Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2000 i MotorTrend

PEOPLE ARE FUNNY CREATURES. Case in point: the gas-price crisis of recent months. Hike the cost of a gallon of unleaded by 5¢ and people get nervous; chunk it up by a dime and they go positively apoplectic. They'll drive across town and wait an hour to save a total of two or three dollars. Do the math, and even a 20¢-per-gallon increase only equates to $4 more per fill-up if you take on 20 gallons. Okay, four bucks is four bucks, but I can easily make up that less-than-50¢-per-day (based on one fill-up per week) increase by not having cheese on my burger, or skipping the French fries side order, or only getting a “tall” Starbucks coffee instead of the “venti.” Not exactly life-threatening prospects. Now, even though gasoline…

Recognizing that to escape its status as perpetual kid brother to Chevrolet’s giant truck marketing group would require some dramatic changes, GMC has taken a major step to reach that goal for the 2001 model year. It’s just unveiled three big pieces of image-enhancing product, all spun from the new GMT800 platform. In addition to an all-new rendition of its Denali Yukon sport/utility, GM's truck specialist division has created a Denali version of the larger Yukon XL, as well as a premium Sierra pickup variant called the C-Series. Sales of all three are due to start in the fall. Along with expanding the Denali reach to include both the full-size Yukon and the new stretched XL, GMC engineers bumped the substance of this high-line package as well as its style.…

Hey, race fans, listen up: Motor Trend Driver’s Association members can witness racing history at the Inaugural United States Grand Prix Formula One Race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. For the first time in almost 10 years, one of the world’s most prestigious motorsport competitions will run in the U.S., and we’re putting the finishing touches on an exciting, members-only travel package to put you trackside. The Motor Trend Driver’s Association and the Jim Russell Racing Schools have secured a limited number of valuable hotel reservations and reserved grandstand tickets to the sold-out event that will take place on Sept. 24, 2000. On Friday night before the race, the group will be driven by motorcoach to dinner at Dunaway’s, one of the most exclusive restaurants in Indianapolis. As an added…

NO ONE AMONG MERCEDES’ stone-faced group of engineers was willing to divulge just how many millions of Deutsche marks had gone into the development of the stunning Vision SLR Roadster and its coupe counterpart. And perhaps it was better that way. As I carefully lowered the super-lightweight gullwing door and heard it latch into place, I really didn’t want to dwell on the fact that this car was probably worth well over ten times the value of my house. I glanced around the tight, futuristic cockpit, pondering the car’s ultra-exotic materials, hand-fabricated bodywork, state-of-the-art technology. and potent 557-horsepower super-charged V-8 waiting underhood, all of which has made this one of the true show stoppers of the international auto show circuit. Then I checked out the no-nonsense expression on the face…

Attention out there, all of you young and upwardly mobile types. You say your career’s just started to jump but those big stock options won't be vesting for another couple of years? In other words, the taste of luxury is in your mouth, but you don’t want to bite off more than you can afford to chew? Good thinking. Maybe it’s time to consider adding one of these excellent “entrylevel” luxury sedans to your vehicular entourage. Although matching a premium persona with an affordable price has never been an easy task, each member of this pack is eminently capable of making a solid argument on its own behalf. All share V-6 power, front-drive powertrains, four doors, and base prices between $30,130-$31,540. But individual personality types do vary considerably within the…

I magine turning your full-size sport/utility around in a bite-size circle similar to that of a tiny Honda Civic. Delphi Automotive Systems of Saginaw, Michigan, says its Quadrasteer system can reduce a full-size ute’s (like the Chevy Tahoe) turning circle from 45.0 feet to 33.9, which compares well with a Civic’s 32.8 feet. Pretty amazing for a vehicle nearly 19 feet long. Four-wheel-steer systems made a brief appearance in the market in the mid-’80s on the Mazda 626 and the Honda Prelude. These early systems worked reasonably well at enhancing maneuverability, as well as highspeed stability. But such small cars already had relatively good parking-lot agility and excellent high-speed, lane-change behavior. The systems also added significant cost and complexity to what were supposed to be affordable cars. So that’s why…

