Motorweek; 2104

This time on motor week Toyota revamps the Camry the new LG A4 and the 2001 Frankfurt International Motor Show. So come drive with us next. Little. TV's original automotive magazine brought to you by Pep Boys. No matter what you drive get voices over 27000 items in stock. Virtually any part for any car with all the name brands you know plus service space staffed with an AC certified technicians Pep Boys parts tires accessories service and a buy. Looking for. Your host for Motor Week John Davis. Well hello and welcome again to motor week. We're glad to have you with us. Getting to the

top can be hard but staying at the top can be even harder. And when you're Toyota a belter of the best selling Camry sedan the competition never stops trying to take you down. So to stay on top this all new 2002 Camry had better be better than the old one. All right. But is it better enough to stay on top. Well to stay on top of the 2002 Toyota Camry must have more of the same attributes that put it on top in the first place. And there is more Camry for 2002 riding on an all new platform shared with the Lexus GX 300 luxury sedan and Toyota's Highlander SUV Camry is wider and taller than the previous generation will base grows two inches to one hundred seven point one inches. But overall length increases by a mere six tenths of an inch to one hundred eighty nine point two. The new platform is closed and smoother more aero shape sheet metal. There's more than a little kinship to both the S-300 and its big brother Avalon. While the new

Camry is still not stirring or striking to see it is clean handsome safe but also far more distinctive than before. The base engine in the latest Camry is an all new all aluminum 2.4 leader dual overhead cam four cylinder and delivers a healthy one hundred fifty seven horsepower and 160 two pound feet of torque variable valve timing balance chaps and sophisticated new motor mounts are included to keep everything Camry smooth and quiet. The six cylinder fans last year's three liter dual overhead cam B6 return still making one hundred ninety two horsepower and 209 pound feet of torque. But it now features a variable linked intake system for a more refined feel. Both engines are available with our test cars for speed automatic transmission fires of course older Ellie and SE models can opt for a standard 5 speed manual. We took the six cylinder automatic to our Test Track where it registered a 0 to 60 time of eight point one seconds the quarter mile took sixteen point two seconds ending at a speed of eighty eight miles per hour.

The V-6 engine feels quite strong on the bottom end and has plenty of midrange but power tapers off rapidly in the upper reaches of the rev band but even being pushed hard the V-6 feels almost Lexis smooth as does the automatic transmission. Like the last Camry the 2002 model uses an all MacPherson strut suspension but adds rear token troll. So where last year's car suffered from almost terminal front plow the new platform has a light more nimble feel rather than simply pushing through a corner of the tail light is about halfway through drifting out in a controlled predictable manner. The power rack and pinion steering was very quick as well but offered little feel. Vehicles good control is available and all V-6 Camry's and even when switched off will engage under hard maneuvers like our emergency test quickly slowing in settling the car. A new Camry se provides a bit stiffer suspension tuning and more aggressive 16 its tires are even more handling security and a modest amount of driving fun. Almost all 2002 cameras give four wheel does brakes the basic model uses rear drums are for disk XLE with abs stop from 60 in an average of

180 feet. Like the steering the brakes deliver a little feedback but stability and performance were top notch. And the grind of daily driving with a camera will actually live we found it to have a supple luxury car quality rock the interior is as quiet as anything sold under Toyotas more upscale Lexus brand. But we did notice the transmission's tendency to stutter if the driver didn't maintain steady throttle at 40 to 50 mph. Roll up a little and it starts hunting for the right gear. Of course a quiet comfortable cockpit can make that a lot more tolerable. And the new Camry's interior will not fancy still exudes the kind of quality and refinement that buyers have find luxury cars are used to. The dash crosses Avalon with Highlander with a birch routing center control area to keep the family safe. The Camry is equipped with standard driver and front passenger airbags While front side impact and front and rear curtain airbags are optional. Later in the model year adjustable pedals will be available to keep smaller drivers the proper distance from those airbags the front bucket

seats are comfortable and supportive and reside in a large interior volume XLE an SE V-6 models can be equipped with leather and cold weather seat heaters. Climate control is either manual or the Xcel these automatic systems are straightforward and effective. P l e n se offer standard AM FM CD audio system while the XLE offers an optional combination of audio and navigation systems that features a tilting LCD touchscreen display a feature major direct competitors like a cord in Taurus slack. The rear seat is more generous with increased leg room and a standard 60 40 split seat back while the truck measures larger to it sixteen point seven cubic feet. 2002 Toyota Camry prices started nineteen thousand four hundred fifty five dollars for the L.A. model move up to the sporty trim Dessie it increases to twenty thousand seven hundred ninety five dollars of a top aligned XLE carries a price tag of twenty two thousand seven hundred eighty dollars or twenty five thousand eight hundred ninety dollars for a P6 powered XLE. Prices are on balance a bit less than a comparable Honda Accord but

