Innehållsförteckning för July 2002 från MotorTrend

Too Fast for Words Tune in to the recently premiered Speed Channel (formerly Speedvision) on your cable or satellite system for the all-new Motor Trend Television. Host John Matthius, senior producer and Motor Trend feature editor, now brings you the exciting automotive reviews, comparisons, and features that put the pages of Motor Trend in motion. Each new 30-minute episode premieres the first Monday of each month, with encore presentalions in the following weeks. The latest segments for the June program are being taped as of press time, so check out the Motor Trend TV page at motortrend.com for an up-to-the-minute episode description. To see our upcoming air schedule, follow the link to the Speed Channel Web site at speedtv.com, go to the Program Schedule page, enter keyword "Motor Trend" then…

Ford makes a sedan out of its crossover Those who say Ford needs some Cars in its lineup might look about two years ahead when the Five Hundred sedan hits showrooms. Based on the “architecture,” not the platform of the Crosstrainer crossover SUV (“News,” May ’02) arriving the same time as this sedan, the Five Hundred will be about the same overall length and width as a Taurus, but will be taller, with much more interior room. Called a “high-feature” sedan in modern parlance, it'll be a bit taller than the current Toyota Avalon and Camry, with a hip-point 2-4 in. higher than mid-and full-size sedan competition. It'll be offered with front or all-wheel drive, like the Crosstrainer. Ford says the Five Hundred will comfortably seat five adults, with nearly…

One element in Isuzu’s plan for renewed life in the U.S. is the Ascender. That makes it the fourth version of General Motors’ midsize sporvutility (GMT360) platform after the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, and Olds Bravada—the last of which becomes the Buick Rainier next year. Why choose an Ascender over one of its siblings? Isuzu’s dangling its 10-year/120,000-mile powertrain limited warranty as a major incentive. Beyond that, you might prefer the Japanese-branded American truck if you like the styling of the Rodeo’s grille and require the long-wheelbase configuration it rides on. The Ascender comes only in 129-in.-wheelbase form with third-row seating, like the TrailBlazer EXT and Envoy XL. As with the TrailBlazer, the rear air suspension isn’t offered—the Ascender gets the five-link solid axle with coil springs, Bilstein monotubes,…

The Forester line was introduced in model-year 98 as a tallish, soft-road-able wagon. For ’03, Subaru introduces a new body structure and interior, Carrying over the proven 2.5L flat-four engine and powertrain. Two levels are available, X and XS, with a Premium Package upgrade that turns the 99.4-in. wheelbase vehicle into a tactile pleasure. Because of the new sheetmetal and hydroformed front subframe, overall weight is reduced by 90 Ib, while torsional rigidity is increased 30 percent, a good thing for chassis dynamics. With four cylinders and 165 hp.the freshened Forester blends easily enough into highway traffic—though it would really be a sweetheart if offered with Subaru’s H-6. Its handling persona is comfortably predictable. Intended for rough road usage rather than true off-roading, it’s ideal transportation to the weekend…

Since McLaren’s mighty F1 ceased production several years ago, determining what car wears the “world’s fastest” crown has been difficult at best. But if I were a betting man, I’d put a serious wager on a new and unique darke horse from Italy, the Edonis BEX88. This limited-production machine (just 21 will be made) is designed, engineered, and manufactured a stone’s throw away from the old Bugatti factory in the Modena suburb of Campogalliano. That location is no mere coincidence, for Edonis chief engineer Nicola Materazzi (and several other employees) was intimately involved in the EB110. Materazzi’s resume also includes Lancia’s Stratos and Ferrari’s 288 GTO, F40, and Testarossa, to name just four. The Edonis’ heart is a mid-mounted 700-hp twin-turbo V-12 that powers the rear wheels via a…