MONZA BEETLE EXHAUST One way to improve the look and sound of a new Beetle is with a Monza exhaust system from Pacesetter. It uses larger-than-stock 2.25-inch mandrel-bent 16-gauge aluminized steel tubing and a high-flow aluminized steel muffler. Each system uses stock hangers and sports chromeplated tips with resonators for a mellow exhaust note. Pacesetter Performance Products, 602/266-1964, www.pacesetterexhaust.com. MUTH SIGNAL MIRRORS Muth’s innovative Signal Mirrors can now be fitted to almost any vehicle, thanks to a new kit that uses small, wide angle mirrors mounted directly onto a vehicle’s exterior mirrors. When a turn signal is activated, a flashing red chevron appears in the corresponding side mirror. The mirrors ($150 for the kit) operate as both Signal Mirrors and convex mirrors for expanded visibility. Muth, 800/844-6616; www.kwmuth.com. H&R CUP…

Honda’s pint-size CR-V is a natural for the aftermarket “treatment.” It’s attractive, reasonably priced, and a Honda—a marque for which there’s no shortage of hot parts. This particular tuner toy build-up was sponsored by Go Rhino! Products, and, save for the obviously over-the-top showstand paint job, takes a somewhat Euro-inspired approach toward creating a street performance-minded sport/utility. The big performance news is underhood, courtesy of a Jackson Racing-sourced supercharger system. Oscar Jackson is a well-known Honda powerg meister, and the Eaton blower kit @ knocks a full 3 seconds off the 0-60-mph Z time of a stock five-speed-equipped all-2 wheel-drive CR-V (7.7 versus 10.7 sec-> onds). X-Tec provides the stainless steel 2 exhaust, the sound level of which can 8 actually be adjusted to suit your mood 9 for noise.…

TOP-SPEED TEST: 226-MPH CORVETTE The article on the 226-mph Corvette in March 2000 MT was awesome! The performance out of the Twin Turbo 650 was everything just short of a McLaren F1. Any car with a 220-mph-plus top speed, 0-60 run in 3.3 seconds, and quarter-mile dash in under 11 seconds is definitely a car for me. And with a price like $113,000, I’m considering selling my stocks and taking the funds directly to Mr. John Lingenfelter himself. Do you think he’d make a 650-horsepower engine for a Volvo V70 station wagon? Joel McLaughlinSeattle, Wash. With enough dot.com portfolio money, anything’s possible.—Ed. As one of a few of your readers who’ve worked at the Transportation Research Center’s (TRC) track, I can understand Mac DeMere’s concern about going that fast around…

Chrysler’s redesigned Sebring line will take much sharper aim at refined, high-volume import competitors like the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry this fall. The more aggressive approach comes as the result of making big changes to the powertrains, suspensions, styling, and safety systems of the all-new coupe, convertible, and sedan (formerly dubbed the Stratus) versions of the Sebring. In addition to major engineering modifications aimed at reducing wind and road noise and improving the sound quality of the engine, the company bumped up the displacement of the four-cylinder (from 2.0 to 2.4 liters) and V-6 (from 2.5 liters to 2.7 in the sedan/convertible and 3.0 in the coupe) engines for a more torquey feel. At the same time, the suspensions, subframes and steering also have been massaged to deliver…

They’re as sexy as a three-inch-thick addition to the national tax code, yet most are ripe with useful information. At last check, Yahoo! listed 9842 U.S.government Web sites, enough to numb the mind of even the most] devoted senatorial page. The Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov) has a wide variety of interesting postings, including a dedicated automotive section covering such topics as buying new/used cars, service contracts, auto repair, repossession, and high-octane gasoline. U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network site (www.eren.doe.gov) offers a complete guide to fuel consumption for model years 1996 through 2000, with links to numerous related sites. Surf over to the aptly named Fuel Economy Site (www.fueleconomy.gov) to learn more about conservation and advanced powertrain technology. The United States Council for Automotive Research (www.uscar.org)…