substantially more than domestic nameplates like the Ford Taurus. But considering the long time loyalty of Camry owners price alone will not deter them. Of course it helps of the 2002 Toyota Camry is also a very fine car and a far better one than its predecessor and one that we think will easily retain its position as the best selling car in America. The best kind of car accident is the one you will avoid active handling and stability programs often called DSP or electronic stability programs are designed to help you do just that. He s p works by monitoring a car speed and direction as well as the driver's actions and it automatically applies the brake to one or more wheels to correct unstable cornering conditions. It's high tech hands off. Keep it on the road peace of mind and it's as easy as ESPN coming up the 2001 Frankfurt International Motor Show. Now let's drop in on motor week's top tech Pat Goss and see what clever car

care tips he has for us this week. John lighting systems on vehicles have really evolved over the last few years something we're seeing a lot more of. H i d lights. Well those are the ones that you see coming down the road they have kind of a bluish tint to the light. Well they're mostly on upscale cars so a lot of people would like to mimic that. And one way to do it is they found out is to put blue bulbs in their head lamps but not all blue bulbs are created equal like this one. The finish on it was essentially a paint product in the heat of the bulb caused it to blister and turn black. So it didn't last very long at all. So if you're going to do that get a bulb where the glass is actually colored the diet and it doesn't burn or blister or do anything goofy. One thing to be sure of though and that is that you use the proper wattage to keep them legal and that they are indeed legal in your part of the country. Now here's something.

There are a lot of add on units that are available for many vehicles these days. These are driving lights the Raich I.D. they're from Sylvania over here we have a couple from hell up there again. H ID. And here we have something interesting we've changed the whole appearance of the front end of this focus by using this system right here replaces the whole headlight assembly and it's painted to match the car. But we did something neat and we did it to a friend's truck. Gordon Liddy How are you. I'm just fine thanks for having me on the show. Great to have you. All right. Here this is what we've done this is a Sylvania HIIT replacement light for your Chevrolet Chevrolet Silverado. The front of it looks a bit different has a clear lens and it is each ID so it has the transformer the ballast that supplies the high voltage to make the bulb or conduction through more power than a standard unit. No none whatsoever uses all the stock wiring you just plug it in and away you go. It's a beautiful looking thing. Well not only that but it is

also DOJ approved so it's completely legal. That's great. You know anything that's illegal they suspect me first. Oh yeah. OK well now let's take a look over here we turn him on and you look at the beam pattern and look at the beam pattern. Yeah. The new one the blue is way way way wide and that one just sort of out there on the spot doesn't impress me at all but this is really something that you have right. I think you're going to see a big difference in it. Now we're also going to do a bypass filter that will take it down to an absolute two point seven eight microns. Now to make that engine eventually be as old as I am and that's a long long time. Well that's from filtration solutions and it's really well made. And one thing that I hope is that you'll come back and visit is and give us an update on this stuff some of the promise there you go about it. Thank you sir. Thank you. All right if you have a question or a comment write to me. If I use your letter I'll send you a motor week T-shirt. The address is Motor Week Owings Mills Maryland 2 1

1 1 7. Our car of the week is in 1991 ality coupe Quatro. This all weather sports machine belongs to Dr. Jack Brzezinski of Canton Massachusetts. The good doctor keeps it any macular condition and has enjoyed every one of its 76 thousand miles. Now if you have a special car submit at least three good color photos and a description of the car to Motor Week Owings Mills Maryland 2 1 1 1 7. On September 11 while horrific terrorist events were taking place in our country the world's automotive press was at the bi annual Frankfurt International Motor Show. While new car introductions at the show were and only rendered and consequential many of the vehicles shown there will be none the less meaningful sewing keeping with what you rely on us at Motor Week to do. We're going to show you the most influential vehicles on display at Frankfurt this year.

It's no surprise if the 2001 Frankfurt International Motor Show was dominated by German brands given their rising market share in America their vehicles will have a major presence on our roads. Books wagons all new Polo while slightly smaller than the Golf. Shows a turn in VW styling to a more fluid and less boxy shape the interior too is more expressive and in Europe includes a navigation system that is less destructive than most seven engines are offered including three diesels. If you chose to bring a turbo charged diesel polo to the US it would likely be almost as fuel efficient as a gasoline hybrid. Premium division Audi chose to concentrate on fun rather than fundamentals. This is a poor cabriolet is based on the new sedan sharing is smooth but still chiseled wines do in the US by spring this elegant yet sporty B6 four seater includes an electro hydraulic top heating glassware window and pop up roll bars behind the back seat up permanent top is found in this Audi Evans concept. Audi sees this as their vision for a future