Errol Flynn, Olivia Newton-John, Russell Crowe, Paul Hogan, Nicole Kidman. The Aussie invasion of the United States is poised to continue with the muscular Holden Monaro coupe, the Down-Under wonder that General Motors North America Chairman Bob Lutz has eyeballed as the new-millennium Pontiac GTO. U.S. introduction is scheduled for 2004. The new-era muscle coupe has an exotic international bloodline: solid Euro antecedents, earthy Australian engineering integrity, matinee-idol appearance, and, under the shapely hood, good old Detroit punch. A true luxury Grand Tourer with a successful racetrack history from the late ’60s, the Monaro badge shares with the classic GTO a powerful V-8 heritage and go-after-’em stance. But as much as the Monaro/GTO respects the past, it’s very much a car of today. Initially wowed by the handsome sheet-metal of…

Such a little thing, really. Turning the engine sideways, thus making the car shorter. Sir Alec Issigonis penned the idea on a restaurant tablecloth, legend has it: a new, small, front-drive Austin that would address the need for greater fuel efficiency in response to the Suez Canal crisis of 1956. The resulting Austin Seven and Morris Mini Minor would carry four adults and their duffel bags with dignity in a vehicle spanning less than 10 feet in length. A car no longer, fittingly, than a horse. What’s interesting, though, is how a space-efficient, fuel-efficient box on wheels became such a cultural icon and enthusiast’s driving machine. Long before GTIs and Integra Type Rs, the ’60s Mini Cooper S may well have been the very first front-drive sport compact car. Today,…

With a soundtrack provided by the ’03 S-Type R’s supercharged 4.21. V-8, my co-driver and I spirited our way through mountainous, northeastern Spain. Just two weeks later, those very same treacherous roads would be crowded with thousands of WRC fans for the Rally of Catalunya, one of the season’s most challenging venues. This impressive 400-hp sedan produces lovely road music: a muted high-pitched aria from the Roots-type blower over the bass-drum beat of the twin exhaust tips. It’s a memorable chorus that repeats with each imperceptible upshift of the car’s new six-speed automatic transmission. At full or even part throttle, the S-Type R effortlessly wills itself down the road. A table-top-flat torque curve, peaking at 408 Ib-ft at a mere 3500 rpm, supplies this dynamic thrust. Then, there is the…

VERDICT That Hyundai offers the most stuff for the money among these three isn’t too surprising. After all, Hyundai built its reputation on packing its cars with lots of features for very little cash. What is a surprise, though, is the high standard of quality that comes with the quantity. The materials and assembly are at least as good as the Toyota’s, and in some cases better. The EPA tells us that the Accent’s fuel economy ties with the Rio’s in the city and splits the difference between the Kia and the Toyota on the highway. With its high level of equipment, low price, and quality construction, the Hyundai simply wrecked the grading curve in this class. Top it off with an industry-leading warranty, and the Accent emerges as the…

Once in a great while, the planets align and good things happen. In this case, a racing team needed some prerace vehicle-prep time—and had rented a track near our Los Angeles office—and Motor Trend had a production version of the same car the team races. Why not run the two together for this magazine story and a “Motor Trend Television” show? Serendipity? Not exactly. Last year we were invited to race Hyundai (of Canada) Motorsports' moderately successful, outgoing four-cylinder Tiburon race car in what was then the Motorola Cup Series. Unfortunate scheduling put an end to that. This year, the racing series has a new name (Grand-Am Cup, Street Stock Series), and Hyundai has four brand-newV-6Tiburon race cars. Can you feel the astronomy at work? While we haven't been invited…

Ford’s new heritage-inspired T-Bird is a hit, with buyers waiting in line. Its combination of style, packaging, and a satisfying driving experience earned it our ’02 Car of the Year award. Yet, just because it won COY doesn’t mean we thought it was perfect. Topping our nitpick list were its bit-too-flashy chrome wheels, decidedly ride-biased suspension, and want of more power from its 3.9L DOHC V-8. The aftermarket is responding with a cache of performance parts to step up the “thunder” in Thunderbird. Specialty Vehicle Concepts appears to be the first tuner to offer a complete turnkey package. You certainly won't miss the 'Bird's lowered ride height and 19-in. rolling stock. The Moda R6 alloys measure 19x8.5 in. and are wrapped by Toyo Proxes 255/40ZR 19 rubber. A set of…

