Motorweek; 1825

This time on motorway ports more powerful pony car dreamers E-Class Mercedes-Benz and ninety nine scream of the crowd. Look at. TV's original automotive magazine brought to you by Michelin makers of the zero pressure Michelin designed to let you drive up to 50 miles at 55 mph without air pressure. Just what you expect from Michelin. And by pep boys no matter what you drive Pep Boys Over 27000 items in stock virtually any part for any car with all the name brands you know plus service based staff with certified technicians that boys parts tires accessories service. And by Castro super clean all wheel cleaner. The cleaner that releases brake dust and road grime from all types of wheels on contact

no matter what age your car. Castrol super clean all wheel cleaner. Your host for Motor Week. John Davis. Hello and welcome again to motor week we're glad to have you with us. Look up and down streets everywhere and there's no denying America's 35 years of passion for pony cars. Look even closer and you'll see that the original pony car the Ford Mustang enjoys a particularly intense and loyal following. So when this new 99 Mustang G.T. arrived with a new look and more horses under the hood. Our staff couldn't wait to saddle up and thrash it around a bit. So does the new GTI have what it takes to keep the pony car passions burning bright. Ford wanted this latest Mustang G.T. to push the buttons tug the heartstrings and stir the souls of longtime Mustang fans. So they gave the latest Mustang a look that is both retro and cutting edge. A pony cart for all seasons you

might say the make over started on the outside where designers mixed Fords new edge design theories with familiar styling cues from the Mustangs use. Such as the long sloping hood that ends in plush mounted headlights and a very vintage looking honeycomb grille and Mustang in a chorale logo the prominent hood scoop and I'm sure they were called Shelby models of the late 60s classic Mustang is the short rear deck but it's now made of plastic to save weight while three piece steps. We're like clusters or very mach 1 as are the bigger healthier sounding diameter dual exhaust pipes all pulled together by lines drawn from the concept car. But the Mustangs appeal has always been more than skin deep and tucked under the new skin is a much more potent power plant for its modular core point six liter single overhead cam now makes two hundred sixty horse power and 300 two pound feet of torque.

That's 35 more ponies and 10 more pounds of bottom end grunt than last year. It's coupled with either a high speed manual transmission like the one in our test car or an optional four speed automatic punch it and this pony sprints to 60 in only 5.5 seconds and gallops through the quarter mile and fourteen point six seconds at 98 mph. That's as fast as last year's model. It's smoother and more linear as well with the engine pulling hard through the entire riband. The new cam shaft and straighter intake manifold runners make a real difference. Also new is a wider rear track. While both the makers and front and rear suspension get new springs shock tuning which we put to the test on George's challenging Roebling road Raceway where the latest Mustang showed us that some horses definitely get better with age. The 99 offers quicker crisper turnin than last year with less understeer while tighter build tolerances and reduced the power rack and pinion steering more feel. Still it's a little light for our taste. The

brakes have also been upgraded with lightweight piston aluminum calipers and a new master cylinder. This delivers better brakes. Stop from 60 that average one hundred twenty five feet. Give it a workout like this which few drivers will ever do and you will experience some mild play. Put this pony on the street and you'll experience a smoother though hardly Lincoln quality ride. But it's a far cry from the teeth rattling ride of old. It's also quieter thanks to greatly increase use of sound deadening materials in the body structure while 999 also sees the arrival of an optional traction control system which should make the GTI easier to drive in bad weather. Inside the Mustang fewer changes. But as we've said in the past that's OK since this is still the best design in the pony cart class. The dual cockpits clean and straight forward the front bucket seats now operate six way power adjustments and one inch more rearward travel. They're firm and comfortable but could use a little more lateral support for a hard driving

gauges remain large and easy to read while heat and ventilation controls are super simple. Even the stereo controls while set below the ventilation controls are clean and well organized. As always in coops like the Mustang rear seat room is pretty tight for adults but it does split and fold for versatility. The truck itself offers a reasonable to point nine cubic feet of space but the tight opening and high lift over make loading large bags rather difficult. Paying for performance is however easier than you might think. The insurance friendly Mustang B6 begins at sixteen thousand nine hundred ninety five dollars. RB a car begins at twenty one thousand three hundred ninety five dollars and has tested tallies twenty three thousand six hundred sixty five dollars. Want a GTI convertible. Then put down a still reasonable twenty five thousand three hundred ninety five dollars so price clearly makes Americas best selling pony car even more appealing. And that's in addition to its very individual styling and improved performance. But for many of us what

makes the Mustang special is its uniquely American feel. Automobile magazine also noted that it offers a driving experience that is distinctly different from front wheel drive performance and the latest crop of rear wheel drive from Europe. It's been 35 years since the Mustang first blazed its way into the American automotive consciousness and driving the 1909 Ford Mustang G.T. shows us that. Only car fire and the passions that it ignites in the hearts of American Horror fans has lost none of its heat. To get the most out of ABS brakes on your car. Remember these three little words stop stay and steer stop the brake pedal in a panic stop stay on the brake pedal even if it vibrates or makes noise and steer where you want to do. ABS brakes work best when you stop stay and steer. Coming up drivers choice winners take a back.