Audi sports wagon. Its super clean all aluminum body ends with an almost vertical formal roofline. Power is by way of a four point two liter twin turbo 430 horsepower V8 delivered through a six speed automatic and naturally Audi's permanent all wheel drive Quatro system. BMW publicly displayed its new seven series for the first time styling is a significant departure from the smooth form of the present car a hefty looking front with gripping headlamps is countered with a most unusual rear treatment with the shape of the trunk lid adding little in common with the fenders around it. The interior is just as controversial both in appearance and features the gearshift moves to a steering wheel stock while BMW is I drive concept incorporates a large console knob for information system control. Much of that data is displayed inside the main gauges so I never move far from the road. When the new 7 Series arrives in the US in 2002 both of the eight 745 I and 12 760 I will be available. Other important cars first shown publicly at Frankfurt include Jaguars are coupe

a concept low slung aluminum skin pad gives us some idea of the next x J N x K series. Another show stopping coop is the sixteen point four of Iraq a 16 cylinder seven speed concept headed for production in 2002. It's loaded with features like an aluminum carbon fiber body and automatic rear wing. Smart brand showed this 20 on poor concept its first four door five passenger vehicle and a clear indication of how Chrysler hopes to expand smart sales concept since 1985 is the 9 x a four dimensional sports car with features of a coupe roadster wagon and pickup all in one tiny roadster is this tango concept. Only one hundred forty five inches long it supports big car power with one hundred eighty horsepower. Much larger is Lamborghinis replacement for the Diablo. The all new mercy Lago both big and small concepts. I like Nissan the tiny rounded Mme three door shows Europe and Asia where the micro mini compact is headed with a tall slab

sided crossbow for Nissan could be giving us a peek at a future American built full size SUV. Multi-functional too is the ople Signum to crossover blends a sleek form of panoramic route station wagon utility plus swivel seats and an espresso machine which some of the best styling to come out of any GM division in years. Ford not only introduced its all new Fiesta mini car but also showed the flexibility of its chassis with this Ford Fusion atol crossover concept billed as an urban adventure vehicle and small cars were at the fore in Frankfurt including the citroën C3 under its bubble shapes will be one of five engines including a pair of 1.4 leader direct injection diesel much bigger and far less cute is the citron concept the SEE CROSS or SUV Mitsubishi unleased a wild SUV concept. The blistered body Pajaro evolution. Fortunately there were also cars to get the driving enthusiasm blood rushing looking very Mustang ish. This smooth Hyundai coupe is our next Tiburon. And then there is Alfa Romeo

coupe and sport wagon. We can only hope GM includes these delicious sixties era throwbacks when this famous Italian brand returns to our shores. Shortly after we take MAS a Rotty does the same with its new 390 horsepower be a spider convertible. Well one thing is sure this Porsche 911 target is on the way to us. Retractable glass top and all. And that's it for the 2001 Frankfurt International Motor Show and auto show. We will always remember. The size SUV is one of the few other segments that is doing well these days is luxury cars. No wonder the all new 2002 infinity Q Forty five has big interior room of velvety 340 horsepower V8 and a heavy level of high tech hardware staff opinions on living with a plush cube 45 seems split along age lines. Older staffers love a combination of effortless ride with amazingly agile handling. On the other hand younger drivers think the queue feels too big and squishy to be fun to draw on.

Everyone agrees using the available navigation system is distracting but mastering the voice command system puts that complaint pretty much to rest. Everyone also agrees this fault free sedan is a wonderful car for long trips fuel economy of one thousand point three mpg after 68 hundred miles is impressive too. Now our 2001 Ford Excursion XSLT four by four is the second of these turbo da diesel full size SUV that we've tested. As our primary crew carrier we find that the addition of four wheel drive cars is only a modest penalty in ride. Plus while we thought the four by four would use more fuel than our previous four by two. So far that's not been the case. Seventeen point five is our average after fifty eight hundred miles. But we won't know the real story until we slog through winter. A lot of people buy excursions because they have three rows of seats but that feature can also be found in the smaller more car like 2002 Buick rendezvous. It also has one of the most capable all wheel drive systems and its evolving class. First impressions of our first encounter with

Buicks first truck in 70 years are so far first rate. We'll see how our Volvo F-16 rates on our next motor week long term road test update. Now let's check in with Jennifer Kesse not for the rest of this week's Motor News. In the past Cadillac's attempts at a mid-sized luxury sedan have largely ended in failure but their latest endeavor may be a different story. It's the 2003 Cadillac CTX and it's a radical departure from the an exciting caetera it replaces. It's also Cadillacs first car that completely embraces the company's new art and Sciences design philosophy styling goes for that slightly out of the box edgy look that must delicately walk the line between attractive and offensive as it tries to appeal to both the younger buyer and more mature ones who still consider themselves young at heart. The rear wheel drive sports a two hundred twenty horsepower three point two leader V-6 with either a 5 speed manual or an automatic transmission. And a well appointed and attractive cockpit. Look for