’02 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE When a vehicle wins our "of the Year” honors, we invite the manufacturer to provide one for a year's worth of evaluation. When we named the Avalanche our '02 Truck of the Year, we were keen to put the innovative Midgate and three-piece rigid composite cargo cover to good use. Starting with a base price of $30,465, our new Long-Termer also sports optional leather/cloth trim seats ($1115), electric sunroof ($1095), the Z66 premium on-road suspension package ($835), convenience package with driver’s self-dimming mirror and OnStar ($546), and electronic climate control ($395). With $720 in destination charges, the bottom line comes to $35,171. Photog Newhardt is heralding it as the perfect shooting platform, not to mention its locking tailgate that keeps equipment safely hidden. With summer here, we’ll…

M vs. AMG Your April article on the M versus AMG matchups highlighted another great issue. Thanks, and keep up the great comparison tests. Thomas Christiana—Mamaroneck, N.Y. I was thrilled to see the cover of April's issue proclaiming the battle between Mercedes’ AMG line and the M division of BMW. I was even happier when I read on and saw that the Bimmers did well, especially my personal favorite, the M5. It once again trounced the automatic E55, which brings me to my point: Until M-B offers a manual transmission, it’ll remain a well-built, iconic car devoid of driving passion. BMWs are built for people who love to drive, while Mercedes are for those who need to flaunt their financial status. Nice effort, Mercedes, but next time come packing some…

Five-Door SVT—Ford SVT adds the Focus ZX5—the five-door hatchback—to its product mix by the end of the year. The ZX5 will have the same specs and feature list as the three-door 170-hp SVT ZX3, winner of our April issue “Thrash Compactors” shootout, and should be priced within a few bucks of that $17,505 model. Late-’60s Mustang—A sneak peek picture of Ford’s next-generation “heritage” Mustang displayed at a Ford party at the New York Auto Show revealed a front end heavily influenced by the ’68 Mustang. It had regular headlamps outside the grille and foglamps inside of it, with a traditional Mustang badge in the center, much like a 68 GT. Ford says its new pony will have a number of different frontend/lighting treatments, depending on the trim level. The car…

The next big thing, or the next Aztek? There have been comparisons with Pontiac's maligned Aztek. But we see more Renault Megane Scenic RX4, especially its big blue plastic front and rear fender skins, roof molding, and front and rear fascia, in the Element, which goes on sale in December. The Civic-based production version of the Model X has the boxiness of the first minivans of the 80s and a great deal of function and versatility. The framed suicide doors swing wide open to pillarless access to a rubber-mat-covered floor, vinyl seats, and a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic shifter mounted at the base of the dash, as in the new Civic Si. Rear seats either fold flat or fold up and attach to grab-handles via hooks, for a low,…

VW’s all-new sport/utility, joint-ventured with Porsche Voilkswagen’s Touareg sport/utility vehicle debuts this September at the Paris Motor Show. These first official photos indicate a cleaner design than the © Porsche Cayenne with which it shares a platform. VW calls the unibody Touareg a “crossover,” with excellent on-and off-road manners. It has a double-wishbone suspension, with full-time electronically controlled all-wheel drive. A full suspension with electronically controlled shocks is standard in some engines. It'll launch in Europe with a 3.2L/220-hp V-6 and a 5.0L turbodiesel V-10. Later, VW will offer a 2.5L TDI and a 4.2L V-8. We're likely to get only the V-6 and V-8 gas engines. The Touareg will come with a six-speed automatic or, with some engines, a six-speed manu-al. At 187.2 in. long, with a 112.7-in. wheelbase…

Julia Roberts’ older brother, Eric, also acts in movies. They look like siblings—but you won't mistake Eric for Julia. The same can be said about the toast of the New York Auto Show, Infinitis G35 Sport Coupe. It looks like a coupe version of the G35 sport sedan, but the two don’t share any sheetmetal—not even the headlamps. In a way, the sleek Sport Coupe reads more like a 2+2 version of the Nissan 350Z. Infiniti promises to make it a hot entry-level luxury competitor, with a 275-plus-hp version of the VQ 3.5L DOHC V-6 powering the rear wheels through a six-speed manual trans. Rear multilink independent suspension, performance dual exhausts, Xenon headlamps, Vehicle Dynamic Control, and a tasteful, well-equipped interior are all part of the…