You know car care advice is easy to come by. After all Everybody's an expert right. But good Karkare advice is very rare so rare in fact that we consider Motor Week stop tech Pat Goss to be a collector's item. John we're all the time testing cars and one of the most important parts of any automobile as far as the way it rides and handles is going to be the tires. Have you ever thought about what's inside a tire. Well in order to explain some of it we have Jim Noles. Jim is an engineer with B.F. Goodrich Hi Jim. Not bad. You've got all kinds of black stuff here. Is all of this in one tire holders believe it or not is in one tire. I knew there was a lot of stuff through a tire but I didn't realize it was quite this many pieces what are we seeing. What are we what we're seeing here are different pieces of rubber that go inside of the tire and each one of these types of rubber is compound it differently depending on the type of performance we want to get out of that piece of rubber. So you know we blend the compounds differently depending on whether we

want to get a stiff rubber or soft rubber and that's how we designed the material to go on a tear. OK no. Stuff like this piece over here what's Well what's it about. Start off with we have an inner liner inside the tire on the tubeless radial tire. You have to have a way of keeping the air from leaking out of the tire. This is the inner liner which is inside the tire has to be a special rubber. OK. OK so we don't want the air to leak out and what's this. This is actually the body plow the carcass ply of the tire. So when you talk about a radial tire these are the side these are the carcass plies of the tire that form that radio carcass. Right now you also have some pieces of steel here. Well we do have a couple pieces of steel here. The first piece is very important this is the steel bead wire. So this is what attaches a tire to the rail and this is the foundation which the tire is built on it's a steel wire it's very strong. OK. And a smaller one a smaller one here is a steel belt called a cable and it's made up of strands of very small wire. It's

very flexible and if you notice it's brass coated You know it's my son and we Brasco these. So the rubber ears very well the steel wire up in the bead or in the at the trade here you want to get good asian of rubber there. And also it's to keep the tire from rusting if you get a puncture in the tire. You know this is a steel belt made up and there are multiple steel cables inside of this and these are actually the steel belts that go under the tread of the tire these are two steel belts in the tire. OK now you can change the way the tire handles. That's right these belts. That's right you know from all your driving experience that you've seen a lot of different performances that we get from tires. We do a lot of that by changing the angles that we build the tire. So we can narrow the angles up for performance where we can make wider angles for a lot more luxury tax. So that's how it's done. That's one of the tricks that we use OK now you've got all of this stuff. This isn't just something that you throw together these days it is evidently a lot of engineering. There's a lot of engineering that goes into computers that a big part of it really is we use computers a

lot today to predict the behavior of the tire before we ever build the first tire. Oh so you don't build a prototype and see what happens you see what happens on the computer. We start with what happens on the computer and then we build a prototype and see what happens but we're able to cut out a lot of the steps in the process with computers today. Catch it if you had one thing that was most important for consumers to know what would that be pressure. You've got to maintain the pressure inside the tire to get it to perform the way we've engineered to perform. Very good advice. If you have a question or if you have a comment write to me. If I use your letter I'll send you a motor week T-shirt. The address is Motor Week always Mills Maryland 2 1 1 1 7. This week we welcome the B-17. True to our long term testily this all wheel drive version of Volvo is most popular wagon heads a dose of exterior steroids. I think putting a more aggressive nose heftier bumper and deeper front page

the back end is beefed up to in the roof brackets stouter under the battle dress you'll find a Plextor and ground clearance and a fully automatic all wheel drive system that can deliver up to 95 percent of the torque to either end the source of that torque is Phobos light pressure turbo inline 5 to develop 190 horsepower and £199 bead from only two point five liters. Are only major snow events so far this winter proved to us all that the cross country can handle rough weather with the best SUV the Bobos lower center of gravity made us feel safer and more stable than taller sport utes in areas with deep snow more aggressive tires might be called for. We can attest that this is one important with a great defroster and they heated seats will turn your buns to toast if you're not careful. Not being careful how we drove the cross-country still produce the kind of fuel economy SUV owners would love to see. Twenty one point seven miles per gallon and it's getting better with every tank full. Speaking of new SUV Well welcome the V-8

