronic joystick. For general driving, the automatic mode has received considerable praise for smart shifting and wise gear holding on hills. Center stage, the large Game Boy-like display screen has us wanting to play Tetris at long stoplights, though we appreciate the easy-to-read information. At night, every control—even the handy hatch release—is illuminated for quick access. Climate and audio switchgear are uniform and attractive,…

The new year got jump-started in a big way when the curtain went up at the first major international auto shows of ’99. Production cars, concept vehicles, hybrids, trick pickups, mild and wild variations on the basic sport/ute theme—it was all on display for the multitudes who packed each exhibition in Detroit and Los Angeles, caught up in a frenzied search for the ultimate automotive fix. We’ve already brought you expanded coverage of a number of key vehicles that publically debuted at each of these venues—notably the Audi TT, BMW X5, Dodge Charger and Power Wagon, Ford Thunderbird, Honda S2000, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class—in our previous two issues. This month, we’ve got the scoop on the remaining cadre of showstoppers. In addition to what you’ll find on the following five pages,…

“Motor Trend Television” is pairing up with the Speed-vision Network to bring you the hottest automotive half-hour on the airwaves today. Each weekend, we’ll put the latest new cars, trucks, and SUVs through their paces. Road tests, comparisons, special features—you’ll find it all here, plus lots more. Check your local TV listings or drop by our Web site (www.motortrend.com) for show times and topics. Stay ahead of the game with “Motor Trend Television.” We’ll be looking for you.…

650 lb/ft @ 2200 rpm Presenting the Tbrque Monster, Mr. Olympia, wearing a tuxedo and black sunglasses: the Bentley Continental T. Most people see a Bentley and think Rolls-Royce. It’s an understandable mistake, considering the two marques’ commingled histories. But with a true sporting background dating from the late ’20s when Bentleys five times won a then-little-known race in Le Mans, France, the bonny Bentleys of today evoke the spirit and hand-craftsmanship of the past with even more performance to send your Bowler to the back seat, posthaste. What propels this huge touring coupe is what motivated this entire story—torque, and more of it than you can find anywhere on earth in any production car, or truck, thank you. All Bentley engine output was, until recently, quoted only as “appropriate”…

500.Ib/ft @ 3700 rpm 500. You got it, 500. That’s the only number in this story that matters. That’s how many pound-feet of tire-melting, retina-flattening twist this limited-edition Viper GT2 cranks out. It takes 10 cylinders and 8.0 liters of displacement to irreverently spew this kind of power, and the Viper has always had both. Chrysler said it would race and win with its factory built-and-backed Viper GTS-R racer, and indeed it has. And 1997 and 1998 FIA GT2 manufacturer’s championships, and a memorable 1-2 class win at Lelvlans last year, proved the point. So Dodge decided to celebrate these events with a special look-alike—and dam near perform-alike—commemorative model. Available only in coupe form, and only in white with blue trim, the Viper GT2 is indeed something special. As if…

387 Ib/ft @ 3600 rpm We commoners have gone and given torque a crude, almost base connotation. Leave it to the riff-raff to take one of the great delights of premium motoring and associate it with mass-produced barley beverages, pro wrestling, and “Show us your [bosom]!”: signs (wording altered for obvious reasons of propriety). This is what happens when torque is widely offered to the masses at bargain prices without the proper indoctrination in its correct and proper usage. With an out-the-door transaction price over $70,000, Jaguar’s XJR luxury-sport sedan automatically filters out any vulgar individuals who might be lurking in its would-be customer base. Nobody steps into an XJR without first developing a fine touch and a steady resolve honed by the competent handling of a high-torque financial portfolio.…

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL T 6.75-liter, turbocharged V-8 OHV, 16 valves 420 hp @ 4000 rpm 650 Ib-ft @ 2200 rpm MERCEDES-BENZ CL600 6.0-liter V-12 DOHC, 48 valves 389 hp @ 5200 rpm 420 Ib-ft @ 3800 rpm FERRARI 456M 5.5-liter V-12 DOHC, 48 valves 436 hp @ 6250 rpm 398 Ib-ft @ 4500 rpm ASTON MARTIN DB7 3.2-liter, super-charged l-6 DOHC, 24 valves 335 hp @ 5750 rpm 361 Ib-ft @ 3000 rpm CHEVROLET CORVETTE HARDTOP 5.7-liter V-8 OHV, 16 valves 345 hp @ 5600 rpm 350 Ib-ft @ 4400 rpm DODGE VIPER GT2 8.0-literV-10 OHV, 20 valves 460 hp @ 5200 rpm 500 Ib-ft @ 3700 rpm FORD F-350 SUPER DUTY 6.8-liter V-10 SOHC, 20 valves 275 hp@ 4250 rpm 410 Ib-ft @ 2650 rpm JAGUAR XJR 4.0-liter, super-charged V-8…

