Motorweek; 1505 PTV

Why this time on motor we rush back to running our ports and Firebird Let's go to come drive with us. TV's automotive magazine. Your host for the week. John Davis. Alone welcome again to motor week. We're glad to have you with us. And we're also glad to bring you part two of our 1996 review of all the new products from America's big three auto makers. This week our focus is on Ford. America's first modern car builder already makes six of the 10

best selling vehicles in the land and for 1996 they prove they're not resting on their laurels. For most of the 20th century this bright blue logo has been referred to as the Ford oval. Now Dearborn designers have used its elliptical form to throw the rest of their competitors a curve. Known as the DN 1 0 1. These are the dramatically different 1996 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. Sequel to the best selling car design in America. At first it would be easy to accuse Ford of a little overkill but designers followed through on the theme in virtually every detail from headlights to tail lights. And that goes for the Taurus sable station wagon stew inside rounded shapes also dominate but so too soft fabrics and clever details. The centralized integrated control panel puts all of the most you switch gear within easy reach a standard air conditioning can be equipped with the pollen catching

filter while the optional JBL stereo accommodates a trunk mounted cd changer. Six passenger models include a novel old front seat console with cup holders and space for a cellular phone. The rear cabin adds leg room and a very useful split folding backrest. Mechanical bits are thoroughly upgraded to the base 135 horsepower Vulcan 3 liter V-6. It's quieter while a three metre version of the contour is 24 how you're a tech B6 is now the premium powerplant with 200 horsepower. With 225 horsepower be a Taurus as H.O. arrives next crane. Chassis torsional stiffness is up 87 percent while passive rear steering also borrowed from contour along with optional Bosch anti-lock brakes makes Taurus sable among the most spirited and forgiving of what will drive family sedans. As for the Ford Contour and sister Mercury Mystique these European style compacts get only minor tweaks and age more rear leg room and a folding rear seat on the

base car's boards luxury driver the Lincoln Continental form the basis for the new Taurus and sable introduced last winter. The most notable alteration for 96 are run flat tire. Boards sportiest rear wheel drive models donned some cosmetic changes including a revised front bay ship with Thunderbird a chrome here at home grill for the Mercury Cougar and new historically correct vertical tail lamps for Mustang. But other changes to Mustang are almost heresy. Gone forever is the legendary all cast iron pushrod 5 leader V8 in its stead. Two versions of boards overhead cam four point six leader modular V8. The GTI sports a new single cam aluminum head bearing at good for 250 horsepower. It's a tight fit. So Ford had to substitute a hydraulic boosted master cylinder for the traditional vacuum variety. Remarkably Ford has managed to match the power curves of the new engine to the old. So except for less noise and vibration

satisfying power reaches the pavement pretty much like wood. 60 clicks by and six point eight seconds. But the not so limited edition Mustang Cobra is more like a whole new car. Yes it's 32 valve illusion MBA. It's similar to the Lincoln Mark but extensive requirements including Siamese intake runners producer 305 horsepower rating that is much healthier at the bottom in thanks to to the new borgwarner forty five gearbox 0 to sixty. Five point four second affair. But Ford special vehicle team also had their way with the chassis front suspension geometry is very different from the GTi with better on centerfield corners are taken flatter a bit less put even in the wet. The 96 Cobra trade in Mustang is legendary fishtailing for obedience and refinement. Patience is the virtue. Ford expects from its full size truck owners since it will be Super Bowl Sunday before the official wraps are taken off the all new F-150 pickup. But as you can see its exterior

remains aggressive like GM. A third door will be fitted to super cab models and the F-series will also break Indian tradition trading in pushrods for ABH with overhead. New F-150 will also be the basis for a new full size board or sport utility come spring called Expedition. Now that doesn't mean Ford's other sport utility Explorer has gone without attention new 496 is the Explorer V8. If you wondered where the 5 leader went it's in here with 210 horsepower the Explorer Xcel TVA can tell up to 65 hundred pale right now and two will drive only be a four by four is due in spring when Mercury introduces its Explorer clone. The mountaineer Mercury's other truck the villager minivan gets a new problem grill that favors the sable and inside. Finally dual airbag boards largest truck will drive minivans Winstar. It's so new we didn't expect much change. Surprised the Winstar elex is

pushrod 3.8 leaders P6 gains an innovative variable induction system horsepower jumps 45 to 200 even. Finally Ranger becomes the first compact pickup with dual airbags and a child seat air bag on or off switch. Ford has been setting up a breakneck pace over the last few years to ready itself for the second century of the American automobile. When you tally up futuristic designs like Taurus and sable high tech power trains of all sizes and undisputed leadership unlike truck sales they indeed look primed for 1996 and beyond. In all the years we've known PAC we never cease to marvel at his abilities whether it's big or small. He's always able to find a solution to your Karkare problems. John this time I have some simple solutions to some bothersome problems. First you're