Few specifics are known about Ferrari's newest supercar, including its official name. But after months of camouflage and spy shots, we at least now know what it looks like: A wider, fully fendered, coupe version of a Ferrari F1 machine wouldn't be an inadequate description. Conceived to philosophically follow in the footsteps of the F40 and F50—though said to outrun them both handily in terms of performance—this mid-engine hyper-exotic will enjoy considerable technology transfer from F1. The main connections will be the use of a carbon-fiber monocoque and body panels, plus extensive aerodynamic development. Speculation continues as to whether there’s a V-10 ora V-12 to be found just aft of those two carbon fiber-shelled seats. A V-10 would make another strong connection to Schumacher and Barrichello’s Ferrari's stock in…

The SL has always been a significant technology launch pad for Mercedes. For ’03, the SL500 deftly raises that tech bar with a host of electronic wizardry and great design. Of the SL’s latest milestones, electronic braking leads the way. The first of its type in a production automobile, the system replaces many common mechanical/hydraulic parts with electronic units, sensors, and microcomputers. Working with the SL’s ABS and ESP stability control, it affords instant side-to-side brake proportioning during cornering, early recognition of panic stops, and increased control in emergency lane changes. Perceptually, you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference between the old hydraulic and the new brake-by-wire systems. The only telltales are a lack of brake-pedal modulation at slow speed stops with a somewhat artificial feel at that…

We’ve never shied away from calling the 550 Maranello one of the world’s great cars—new or old. It is, if nothing else, a V-12-powered Ferrari—reason enough for being. While far from long in the tooth, it’s been around since 1996. Ferrari felt it could genuinely improve the car and had some new technology available that seemed a worthy fit. The result is now called the 575M Maranello. The “575” designation represents an engine displacement increase, from 5.5 to 5.75 liters. Modificata is the Italian term Ferrari often uses to describe a model that’s received a midlife update. The Maranello part hasn’t changed; the car’s still named after the quaint yet semi-industrial village just South of Modena, Italy, where all Ferraris are born. Every Ferrari is about its engine—the perfect place…

POWERTRAIN/CHASSIS Drivetrain layout Front engine, RWD Engine type V-8, aluminum block & heads Valve gear OHV, 2 valves/cyl Bore/stroke, in/mm 3.90x3.62/99.0x92.0 Displacement, ci/cc 345.7/5665 Compression ratio 10.031 Horsepower @rpm 302 @ 5200 Torque @ rpm 339 @ 4400 Transmission 6-speed manual (4-speed auto opt) Final-drive ratio 3.40:1 (3.08:1 w/automatic) Suspension, f/r MacPherson struts, coil springs, lower control arms, anti-roll bar/semi-trailing arms, toe-control links, coil springs, anti-roll bar Brakes, f/r Vented disc/disc, ABS Wheels, f/r 18 x 8.0/18 x 8.0, cast-aluminum Tires 235/40ZR18 Bridgestone RE-040 DIMENSIONS Wheelbase, in 109.8 Track, f/r, in 61.4/62.1 Length, in 188.5 Width, in 725 Height, in 50.0 Curb weight, Ib 3616 Seating capacity 4 Cargo capacity, cuft 13.1 Fuel capacity, gal 19.8 TEST DATA ccel, 0-60 mph, sec 6.5 (est) Quarter mile, sec/mph 14.9/98.0 (est) Braking,…

With the typical transaction price of a new car in the low-$20,000 range, economics is forcing many potential new-car buyers to peruse the used-car classifieds instead of cruising new-car row. Still the allure of purchasing a brand-new car, with zero miles on the odometer, a bumper-to-bumper warranty, and that intoxicating new-car smell is a powerful one indeed. What to do? Stretch the piggy bank and go for new? Or settle for something a bit more upmarket, but preowned? Would new cars that cost thousands of dollars less than the average sedan be considerably less enjoyable to own and drive? To explore that issue, we rounded up representative examples. We gathered three subcompacts with list prices among the lowest available and out-the-door prices ranging roughly from $12,000 to $14,000: a Hyundai…

