Innehållsförteckning för October 1999 från MotorTrend

What do you do when you want to create an exciting new concept car, but you work for an auto division more associated with geriatrics than Generation X? You might want to blow the doors off conventionality with something like this unusual drop-top concept, dubbed Cielo. Motor Trend recently grabbed an exclusive drive and photography session with this futuristic million-dollar showcar convertible on the twisting, cactus-lined mountain roads that wind through the hills above the Phoenix, Arizona. In South Mountain Park, we put the fragile pearlescent bronze five-seater through its paces. Like most mega-buck concept vehicles, the Cielo (pronounced see-ay-low) isn’t supposed to be piloted by anyone other than GM Design Center drivers. Typically, these hypercautious drivers move the delicate showcars across fresh convention center carpeting and into antiseptic trailer…

• DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 QUAD CAB SPORT • FORD F-350 XLT SUPER DUTY 4X4 SUPER CAB • GMC SIERRA 2500 2WD EXTENDED CAB • TOYOTA TUNDRA 4X2 SR5 V8 ACCESS Ask a citified urbanite, and he might define a fullsize pickup as a stylish machine with leather seats and room for a couple dirt bikes in back. But visit a watering hole in rural America (where, likely as not, a Ford F-150 is considered a family car), and the guy on the next bar stool might volunteer that “full size” means a V-10-powered 4WD monster that rides eye-to-eye with semis. These two viewpoints are so divergent that, in the presence of adult beverages and pool tables, they just might trigger a spontaneous fist fight. Put down the pool cues,…

Though a lifetime of societal programming seems to make American males lust after it, for the trailer-towing crowd, four-wheel drive is pretty much just dead weight. Plus, the high-riding chassis 4WD mandates works against highway stability. The two-wheel-drive GMC Sierra 2500 we’ve got here shows just how functionally impressive—and luxurious—a street-only truck can be. Offered in 1500 and 2500 series, our $30,450 GMC is just about maxed out as a luxury towing vehicle: It’s a 2500 with the strongest gasoline engine available from GMC, a 6.0-liter/300-horsepower Vortec V-8 coupled with a four-speed automatic transmission, towing package, limited-slip differential, and short 4:10 rear axle ratio. It can carry an impressive 4014 pounds’ (in base form) worth of cargo and people. More impressive still is its 10,500-pound towing rating—500 more than that…

PERFORMANCE TEST Our recent instrumented track results from Dodge’s super hot Viper GTS ACR-plus left us puzzled. What we expected, based on the sheer number of Mopar Performance Parts components installed on this Viper ACR, was stronger acceleration and crisper handling. After all, it sported a “race-calibrated” engine controller ($500), a GTS-R forged-aluminum rockerarm assembly ($1700), two smooth-bore inlet hoses ($75), stainless racing headers ($3399), a low-restriction, stainless “race” exhaust system ($1675), fully-adjustable aluminum (for jounce and rebound) front and rear shock and spring assemblies ($8010), and a “stronger” ring and pinion set ($325). So imagine our surprise to find that this car wasn’t quicker and didn’t handle better than stock. Part of the shortcoming can be traced to the less-grippy tarmac at the (not our usual) test venue. It…

1 SPEEDWARE PEDALS New from BBK Performance is the SpeedWare universal aluminum pedal kit that fits most car and truck applications. The pedal pads give you that race car look and increased pedal grip. The $49.99 kit includes an accelerator, clutch, brake, and footrest pedal, and the necessary mounting screws. BBK Performance, 909/735-2400. 2 ROYAL PURPLE When a motor oil is recommended by racers in NASCAR, IRL, and NHRA, you can’t help but notice. Royal Purple, long a track favorite, now offers oil for passenger cars, trucks, and motorcycles. Royal Purple says its synthetic oil is made with Synerlec and adheres better than conventional oil to metal surfaces, reducing friction. Royal Purple, 888/382-6300; www.synerlec.com. 3 HOTCHKIS TRAILING ARMS Specialists in high-performance suspension components for rear drive GM cars, Hotchkis Performance…