Excerpts from our original Shelby Cobra test—Sept. ’63 Our personal feelings about the Cobra are that it’s indeed a fun car and one that offers unmatched performance in the production car field. Our test roadster, with the exception of a few luxury extras, was the standard offering. Early Cobras were using the 260-cid Ford Fairlane V-8, but now the standard powerplant is the 289-cid version. A solid-lifter cam, four-barrel carburetor, and 11:1 compression help squeeze out 271 horses at 6000 rpm with 312 pound-feet of torque at 3400 rpm. During our quartermile acceleration runs, we were bothered by excessive wheelspin in first gear and think that with more rubber on the rear, our 0-60-mph times could’ve been dropped from 5.8 seconds down to around 5 fiat. We were very pleased…

James W. Marshall couldn’t have had a clue. One minute, he’s doing a quiet bit of prospecting around Sutter’s Sawmill in Coloma, California; the next minute, he strikes gold big time, and forever changes the history of the western United States. That was in January 1848, and by the same time the following year, the Gold Rush had erupted, sending “ ’49er miners” westward by the thousands. As California’s Gold Country celebrates its Sesquicentennial, the region will be an even-more-active-than-usual place, and represents an interesting, history-laced travel opportunity. Visit the area where Marshall first struck gold, and trace a route through Central California dotted by the mining towns that sprang up during the Rush. Gold Country’s main artery is—appropriately enough—State Highway 49. It begins near the 6700-foot Yuba pass summit…

PERFORMANCE TEST Mercedes-Benz’ E-Class is a chameleon. Nothing could look more benign than a silver E320, but it’s hard to imagine anything more wicked than this black Brabus E-machine with 6.5 liters of reworked V-8 and 450 horsepower under its hood. Ralph Biase, a technician at Beverly Hills Limited Mercedes-Benz, built this E 6.5 for a customer (whose stable includes several Porsches) who wanted something more sinister and practical for his commute. Starting with a ’97 E420, Biase fortified the midsize Benz with nearly every weapon in the Brabus tuning firm’s V-8 arsenal. The Brabus 6.5 starts with Mercedes’ DOHC 32-valve 5.0-liter V-8 block with cylinders bored to 101 millimeter from the standard 96.5 and the crank’s stroke stretched from 85 to 100 millimeters. Inside that box go jumbo-size lightweight…

GM’s new pickups are off to a hot start in the marketplace. The Chevy Silverado is Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year, and both it and its corporate-cousin, GMC Sierra, proved extremely popular at the recent Specialty Equipment Market Association show. Aftermarket manufacturers are working double overtime to produce new products to fit these already popular new pickups. Want that NASCAR look for your new Silverado? Check out Street Scene’s new Speed Grille. It features a three-dimensional radius shape, is crafted of 5052-T6 aluminum for toughness, and is available in your choice of satin finish or optional chrome. The Speed Grille can also be painted body color and is a direct bolt-on that retains use of the factory grille shell. SS promises several more ’99 GM truck products soon. Street…

Your vehicle’s ailing and you just want to know two things: What’s causing it and what to do about it. Computer-equipped troubleshooters can now get help from two new sources: AutoTech 1.5 (available on CD-ROM for Windows 98, 95, and 3.1) and “The World’s Most Complete Auto Troubleshooting Guide,” a virtual book available online for downloading. These two resources are vastly different in their approach to helping you diagnose vehicle problems; each can give you a good head start toward solving your dilemma, but both come with varying strengths and weaknesses. AutoTech 1.5 ($34.95), designed by Meta-Cog (800/746-8013; www.metacog.com), is a well-organized program geared toward the mechanical novice. It’s intended to provide a first fine of information about vehicle bugs, explaining them in a straightforward, easy-to-understand manner and offering simple…

It is hard to believe at a time when light-duty truck sales have eclipsed cars, that when first asked, Honda dealers in the States said they were not interested the CR-V. Passport sales were strong, and the retailers could not see the wisdom in selling a car-based sport/ute that undercut the similar-size body-on-frame rebadged Isuzu. So work continued overseas on developing the unibody SUV for the Japanese market, where it would compete against a variety of bite-size trucklets North America would never see. This shortsighted dealer group had a change of heart when the product was unveiled. The U.S. market was continuing to devour anything that could be termed a sport/ute, and they wanted the CR-V, quirks and all. A small-displacement engine, curb-side hinged tailgate, awkward power window controls, unique…