Let’s begin with the disclaimer: Don’t be looking for a conventional, like-versus-like comparison test here. The Marauder is the news, a broad-shouldered, sinister-black sedan that Mercury has invented to bring some fresh attitude to an aged heavyweight. But the parallels with a certain high-brow flagship from Germany are striking. Park Mercury’s new hot-rauder alongside—yes, no kidding—the sumptuous $500 from Mercedes-Benz, and things start to look weird. Or at least curious enough to suggest an offbeat story: Both are full-size four-door sedans (some 17 feet long!), weigh more than two tons, and have V-8s of about 300 hp driving their rear wheels. They both have style, though they’re strutting to decidedly different rhythms, and each was made for a dead-of-night black paint job (okay, we had to settle for silver in…

Cadillac was in trouble. By the mid-’90s, the only thing aging as fast as its customer base was its product lineup. Sales were flagging, due to successful attacks by German and Japanese brands and a decidedly indistinct and uncompetitive roster of cars. Cadillac VP and General Manager John Smith was committed to not allowing the nearly 100-year-old Standard of the World to crash and burn. So his team presented General Motors senior management with a plan to turn things around: Caddy’s own version of the Resurrection. The agenda included the edgy Art & Science design language, first displayed as the Evoq concept car of 99 and now manifesting itself on production models in the form of the CTS and the upcoming Seville replacement to be called the STS. Smith also…

After years of requests, some aftermarket wheel companies are now making modern versions of popular vintage and musclecarera wheels. Billet aluminum is the current material choice over anchorlike steel. Available in diameters of 16, 17, 18, and even 20 in., these new “vintage” wheels dwarf the wimpy 14-and 15-in. offerings of years it. ago. Such modern-tech wheels work equally well in two different applications: for the person who wants his nev car to have a vintage musclecar look, and for the person who wants to fortify his classic musclecar with high-tech rolling stock that still looks factory correct. We’ve included two examples of new and old vehicles with such wheels, but the modern/retro possibilities are almost limitless. 1 Company: American Racing Custom Wheel Number of wheel styles: 53 Wheel style:…

A picture ‘worth 4000 words? How about 45 million bucks? Things have changed considerably during Sebring International Raceway’s 50 year history. Sebring’s golden anniversary was properly celebrated at this year’s running of Florida’s storied 12-hour enduro. The photographer who captured this garage scene just prior to the 1963 race couldn’t have known the ultimate historic significance of what he was looking in on. You'll count no fewer than four Ferrari 250 GTOs here (cars 32, 28, 19, and 27), all entrants of Luigi Chinetti Sr.’s North American Racing Team (NART). Most consider the GTO the ultimate expression of a Ferrari GT, clearly making it one of the most historic and collectible cars of all time. Don’t miss the pair of NART Ferrari TR 250s (#18, and the barely visible #27)…

Growing and Growing Motor Trend Online continues to expand with the addition of Features and Games sections. Whether a guide to radar detectors, past design-contest coverage, looks at future vehicles, or other non-road-test features, these articles can now be easily found, thanks to our straightforward archive. The fun-filled Games section features a growing list of exclusive computer and game console software reviews. In addition to the game-related articles, there are a couple MT Online exclusive games to entertain visitors. Elsewhere on the site, we've been adding exclusive content, such as timely New York Auto Show coverage complete with video. Log on and see what's new at www.motortrend.com.coverage.…

Mercedes-Benz’ next S-Class, code-named W221, debuts at the 2005 Frankfurt Auto Show. While the current S-Class arrived in North America one model year later than in Europe, we're expecting the new car about the same time, in model year ’06. It'll be the world’s first full drive-by-wire production sedan, with electrohydraulic steering. The new § also will have the next-generation Sensotronic Brake System, Airmatic suspension, and a night-vision system, similar to Cadillac's. The marque’s perennial flagship will be offered with rear drive or Steyr’s 4Matic all-wheel drive, which will be added as an option on the current S-Class (and C-Class sedan and wagon) for 03. The ’03 S also gets a mid-generation facelift and a new interior to keep up with the BMW 7 Series. Engines will be new four-valve…