’99 MITSUBISHI GALANT GTZ BMW-inspired styling, smooth demeanor, and comfortable bucket seats contribute to the Galant GTZ’s near-luxury aspirations, at a delightful mid-$20K sticker. We’ve logged serious miles on the Galant over the past nine months, finding the striking sedan a pleasant L.A. to Florida travel companion. The seven-speaker Mitsu/Infinity sound system with optional 10-disc changer has been a blessing on long journeys, producing crisp tunes and day-long play. Not as sporty as some staffers may prefer for its price and limited-production status, the GTZ is smooth and satisfying to drive. A quirky, one-time problem: While traversing the scalding-hot Southeast, the air conditioner and stereo failed to operate when the car was turned on. After three restarts, all systems were go, and the problem has not recurred. We inquired about…

In its pre-Oldsmobile days, the “Aurora” sobriquet appeared on this mid-’60s one-off wagon from Ford Motor Company. Displayed at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, the vehicle was tabbed Aurora in deference to its multitude of unique lighting elements and control devices. These included a single, centrally located strip-style headlamp, electroluminescent side-spear trim, and an electrochromatic roof and sunvisors whose light transmission capabilities could be varied at the touch of a button. Complementing its unique driver’s cockpit—complete with yoke-style steering wheel—was a distinctive interior treatment that featured both a “central lounge” area and a rear-facing “romper room” for the younger set (who needs seatbelts or child seats?). This mobile kiddyland was easily accessible via a drop-down/lift-up tailgate arrangement, and could be effectively isolated from the adult seating by means of…

SPEED TRAP! All I can say is, “Bravo!” First, to MT for the absolutely awesome coverage of this year’s “Top-Speed Shootout,” and next, to the American contenders. I’m in the service and consider myself most patriotic. This is why I get chills every time I pick up my July MT and read the endless article on the comparison of Euro-exotica Ferrari, Porsche, and others to the Dodge Viper and Chevrolet Corvette. These two are symbolic of America’s ability to put forth works of automotive excellence. Also, bravo to Mac DeMere for his outstanding article. You only know the bellowing sound of a Merlin if you’ve stood next to a P-47 Thunderbolt as it idles awaiting to take to the skies. It’s just how the Viper sounds as it waits for…

It’s now official. DaimlerChrysler confirmed it will market its amazing SLR supercar. We gave you a detailed look at the Vision SLR showcar (June ’99) and are pleasantly surprised that the stunning semi-gullwing coupe should reach dealers by 2003. The SLR will be built in conjunction with McLaren Cars Ltd. at a new state-of-the-art TAG McLaren facility in Woking, England. Since 1995, McLaren has been M-B’s partner in an extremely successful Formula One effort that resulted in both Driver and Constructor Championship titles in 1998. DaimlerChrysler Chairman Jurgen Schrempp also announced that the two organizations have reached a working agreement on a plan giving DaimlerChrysler an option to buy 40 percent of the outstanding stock of TAG McLaren. High technology abounds throughout the SLR’s design brief. Along with copious quantities…

FIRST TEST Hard to believe, but it’s been nearly 30 years since the first Celica debuted in 1970. Seeking to rekindle its appeal with younger buyers, Toyota is launching an all-new version of the Celica for 2000, which is lighter, more powerful, and less expensive than car it replaces. A better price/value relationship notwithstanding, the seventh-generation Celica’s distinctive sheetmetal—combining soft contours and hard edges—will also be critical in how well it plays with the Gen-X contingent. Designed at Toyota’s CALTY facility in Newport Beach, California, and a near dead ringer for the XYR concept coupe shown in Detroit, this high-profile front-drive liftback comes in two flavors: GT and top-line GT-S. We recently drove several prototype versions of both and were pretty impressed. Underneath its flashy skin, this Celica relies on…

While pre-’99 Porsche 911s have been, accurately vilified as demanding, confounding, intimidating, punishing, vindictive, even crude, no one claimed they weren’t exhilarating. Unlike its predecessors, the new 911—code-named 996—is praised as forgiving, stable, comfortable, sophisticated, cleaner, safer, and even quicker in base form, but few assert it is as all-out exhilarating as 911s of yore. But now, the 996 gets an injection of raw excitement in the form of a Le Mans-bred 360-horsepower powerplant and knife-edged, race-tuned suspension. It’s called the 911 GT3 and Americans who want one will need a new suit made of fire resistant fabric. They’ll also need a helmet and a racing license because exclusively for-off-highway-use-only versions will be imported. Though Porsche Cars North America is considering selling similar 911 variants in the future, no street-legal…