Chrysler 300 Hemi C Toyota Celica Convertible Concept Mercedes-Benz Vision SLA Concept BMW 323Ci Mazda Miata Special Edition Toyota MR2 Spyder Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Kia Sportage Two-Door Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder Thinking about a convertible? You’re not alone, but it hasn’t always been so. Two dozen years ago, the convertible was as dead as a rock. When Cadillac announced that the ’76 Eldorado would be GM’s final ragtop, it represented the end of domestic convertible production (at least for the time being). Just a year or so earlier, the Scaglietti coachworks in Modena, Italy, handcrafted the shell for the final Ferrari 365 GTC/4 “Daytona” Spyder. Once finished, the car sat unsold for more than a year. Other than an MG here and an Alfa there, it seemed the droptop’s days…

FIRST TEST Not content that its Golf is merely world renowned as safe, practical transport, Volkswagen has boosted excitement for 2000 in the form of a new 1.8T turbocharged engine option. An upgrade from the standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder, the smaller-but-mightier turbo delivers an enthusiast improvement worthy of the famous GTi monicker. Although our car happened to be outfitted in GLS trim, there’s a $19,750 GTi 1.8T to step up to. While the base 2.0L engine churns out respectable 115 horsepower at 5200 rpm, the turbo 1.8 delivers a solid 150 horses at a slightly higher 5700 rpm. The 1.87 makes use of a new cylinder head that incorporates a five-valve-per-cylinder twin-cam design instead of the two-valve, single-cam design of the standard 2.0L. In testing, the Golf 1.8T sprinted 0-60 mph…

Whether cruising down the freeway, blasting through canyon switchbacks, or dodging pylons on the test track, this noble quartet offered four distinct variations on the ride-and-handling theme. At the extremes are the I30t (spicy sports sedan) and the ES 300 (extra-mild luxury tourer). In between you’ll find the 3.2TL (sport sedan lite) and Aurora (American family favorite). MacPherson struts are the favored suspension design with most members of this group: The Infiniti and Olds employ MacStruts up front while the Lexus uses these space-efficient spring/shock units at all four comers. Where the I30t relies on a modified-beam rear axle, the Aurora boasts a true multilink arrangement in back. Topping the design sophistication list is the Acura, which employs unequal-length control arms all around. In “t” trim the 130 gets sticky…

With environmental alarm bells ringing, this wasn’t the first time an automaker has unveiled its latest answer to global warming to skeptical media and lawmakers in Washington, D.C., a city largely responsible for spawning the push for promising—but usually disappointing—alternative-fuel vehicles. But this time was different. A 140-mile jaunt from downtown D.C. over choked suburban roads and into rural Maryland proved the 2000 Honda Insight—the first gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle on sale in America—is the real deal. This snappy front-drive two-seat coupe delivers 70 mpg and ultra-low emissions with easy driveability and desirable comfort—at a base price of $18,880. Indeed, the only option is an automatic climate-control system, bringing the typical as-purchased price to $20,080. What makes the Insight a breakthrough? It starts with Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system. At…

Developing a niche in a tightly competitive market segment is not an easy task, but one at which Nissan is becoming progressively more adept. Nissan splits the midsize sedan market into two subclasses, pitting the redesigned, V-6-powered Maxima and the four-cylinder Altima against the bestselling Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and, to a lesser degree, Ford Taurus. Though an expensive strategy from a production standpoint, the sales from the two Nissan sedans combine for annual sales in the neighborhood of the key rivals—a situation that Nissan openly admits it could not accomplish with a single vehicle. In theory, this interesting approach permits the Altima and Maxima to more accurately target their prospective customer base, rather than spread a single model across a wide $10,000 range as the other automakers do. When…

It's not due in showrooms until sometime next year, but Jaguar's next major new offering will be a handsome sedan intended to take on the likes of the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Lexus IS 300, and other performance-oriented compact sedans. Shown here in a computer enhanced photo, the baby Jag was styled by the late Geoff Lawson and displays a fair amount of the look and feel he incorporated into the recently introduced S-Type. Code-named X400, this performance-oriented four-door is likely to carry either T-Type or P-Type badging when it finally does go on sale. While sharing basic platform engineering with the forthcoming Ford Mondeo, it's slated to receive the same kind of major suspension retuning used to differentiate the S-Type from its Lincoln LS platformmate-to ensure properly Jaguar-esque…

www.motortrend.com As any loyal reader knows, both automobiles and falling starlets battle midlife crisis with a facelift. Motor Trend Online is no different. We’ve nipped, tucked, and ironed out a few wrinkles in creating a stylish update for our Web site. In the process, we've quickened download times, made popular content easier to find, improved search functions, and added an archive section. Beneath the fresh surface lurks the familiar goodness, including road tests, auto news, show coverage, exclusive features, and the popular Future Vehicle Forecast. The latest exclusive features include coverage of the New York Auto Show and Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Log on and take the updated site for a test drive.…