We told you Saturn’s new replacement for the S-Series, the Ion, is a fresh, radical departure. But we showed you the sedan (“First,” May). Now, here’s the more innovative coupe. While its doors are framed, there’s no fixed center pillar, so the interior is wide-open for easy access with front and rear doors open. The coupe gets the same 2.2L/137-hp DOHC Ecotec I-4 and electronic power steering as in the sedan. Both models have interior trim panels and roof rail panels that can be changed to different colors or designs with “personal accent kits.” Accents may include leopard-skin designs or the kind of geometric and textured look usually used for I computer wallpaper.…

The next sports car may have green power The world’s automotive press has been writing for years about an Acura NSX V-8 replacing the current 300-hp V-6 model. A 4.0-4.5L V-8 would power a rear-drive RL sedan replacement as well. And then, the long-awaited Honda pickup truck gets the green light. But it doesn't look like it’s going to happen. Honda’s been offering hints about this since last fall’s Tokyo motor show, where one of the stars was its DualNote concept, a four-door, mid-engine sports car featuring a 3.5L DOHC i-VTEC V-6 powering the rear wheels and an Integrated Motor Assist electric system powering all four wheels. Honda repainted the DualNote red and gray for the Geneva show, then pasted Acura badges on it for New York. The powertrain, if…

As it ambles toward its first full redesign in a couple decades, the Ford Mustang has divvied up its land into three neat parcels: SVT’s increasingly sophisticated Cobra occupies the hilltop, while the bourgeoisie are fed rental-fleet-friendly V-6s. In the middle, and lightly upscale from the meat-and-potatoes V-8-powered GT, is this new Living Legends special edition, dubbed Mach 1. It replaces the sold-out ’02 Bullitt. The fact that the Cobra is supercharged for 03 gives the Mach 1 room in the lineup for a new, normally aspirated 4.6L four-valver, based on the old Cobra engine, making 300-plus hp and 300-plus Ib-ft of torque (well up from the Bullitt's 265-hp SOHC V-8). With its suspension and brake mods, the Mach 1 represents a more substantial hardware upgrade than the Bullitt.…

Indy’s oval is an interesting place to get your first taste of any car. Our initial ride in the 03 Corvette included a 165-mph blast down the front straight at the Brickyard. Buddy Lazier, 96 500 champion, took us for some hot laps as part of Chevy’s announcement celebrating the fifth time the Vette has paced the 500-mile classic. This ruby-red 350-hp pacer is mechanically identical to the 50th Anniversary Special Edition coupe available at Chevy stores this summer; a 50th Anniversary convertible will also be offered. Anniversary models sport special exterior badging, embroidered badges on the seats and floormats, plus padded door armrests and grips. Powertrain choices remain unchanged. The hardware-related news for the ’03 Corvette is optional Magnetic Selective Ride Control, which varies shock damping by electrically…

Do you need a third-row seat in your sporvutility? Nissan believes many American crossover buyers don’t, which is why its Murano, on sale this fall, emphasizes style over space. That’s not to say the Murano is small, exactly—it’s based on the generously sized Altima platform. Nissan marketing whizzes spin the design as “sculpture in motion” and say the SUV, named for sculpted glass crafted near Venice, Italy, avoids slab-sided styling “so common in this category.” The Murano directly targets the Toyota Highlander, a two-row-only SUV that’s an unqualified hit in the marketplace. If you place high priority on looks, the Murano’s voluptuous sheet-metal clearly has it all over the boxy Toyota, with a toothy chrome grille, upswept D-pillar, and sculpted cargo door. Real aluminum interior trim comes standard, along…

While the Mini was born in 1959, it found its muscles in 1960 when British racing driver John Cooper took the boxy little transporter and made it a proverbial dragon slayer. The first major competition win came that same year when John Love drove a British Racing Green Mini Cooper to first place in the British Saloon Car Championship race. The Mini’s burgeoning competition career took to the world stage in 1964 when, to the surprise of many, it won the Monte Carlo Rally. This prestigious event started from different European locales each year, with the final leg always ending under the Mediterranean sunshine of Monte Carlo. The MCR was an exceptionally renowned gathering, with manufacturers from around the world seeking victory and international acclaim. British Motor Corporation drivers Paddy…