With personal-use pickups frequently called into duty as high-style alternatives to more mainstream wheels, the $30,875 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 Quad Cab Sport makes a solid representative of the breed—without shrinking from load hauling or towing duty. With the lightest load rating of Dodge’s big Rams (about 1436 pounds with the equipment on our example), the 1500 is best suited to lighter-duty work and general transportation use. Its towing rating of 7400 pounds in this configuration will accommodate most recreational uses, though. Four-wheel drive adds off-road capability should you choose to venture into the rough. With access provided by an additional rear-hinged door on each side of the truck, the Quad Cab is a much more livable setup than a standard cab. Typical of this sort of arrangement, the rear…

After getting little respect from traditional full-size pick up buyers with the old T100 pickup, Toyota has launched the new American-built Tundra. With dimensions in the same ballpark as the traditional American iron, the Tundra demands to be taken seriously. Part of that seriousness is evident under the hood, where our Tundra packs an optional 4.7-liter/245-horsepower DOHC V-8. Related to the V-8 that powers the Lexus LS 400 luxury sedan, this is the most sophisticated powerplant ever to call a pickup truck home. But this isn’t some high-society wimp engine; it’s got 315 pound-feet of torque, and in concert with the Tundra’s robust new chassis, delivers 1924 pounds of cargo capacity and a 7200-pound towing capacity. To get a taste of the Tundra in its most civilized guise, we sampled…

When it came time for GMC to redesign the venerable Yukon and full-size Suburban (now called the Yukon XL to differentiate it from its Chevy sister vehicle), it had a head start with its own Sierra pickup. Both new Yukons share front-end sheetmetal, front doors, and some drivetrain components with the Sierra. However, because haff of the full-size sport/utility vehicles sold are Chevys and GMCs, and Ford is introducing the extra-size Excursion this fall, the new Yukons need to be an immediate hit. But, after spending time in two- and four-wheel-drive Yukon and Yukon XLs, we believe that GM may, in fact, increase its market share. Gone are the squeaks and rattles, non-connected road feel, mushy handling, and apple cart-like ride. This vehicle feels tight, comers better, and, in the…

If the Brabus S Class Mercedes caught your eye a few issues ago, then the latest S Class from its competitor, Lorinser (www.lorinser.com), is likely to do the same. Distributed in North America by Claus Ettensberger Corp. (800/766-0064, www.cecwheels.com), the Lorinser S Class takes the already great Mercedes sedan and (hard to believe) makes it better. It’s available with either the 3.2-, 4.3-, or 5.0-liter engine, each of which receive a supercharger, high-flow air filter, low-restriction dual-exhaust system, special spark plugs, and recalibrated engine computer to boost horsepower and torque. Outside, Lorinser took Mercedes’ styling one step further by adding sporty front and rear fascias, lower side skirts, and a tasteful rear wing. The look is also enhanced by 18-, 19-, or 20-inch tires and wheels. The top-of-the-line package includes…

Okay, enough about Volvos being boxy cars. With each new model, Volvo round-files another set of styling drawings done only with a ruler. In the case of the new-for-’99 S80, there are now plenty of curves, along with exceptionally high feature content. Built on a fresh-from-the-ground-up platform, this full-size luxury sedan comes in two flavors: the standard S80, powered by a naturally aspirated 201-horsepower OOHC six, and the twin-turbocharged S80 T6, which ups the horsepower ante to 268. Both S80s are unique in that they’re the industry’s only front-drive sedans powered by a transverse-mounted, inline six-cylinder engine. They replace the former 9 Series reardrive machines, which dated back to ’83, although they’re not yet offered in a wagon variant. Our S80 was loaded with hardware, although most of it comes…

Although the best-handling sports car in the world is not offered to buyers in America, its new sister will be: British boutique builder, Lotus, is only a year away from unveiling an all-new model, which is a direct offshoot of its widely acclaimed Elise roadster. However, this nascent newcomer promises more power, more speed, and greater refinement than the firm’s current spirited two-seater. Best of all, it will enjoy far wider market distribution—including here in the United States. Work is progressing on this featherweight wonder under the codename Emas, which, in the language of its Malaysian parent company, Proton, means gold. Proton hopes that’s exactly what it will bring to the venerable British marque, anticipating that total output will virtually double, to more than 7000 units per year, when the…