powered Mercedes Benz M-L 430 And our next motor week long term road test update. Our car of the week is this 1983 Plymouth scale pick up. It's owned by Richard Stevens of Kaysville Vermont only produced in 1983 with a total of only thirteen hundred eighty built. Mr. Stevens escape is just one of 54 with the five speed manual transmission. Now if you have a little go getter in your possession We'd love to see it descend to good color photos along with a description to Motor Week Owings Mills Maryland 2 1 1 1 7. Ask any motorway staffer what they most enjoy about their job and the answer usually is the wide variety of cars we get to drive from Bentleys to beetles from F-150 to C 43. Our staff test nearly 150 different vehicles every year and at year's end we bestow our drivers Choice Awards on the cars and trucks that we think stand above the crowd. So sit back and we'll

show you our picks for the best of the best. And this year that needs everything from groundbreaking new models to old favorites reborn such as our best small car a Volkswagen new Beetle. Like the rest of the automotive world we rejoiced when the Beatles revival was first announced. But what really got us cheering was driving the new Beetle and finding out what a modern comfortable and thoroughly entertaining car played beneath that rainbow retro skin. And finally the new Beetle is also the safest small car ever made. It also took the honors in our best family sedan category with the facade he said this is the first time a European sedan has won this very mainstream category. While the base was already one of our staff for our favorites the addition of the same potent V-6 engine found in the Audi A4 gave the roomy sophisticated genuine sports sedan sponsor and a clear win. Mom and Dad's commute was never so much fun. Poor families they need more room.

We highly recommend our best minivan choice. The Honda Odyssey. Now the biggest passenger vehicle in Hondas history the latest Odyssey trounced the competition with its unbeatable combination of room refinement and clever design power assisted rear doors and a disappearing third seat helped make Odyssey the new standard in people. At the other end of the size spectrum is our best convertible Mazda M-x 5 Miata long a favorite of the wind blown hair. The redesign one thousand ninety nine Miata is faster more capable and more stylish than the original but is the Miata concept enters its tenth year of production. It's still the best Oregon in the drop top class. Reading its nearest competitors price almost $10000. On the other hand let us recommend our best luxury car the Volvo s eighty if you'd rather be insulated from the more disruptive elements of the outside. Writing. This most on Volvo looking Volvo is turning a lot of heads not just for its mold

breaking styling but for the fact that it's the biggest most opulent sedan that Volvo has ever built and it still boasts even more of the superb safety features which are famous yet this very luxurious suite need not insulate you completely. The turbo charged S.A.T. tea is also one of our favorite sedans to draw. Speed is what you want there is our best performance car the Ford Mustang. Only now in its latest incarnation America's original pony car is finally both fast and dated a comfortable plus its mixture of retro a new styling reminds us of our Mustang a home one of the early 70s to drive the lexer that's far more distinctively European. There's our best sports car the BMW and its winds may be controversial but we like its cheeky style at once behind the wheel. You'll forget everything except it substitutes gas it out of a quarter and the power and grip of the various empires are known for. It leaves little doubt that there are few better handling

cars on the road today. But if you'd rather be off the road there's a family sport utility vehicle the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Cherokee has long been a leader in its class but the new 999 with a powerful overhead cam and revolutionary automatic drive system at in the most luxurious interior ever in a jeep and it's clear that the Grand Cherokee will leave competitors in its dust for some time to come. Here's our best small sport utility vehicle. This is grand but Suzuki is not only designed a small frame sport that's even more solid and better equipped than its better known competitors. But given it the only engine in its class yet it still sells for a price. But the class of vehicle that really sells in America has the full size pickup truck. And our best pickup truck of the Year honors go to the new Chevrolet Silverado and it's near twin the GMC Sierra.

GM has big twin everything yet still stylish and versatile and refined enough that you won't mind using them to drop the kids off at their piano lead. But it's the trio of all new push the trailer tow currently automatic transmissions and the first automatic drive system in a big pickup. The Silverado and Sierra to the top of our list. Finally for the dreamer and every driver their best dream machine the Mercedes Benz. This limited edition. Is only a Mercedes-Benz sedan can be but it's also got the three hundred forty nine units of horsepower. Not to mention the handling the most make a buck sports car. It's the ultimate high speed highway prowler. And that's it. The finest fastest and most fun that you can buy in today's automotive market are weeks 1999 drivers Choice Awards. The Beatles by Keith soon the subtitle says it all.

A comprehensive it will stray to history of the world's most popular color solid text and your photos create a fascinating book that chronicles the humble people scarring. From its beginning as the KDAF wagon literally Hitler's strength through joy climbing through its many incarnations to the eventual positioning as a cultural icon beloved around the world. This book tells it all. Mercedes-Benz in their performance tuning partner AMG have established quite a reputation for taking superb luxury sedans and turning them into fire breathing monsters. Our first encounter with one of these super sedans took place back in 1995 when we tested the C30 6 and we were instantly bitten and smitten. That love affair continued last year with AC 43. Well the newest car to join this elite group is this one the 55 and true to tradition. It's a real screamer.