The automotive bargain basement has been thoroughly remodeled in the past few years, with today’s class of inexpensive cars offering modest comfort and very good build quality. But these are still low-priced vehicles built for basic transportation and aimed at budget-conscious buyers, so the standard-equipment list tends to be short. With a built-in low-cost-manufacturing base, South Korean manufacturers such as Kia, Hyundai, and Daewoo dominate this segment. Still, with an eye toward attracting youthful buyers to the brand, full-line manufacturers have also joined the entry-level fray with unconventional entries such as Toyota’s Echo. KIA RIO SEDAN Kia touts the Rio as the least-expensive four-door sedan in America, with a base price of $9095 for the manual-transmission model. Not surprisingly, the Rio won our comparison’s price war, stickering at $12,089 with…

Alfred PB. Sloan would appreciate Toyota’s new youth division. As those of us too old to buy cions will recall, Sloan, the Depression-era president and CEO of General Motors, devised and perfected the GM caste system in which loyal buyers could move up from Chevrolet to Cadillac with stops along the way at Pontiac, Oakland, Oldsmobile, Buick, and LaSalle. While GM’s Sloanism was econocentric, with a “car for every pocketbook,” Toyota’s is age-centric, with a cradle-to-grave progression: Scion to Toyota to Lexus. GM created its Saturn subsidiary in the late 80s, in part to draw in young buyers who might be turned off by traditional GM division names, including Chevrolet. “Certainly, from a Saturn standpoint, we have an advantage in the marketplace” with the youth market, says Jill Lajdziak, Saturn…

“Win on Sunday, sell on Monday” is among the oldest clichés in the car business, but it’s still a remarkably valid concept. While there are certainly other worthwhile byproducts, such as technology development, the ultimate reason any auto manufacturer supports, and pays for, a racing program is to sell new cars. We were curious about how Cadillac was engaging its sports-car racing team efforts to attract customers, so we visited three dealerships (Southern California, Florida, and Michigan) to gauge the racing Caddy’s visibility level. Other than a single radio-controlled race car offered for sale in the parts department of one dealership, nobody would ever know Cadillac was involved in world-class racing. The showrooms contained no posters, shirts, models, banners, or driver-team photos. At one store, none of the three people…

In March 1990, Ford’s Explorer debuted (as a ’91 model) and has been the best-selling sport/utility vehicle ever since. The Explorer successfully married the trucklike durability of an SUV with four-door family-style comfort, popularizing a segment in which nearly every manufacturer competes today. A decade and over 3.6 million vehicles later, the Explorer remains a strong-selling family hauler despite negative press due to Firestone tire failures. Second-generation Explorers (’95-’O1) are available as two-door (in XL and Sport trim) or four-door (XL, XLT, Eddie Bauer, and Limited trim) configurations. Base XL, up-level Sport, and mid-level XLT models receive a 4.0L/160-hp OHV V-6 mated to a five-speed manual (except ’01s). Premium-level Eddie Bauer and Limited models get a 4.0L/205-hp SOHC V-6 with a five-speed automatic (available on XL and Sport)—by far the…

THROUGHOUT THE ’90s, JAGUAR LOAFED along as a two-model marque. Its German and Japanese rivals had expanded their lineups—and were scoring sales and profit increases because of it. Jaguar (and Ford) management elected to “grow the brand,” hoping to cash in accordingly. The first step in Coventry’s plan to go from two-car lines to five was the new-for-Y2K, midsize S-Type sport sedan. Available in both 3.0L V-6 and 4.0L V-8 forms, the S-Type shares a great deal of its underpinnings with the Lincoln LS, but in this case, that’s no bad thing. The cars don’t look or feel the same, even when parked next to each other. Many factions of the automotive press got all frocked up over the notion of so much intersquad parts sharing, but buyers appeared to…