It’s time to dig those nickels out of the seat cushions. Sell the stamp collection, too. Break the kids’ piggy bank, have a garage sale, and get that rookie season Nolan Ryan card on eBay—pronto. Take it all and buy big in this weekend’s lottery, because you’ll want to get your deposit in on Ferrari’s new ragtop as quickly as you can. It’s every bit as dazzling as the 360 Modena coupe. And the top goes down. Displayed for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show in March and coming to our shores around the first of the year, the 360 Spider is a predestined classic. It, of course, replaces the much-loved F355 Spider, sold here from 1995 through the rest of this year. Most important is that this…

Sixty miles, as the red-tailed hawk flies, from Beverly Hills is the quarter-million acre Tejon Ranch. But instead of 60, it’s easy to imagine it's 600 miles from Rodeo Drive in mountainous Mendocino County north of San Francisco, or the remote forests of Washington state. Mountains rising 9000 feet off the desert floor are populated with elk and blacktail deer. Wild turkey and wild pigs feed in its draws. Black bear and mountain lion tracks cross its trails. Tejon Ranch hunting guide Larry Johnson, who shepherded our jaunt, pointed out a golden eagle sailing overhead and a pair of bobcast scurrying up a rock outcropping. And even we city boys couldn't miss the ranch's 40,000 head of cattle. As they shuttle kids from school to soccer practice, SUV owners dream…

CADILLAC IMAJ GM's luxo division made a notable splash at Geneva with this super-lux all-wheel-drive sedan called the Imaj. The latest entry in Cadillac’s “Spellcheck Nightmare” (our nickname for it) series of concept cars was created and built at the General's Concept Design studios in Birmingham, England. Like its predecessor, the Evog, the aluminum-intensive Imaj (pronounced as a Frenchman would say the word “Imag bod a host of bold and edgy visual cues reportedly destined to appear on future Cadillac production cars. Intended as much for practicality as pure hedonism, the |maj packs just about every bit of advanced technology imaginable. The good stuff starts with a 425-horsepower supercharged Northstar V-8 linked to a new five-speed automatic. Dynamically, it boasts a Delphi Magne-Ride variable suspension with traction control and an…

Anyone who knows hot boats knows the name Cigarette. As in many-times world-champion off-shore racing team, and one of the most sought after names in performance pleasure boating. Cigarette has finally decided to come ashore and is building its first-ever sport/utility vehicle, based on the new Chevrolet Suburban. There’s not a single aspect of the Suburban’s makeup that hasn’t been enhanced with premium hardware. The stock Vortec 5300 V-8 now inhales via a twin-screw Whipple supercharger system, reprogrammed ECU, K&N air filter system, plus Banks stainless steel headers and exhaust. Though we've yet to be able to put the OnShore though its paces on our test track, experience with Whipple-blown Vortecs tell us that horsepower should be in the 450 range. Brembo four-piston brake calipers wrapping 14-and 13-inch (f/r) vented…

'99 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK 430 Our stunning midnight-blue-over-gray coupe continues to be a favorite among our staff, with its torquey 4.3-liter DOHC V-8 power, four-place adult seating, dashing aeroenhanced looks, and classic Mercedes luxury. “This car is just the right size,” comments one staffer. “It’s very easy to maneuver and park in city driving, yet still delivers a roomy back seat and trunk for a coupe.” Although only marginally quicker 0-60 mph than a CLK320 (6.5 versus 6.8 seconds), the CLK430 feels way stronger and faster. Some have criticized the ultra-firm front seats, but they’ve proven easy on the back during long drives. The steering has come under fire for limited on-center feel and lowspeed feedback, though response at speed is good. We also would’ve preferred a dash-mounted CD changer or…