driving down the road with the windows rolled down enjoying the breezes and all of a sudden the headliner is down around your ears. Well that is annoying at best and dangerous at worst. You know you have to take the car to an upholstery shop and spend quite a bit of money getting a new headliner installed that now there is a solution. It's from heads up and we found our kit at Pep Boys. Well what this is is replacement headliner material it comes in a variety of colors with quick simple instructions to go with it. It's inexpensive and does a great job. Now a letter from Jeffrey R. Goodell of Charleston West Virginia. He has a 1990 probe GTI and he has problems with moisture getting into the tail lights. Well it's a common problem see lots of times people will bump into the back of your car in a parking lot. They don't think they did any damage but what did happen is that the seam along the top of the tail lamp is cracked open. Well what you do to fix it is real simple.

You clean it you dry it using a hair dryer if necessary then clear RTV silicone sealant along that seam in a small amount and you'll hardly know that it was ever damaged. Now next one this is from Rick tang of Naperville Illinois. Now what he has is a stock oil filter and lots of people succumb to that. See you can do everything right with an oil filter and many times you just can't get it off when the time comes. Use a good quality wrench. Always the whiter the rich the less chance of flattening or crushing the oil filter. And if all else fails you've tried everything. I've had good luck with dry ice which super cools the filter and makes it easier for it to come off. Always use good heavy gloves when you're handling dry ice. It can be very dangerous. Jimmy Crawford of Richmond Kentucky has a stripped spark plug in the cylinder head it just spins in there. Can't get it out. Well that doesn't happen all that often and they're really

usually has only one fix and that fix is to remove the cylinder head take it to a machine shop and have them remove it. The cost of the machine shop 30 to 35 dollars more typically though aluminum heads the threads come out of the spark plug holes. Go to your local parts store. You can buy a healer coil kit. Where in less than a half an hour you can repair the threads without a lot of hassle or a lot of expense. If you have a question or a comment write me a letter. If I select your letter I'm going to send you a motor week T-shirt. The address is Motor Week Owings Mills Maryland 2 1 1 1 7. Part of the week is not stepping 968 bored Mustang GTI it was restored and is driven daily by Father Louis Novelis of Baltimore Maryland. If you have a special car to show us some good color photos to motorway Owings Mills

Maryland 2 1 1 0 1 7. Motor weeks high road traveler crags loves people especially interesting people and you won't find more of them than in the world of auto racing. Now recently Greg was out scouring the drag racing circuit in search of a fascinating personality. And boy did he ever find one. By far one of the most popular figures in drag racing today has to be four time NHL right funny car champion John Boyce. In an incredible eight year national career. John Edwards has amassed an amazing 70 percent record. And with over 20 NHL Radio National events a year. John we're sinister are some of the busiest people. In motors. So you gotta ask yourself what does the world's most famous Funny Car Driver do on his

weekend off. Well he goes drag racing of course. This particular and we caught up with John Moore says he which match racing Funny Car rival with. A. Wisconsin. New. Great Lakes dragway. It's kind of funny because the points make a critical race not so much fun but a lot of work. You know what I'm saying is you have to concentrate here with fun there's no point. We kick back and kind of rock and roll with our current. He's so excited so dynamic and he's unbelievable. I knew it was going to be up there today I came up to see him. I can't believe the attention he gives the kids he's got time for every autograph every pitcher. This guy is a real human being. Kids are always when I go for girls myself. Oldest daughter here she's 25 My littlest one 6 so small the ball we don't care if it's mine. That's part of the good side of drag race. They're going to pass from here Alex.

Alex Goddard. I was pushing I was poison gas always a pencil as a kick for you to get his autograph. Definitely really nice. I really like John Force I just lays on ball a volley ball. But for all the fun and games when it comes time to race John Force and company are all business whether it's the final round at Indy or best two out of three against days were at a Wisconsin track. These professionals understand. There's no glory. Second. Place. It takes budget takes a good game but there's a lot of technology out here now it's not like the old days. We have probably 40 50 grand of computers on his car and that's what all race car use the cars fell 10 years ago so you can see why the money's important why the punter if you look at my race car it's a