FIRST DRIVE Cadillac’s Catera has received a much-needed visual and mechanical freshening for model year 2000. While still based on the Opel Omega platform and powered by a 3.0-liter/200-horse-power V-6, the German-built rear-drive sedan makes excellent use of this mid-lifecycle revitalization, as we quickly learned on a recent test drive in France. Main cosmetic changes include new hood, tidier front fascia/rear deck treatments complete with new lighting assemblies, and restyled alloy wheels. Inside, the entry-level Cadillac receives more angular instrument panel, revamped center console, new inner door panels, and standard side-impact airbags. Functionally, the Catera benefits from firmer shock valving plus tweaks to its steering rack and master cylinder that yield crisper handling and better braking response. Quelling its tendency to wander a bit in lane while enhancing wheel control…

New-model season is revving up, and that means it’s time for the auto show schedule to shift into high gear. This year, though, there’ll be a familiar twist to many shows in your local areas. With Liberty Productions—America’s largest producer of auto shows—now part of the Emap Petersen family, all of Liberty’s auto shows for 1999 and 2000 will be produced by Motor Trend magazine. That means we’ll be working to help make them the best shows they’ve ever been. In fact, at the first show on the schedule—the California International Auto Show—we’ll showcase the finalists from the Motor Trend “Automobiles for the New Millennium” Design Contest, plus we’ll unveil the winner of our 2000 Sport/Utility of the Year award. After that, there will be over a dozen other exhibitions…

Bye-bye, Escort. Ford Motor Company is recalibrating the North American small-car standard. The plan is to do it with an automobile designed, engineered, and already successfully on sale in Europe. “The point was to build cars of substance at affordable prices,” explains Al Kammerer, director of the Focus vehicle line. “That’s quite a departure for this particular segment.” Although a true “world” car (offered in North America, Europe, and Asia) is an old concept with a poor track record, our drive, instrumented test numbers, and early pricing indicate its time may have finally come. Due in Ford showrooms any day now, the all-new Focus will be available in three body styles: ZX3 three-door hatchback; LX, SE, and ZTS four-door sedan; and SE four-door wagon. (In Europe, it’s also offered as…

To answer the needs of truck people who’ve really got heavy work to do, on-road or off, we chose the Ford F-350 XLT Super Duty as a muscle-bound representative of just how full-size a full-size truck can be. About the biggest truck most people are likely to call into service for personal use (though Ford offers gargantuan 450 and 550 versions), the F-350 and all Super Dutys are built on a different chassis than the smaller (though still considered full-size) F-150 and F-250. Tire Super Duty series offers a dizzying choice of 44 model configurations. And they’re all big. Our example was just about fully loaded, equipmentwise, with premium XLT trim, line-topping V-10 engine, and four-wheel drive. With a hood that’s chest high to a grown man, the Super Duty…

… whatever suits your needs best, actually. Not even Motor Trend can take the largest single market segment (full-size trucks) in the entire universe and distill it down to one easy answer that’s right for everybody, everywhere. With the literally thousands of equipment possibilities offered among the makers, you can get a truck that’s darn near custom-built for the sort of use you have in mind. The downside is that, to take advantage of all these possibilities requires an investment of time to map out your requirements. Gotta tow? Determine the weight of your trailer and cargo and start comparing. Need to go off road? Add 4WD to your list. Want truck utility, without trucklike feel? Don’t buy more load rating than you’re really going to need. When push comes…

With all due respect to the folks in Indianapolis, the 24 Hours of Le Mans has become the real greatest spectacle in racing. Even though the Indy 500 has carried this slogan proudly over the years, how can an event that takes place on an 8.45mile course through the French countryside, lasts eight times as long as the average .500-mile race (rain or shine), and attracts heavy duty factory participation from many of the world’s largest car makers be considered anything other than a spectacle? Last year, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and BMW went home heartbroken in the wake of Porsche’s 16th overall Le Mans win; this year, the anguish experienced by the first two only worsened, while BMW finally got to spray the champagne. If Le Mans ’99 was a party,…

Through its 648 stores nationwide, Pep Boys is offering a private-branded touring tire called the Futura 2000 SE. We sampled the Cooper Tire Company-produced tires (size P225/60SR16) on a Chevrolet Monte Carlo LS and found the Futuras to be a quiet, soft riding, high-quality, low-cost alternative to original equipment (OE) tires. In our sound-level testing, the Futuras matched the quietest of a pair of OE alternatives we also tested. Those who favor a super-cushy, traditional American luxury car ride may rate the Futuras’ ride above the original equipment tires. Their most appealing feature: A complete set of Futuras go for less than $200, mounted and balanced, at any Pep Boys store, while exact OE replace ment tires can cost more than $350. However, in exchange for their quiet tread and…