So find something to hold on to because we're going for off a thrill ride. And with it like our 1999 drivers choice winner best green machine there were say he's been to the 55. It doesn't take much time behind the wheel to figure out that just about any ride has the potential to be up through all wrong. Places. The safe confines of Roebling road Raceway in Savannah Georgia an ideal venue to put the 55 through its paces without fears of oncoming traffic. And just the occasional camera man to watch out for. The main source for driving the 55 fun factor into the stratosphere. Is this 5.5 liter aluminum 90 degree single overhead cam V8 engine the largest Mercedes. It's packed with cutting edge technology like twin spark three valve heads and silicone impregnated cylinder sleeves and that's before tuning partner AMG gets its hands on it.

Once there is a 5.5 leader powered by gets a modified intake manifold new modular camshaft. And high capacity pump and spray jets. In short what this adds up to is three hundred forty nine horsepower and three hundred ninety one pound feet of torque available at a mere 3000 rpm and zero to 60 times a by point five seconds and quarter mile runs of 14 seconds flat at 103 mph. Car drivers adored the 55 foot rocket like acceleration pulling strong through all five automatic here and one. Somewhat touching off on throttle response takes some getting used to. It does make it all too easy to take full advantage of the 55 weight to power ratio of ten point five pounds per horsepower but a big flexible engine is just part of the AMG magic show because the effect the five suspension has also been finally tuned to match the engines raucous nature up front it's a double wishbone set up with Cool Springs and gas shocks but the springs have a 35 percent higher rate than stock to their shocks or high performance built twenty nine

millimeter stabilizer bar complete the package under the rear is Mercedes compact 5 wing suspension and like the front it to receive the higher rated coils brings Bilstein shocks and a solid 20 millimeter stabilizer. This taut suspension gives the 55 superb grip in handling perception even with the electronic stability program. Although our testers noted that precise the feel of the rack and pinion steering is quite known. Not so with the overachieving brake system as the 55 massive thirteen point two inch front and eleven point eight inch rear desk controlled by abs and brake it says brought us down from 60 in an average 100 1000 feet higher speed a little fade but off the track the 55 is just as much fun for here it goes into the sleeper mode serenely tooling around town its by speed electronically controlled transmission delivers seamless shifts all the while waiting to teach some lead footed teenager proper highway manners. Because with the exception of the

wide AMG Moto wheels and subtle ground effects and a discreet logo on the trunk 55 looks just like any other unassuming sedan. Inside the story is the same as the 55 it's all the E-Class amenities and options as standard fare. The somewhat plaid leather sports bucket seats however are AMG specified and featured 10 way adjustments for both front seat occupants the driver faces a rather sparse gauge cluster for a car of this nature but to the right and underneath the dual zone climate controls the AM FM casette stereo has a cleverly hidden cassette player behind the faceplate and an integrated telephone keypad. There are plenty of safety devices onboard too including an inflatable side impact head protection curtain and the back there's ample room for three adults and fifteen point three feet of cargo capacity in the trunk. Now if you expect a car with a split personality to be more expensive than one with just one you'd be right. Base price on the 55 is sixty nine thousand one hundred

dollars factoring in destination charges and gas guzzler tax tester running up to seventy thousand six hundred ninety five dollars for about ten grand more than the not as engaging for 30 sport with only 2000 earmarked for the U.S. over the next four years. Even with a sharp eye spotting a Mercedes-Benz the five will probably be as rare as pitching Tipper Gore taking in a Marilyn Manson concert. And with the 55 thundering orses under the hood if you do see one chances are you won't see it for long. I hope you'll join us next week for more motorways. Well drive Ferrari's 456 GTI and BMW 5 series support wagons Lisa Berra looks for again. Come on. Well also bring you another long term road test update and all the latest Motor News. I'm John Davis. To learn more about Motor Week TV's original automotive magazine visit us at PBS online at the Internet address on your screen.

Motor Week has been brought to you by Michelin makers of the zero pressure Michelin. Designed to let you drive up to 50 miles at 55 miles per hour with out air pressure. Just what you expect from Michelin. And by pep boys no matter what you drive Pep Boys has over 27000 items in stock. Virtually any part for any car with all the name brands you know plus service space staffed with certified technicians at voice parts tires accessories service. And by Castrol super clean all wheel cleaner the cleaner that releases brake dust and road grime from all types of wheels on contact no matter what age your car. Castrol super clean all wheel cleaner. To order a video cassette of this program call 1 800 4 2 2 0 0 6 4. Or send one thousand ninety five close for ninety five shipping and handling to Motor Week Post Office Box 5 5 7 4 2 Indianapolis Indiana 4 6 2 0 5.