moving billboard. Somewhere not a road I have to get a station wagon body just like put more signs on. We run 20 in a jury of half but I run probably 15 to 20 match races like you know on the circuit. A benefit or not here where you're doing up. This place without one hole. Somewhere without forethought that much of what the world all about. Carmel for our weekly stop by Lisa Burroughs office for all the latest Motor News six weeks ago we showed you spy shots of the 96 Honda Civic. Well now we have first hand information on the entire civic lineup which again includes coupe and sedan models in three trim levels and a hatchback into. All three body style share a more aggressive appearance with rounded corners a lower Cal large glass area and a high rear deck. Hatchback now has a real hatch instead of the last of its mini tailgate design. All three ride on the same one hundred three point two inch wheelbase Goodson's advancer over two inches longer while the hatchback goes where point three inches and all are over

three inches taller and over more head and leg room. We also know this but use levels of noise vibration harshness and all the civics we sample. Civic power comes from a trio of 1.6 leaders 16 cylinder units including the first gasoline engine classified as low emission under California's strict new standards. The single overhead cam all aluminum power plant produces 106 horsepower and 100 3000 feet of tour top radii ex-addicts get a variable valve timing or VTEC version good for one hundred twenty seven horsepower and 170 pound feet of torque. The standards of a transmission improved 5 speed manual optional is a boar's be automatic with Honda's grade logic program. And early next year a continuously variable automatically CVT will be available on the high fuel economy Civic. Suspension remains on his well known double wishbone with a few new tweaks that improve handling and ride quality. A new Civic signature feature may be there large new headlamp reflectors and says they provide 59 percent more Lou a nation in between is

this Acura style narrow grill and the grill is framed in Chrome. Maybe the best news for civic buyers is that Honda plans not to increase prices from 1995 levels and that's the motor news for this week. Now regular motor week viewers know that we're big fans of General Motors latest f body cars the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird. Earlier this year we even gave our drivers Choice Award for Best convertible to the 95 Firebird. Well now for 96 all Firebirds have a new standard engine. So what better excuse reason that is for more top down testing. Not that there weren't already enough reasons to put this 96 Pontiac Firebird convertible through its paces. We've always felt her body styling particularly suited to topless motoring which validates Pontiacs decision to style and engineer the latest Firebird to

accommodate a convertible top from the start that meant the addition of 13 specific structural members to the chassis and the use of special structural wood he says on 15 key areas such as the cow a pillar and rocker panel reinforcement. The result is one of the most clutch free convertible chassis we've ever driven even at the track. I test drivers remarked that the Firebird practically drove itself to the cone. Binding power is key and series to thirty eight hundred B6 its three point eight leaders now delivers 200 horsepower and two hundred twenty five pound feet of torque. That's 40 horsepower more and 25 more pound feet of torque than last year's Firebird B6 and run you know which car thirty five hundred pound convertible from zero to 60 you know seven point nine seconds and through the quarter mile and 16 seconds flat in being at 88 mph These are excellent times for the six automatic. Specifically the smart shipping or speedy electronic automatic which allow slick

weather second gear starts top down operations starts by quickly releasing to snap lock latches in a singles which takes care of the rest. Top holds itself deeply out of sight not hindering rear visibility. The three piece better walking suit goes in place really easily and is held down by the trunk lid but are one big criticism of body convertible tops does unfortunately still balance lack of clear order Windows makes for large blind spots. Our praise of the Firebirds cockpit and interior design can also be repeated. We also approve of our cars new 496 top interior color. Well contoured bucket seats provide comfort and support. A tilt will is standard on all Firebird the rear seats look good for only. Child saw the folding seat back provides both of storage space to augment the truck's twelve point nine cubic feet. But that won't concern most convertibles Meyer. Especially considering the Firebird convertibles modest base price of twenty two thousand nine hundred forty nine dollars. Our car's performance saccades with dual

exhaust brought the sticker to twenty three thousand four hundred eighty four dollars. We call that a portable top down performance with out the extra burden of insurance. But with all the other fun items that people buy right or. We expected the by 1996 money at Firebird convertibles in large numbers. Over the years we've described it as fair some and refined called it a modern day king of the road and compared driving it to landing jets on the deck of an aircraft carrier. It's the Porsche 911 no matter what version of it that we've driven we've always come away impressed. On this week's road test by request the 911 in question is the latest Koraro for it's as new as a 911 can get but it's still every inch a Porsche. But then as far as it looks like this could only be a Porsche. Despite decades of upgrades both inside and out. 1995 911

call report still wears the unmistakable lines of Feri Porsches original 356 with the little 9 5 9 super car thrown in for good measure. So this graceful nighties interpretation sitting low on its complex all wheel drive system is a far cry from horses for Roff but lovable little roadster. The 356 never had such a purposeful front in design. These outlets channel the air to increase downforce without the use of full spoiler and this rear spoiler folds neatly away deploying automatically when speeds demand it. Some things however never change such as the concept of a horizontally opposed engine tucked into a tiny engine bay behind the rear axle line today carrying six cylinders and displacing 3.6 leaders. It cranks out a potent 270 horsepower and 240 three pound feet of torque power then follows the accepted route through a Borgia six speed manual transmission or Porsche's latest optional automatic the tiptronic s

the all wheel drive system and the eighty nine career record was a myth. Medical wonder 95 the system has been completely redesigned and simplified. Correction and thus power loss are greatly reduced. While a wife weighed this much then distributes torque to all 417 its alloy wheels but now only when needed under full throttle slipped that extra grip took on a test for the 60. Faster than our last standard Perera 5 second quarter mile was also quicker. A seamless invigorating blast of power that took thirteen point seven seconds at 105 mph until the advent of the current model all 911 have been known for their sometimes very intimidating tendency to oversteer with the latest rear drive Perera has proven to be a humbling marvel with them for traditional harum scarum rear end behavior the new car era for chairs those remarkable talents feeling more like a genuine 9 11 than the first C for the powered front wheels do still for some noticeable increase right hand foot

but not enough to prevent the car from blasting through corners. Like a Teutonic jackrabbit even when hard maneuvers finally break the field the driver after the career reports for a brake pedal does require some leg effort but with the big and the logic with this honing it smoothly down from 60 and an average of only 103 feet. Here. We do care about gas mileage However even in exotic sports cars the career record is EPA rated at 16 city and 23 highway. We actually managed 22 mpg our mix test loop and discovered that like its two wheel drive sibling the Perera 4 has the best ride of any 9/11 get built. The same goes for the interior which finally finds that middle ground between classic style and contemporary comfort. The somewhat reshaped dash now carries switchgear as efficient as that of any Japanese family car and standard dual airbags. But the gauges remain these pleasantly traditional analog

dials. The bucket seats are firm and more supportive so they can still be wearing on long drives but they place the driver in easy reach of straightforward automat. Climate control. For sure might want to rethink their stereos. However their radios face is far too busy and the buttons far too small and it's all but impossible to use while the car is in motion. The rear seats are still only a tease for adults but do fold or provide a luggage shelf. And the nicely expanded cargo bay. It's 20 percent bigger than before. It's still in the wrong end of the car. But there's not much actually wrong with the 9/11 career 04 not even the price. The sixty five thousand nine hundred dollars base price is at the bottom of the exotic car scale and even with options and $1000 gas guzzler tax it still comes in at sixty seven thousand six hundred sixty four dollars and packs just about every automotive safety feature yet devised the career of four offers standard tool airbags seat belt pretention ors anti-lock brakes all wheel drive and 5

mph bumpers plus meets 997 federal side impact standards. It's the most up to date machine ever set loose from the Porsche factory floor by the 1995 911 call where a fork is also as true to be exciting for sure traditions as any of its predecessors. It's 100 percent Porsche style 100 percent for sure performance and just plain 100 percent Porsche. And we just plain love it. There are no more rabid auto racing fans than those of NASCAR stock car racing and the cabin fever NASCAR video series was made for bands just like that. Each 30 minute tape is devoted to a different aspect of America's favorite racing series from famous champions and promising rookies the memorable races to the men behind the scenes. Former NASCAR great Benny Parsons is the host of this series which while more entertainment than seriously historical

documentary gives NASCAR fans an enjoyable look at the rich history of this most American of motorsport and it only 995 for each table. You can easily afford the entire series. Be sure to join us next week for more motorways. Well we'll have part three of what's new from America's automakers for 1996. Well highlight the Chrysler Corporation and we'll drive Audi's impressive and important new age for today at least a barrel goes way off road in the brewing Hamel Tropi rally. Pat Doss stays close to home to bring us a user friendly car care advice. What will have all the latest Motor News. I'm John Davis. We'll see that. To order a video cassette of this program call 1 800 4 2 2 0 0 6 4 4 send 29 ninety five plus $4 shipping and handling to this address. Water from the motorway home video collection or cover the best episodes of the motor week

television series. 1 800 4 2 2 0 6 4 0 to order a catalog send a self-addressed stamped envelope to this address. John date on the next edition of motorway Bowl wrap up our review of what's new for 96 when we highlight the Chrysler Corporation. Also driving Audi's impressive and important to a force today in place of aero goes way off road in the brewing Camel Trophy rally that stays close to home to bring new

user friendly park your advice to go to misdirect motorways.