CTF pricing to span the low to high $30000 range. You can also look for more on the 2003 Cadillac CTX on an upcoming episode of Motor Week. And that's it for this week's Motor News. As the domestic auto industry suffers a sales slowdown importers like Audi are on the rise sales and market share are up sharply to quicken that pace over the next three years. Audi will redesign all of its trendsetting coops in Sudan and indeed the first rework is already here it's the 2002 a for all new from the ground up the A4 promises a new level of sport sedan refinement from this already formidable German car maker. Is this the beginning of a golden age for Audi. It may be too early to make such a grand proclamation the arrival of the all new 2002 Audi A4 is certainly a shining moment in the company's someone and even history. And from what we just saw at the 2001 Frankfurt International Motor Show the eighth floor is just the

beginning of a new wave of striking new Audi. When styling the new way for Audi designers chose a sharpening of the existing skin rather than a radical exterior redesign. Indeed the most obvious changes have been made to the a forced tale in which is now a slightly more chiseled less rounded but more substantial look than its predecessor the ape or as exterior dimensions are also more substantial. The body is one point three inches wider and two point three inches longer sitting on a wheel base stretch one point three inches to one hundred four point three all contributing to a new way for the now also drives more substantial causing one of our staff to remark he felt as though we were driving the midsized a sixth rather than a compact sports sedan. The feel of more substance is carried into the boards interior as well as nearly all interior dimensions have grown accordingly for a less Pittston feel. The manually adjustable front buckets are one point eighty tester were typically German berm covered in perforated leatherette seat backs house for weight power lumbar support and

side impact airbags. There's also a side Guard air curtain that gives heavy impact protection for front an outboard rear passenger. The driver faces a manual tilt and telescoping steering wheel and a quickly read easy on the eyes gauge cluster the A4 center stack host the audio head which now features a standard six this in their CD changer with controls set high in the stack right where our head writer likes them. They're also getting easier to use. Just below is the automatic dual zone climate control system and switch gear for the optional heated front seats. Rear seats are also heated and there's also a little more leg room than before the folding rear seat backs are 60 40 split. Opening the way to the truck which swallows up a generous thirteen point four cubic feet of luggage at the other end of the car under the hood tester came with one of our favorite engines at one point a leader double overhead cam 20 valve turbo charged in line for this little all alloy pocket rocket also utilizes variable how timing on the intake valves to produce 170 horsepower and 166 pound feet of torque

which is available from 150 to 5000 rpm. The A Ford can also be had without these new 3 meter double overhead cam 30 Bell B6 replacing the 2.8 this new V-6 featured variable valve timing for both intake and exhaust valves and spins out 220 horsepower and two hundred twenty one pound feet of torque. We drove the V-6 extensively at the press introduction and were favorably impressed with its improved response and smoothness. Our tester however came with the fabulous four banger and another new goodie from Audi a multi Tron a continuously variable automatic transmission or CVT. Lighter and simpler than a conventional automatic This front will drive CVT uses a strong link plate chain rather than a more common metal belt stretched between two variator that operate like split pulleys whose sides can be moved together or farther apart. These variator as move in opposite directions giving the multi tronics an infinitely variable drive ratio.

The CVT also uses an electronic multi plate clutch instead of a torque converter and the CVT has been programmed with six different ranges or speeds so you can use the tiptronic mode to manually shift the tranny either with the shifter or buttons on the steering wheel. It's great fun and it's also available with a V-6 but it's not yet available with Quatro all wheel drive. For that you have to stick with Audi's find 5 speed manual or conventional high speed automatic. Although our four was a little sluggish one of the CVT we hit 60 in eight seconds the quarter mile and sixteen point three seconds at 85 mph. The one point 80s flat torque curve feels perfect with the CVT tranny stop from 60 came in a rather longer SQ 131 feet but pedal feel and stability from before will disc with ABS and brake assist is first rate. Also playing a big role in stability is the new all independent alloy suspension. A four lane configuration up front and a trap is a wide link set up in the rear. That plus a body structure that's now 45 percent stiffer gives the new A for more

substantial more competent handling as well. Even before the standard ESB stability system kicks in. While some may miss the old cars tippy toe turn on a whim agility. We found a new way for more re-assuring on tricky roads with no unpleasant surprises and although prices on the 2002 A4 are not yet available. If it's anywhere near the twenty four thousand five hundred dollar base price of the 2001 model it's also one of the most tempting. The beginning of a new golden age for Audi. Well it certainly looks that way and if they substantially improve more to our liking 2002 A4 and hence we saw at Frankfurt are any indication of what the future holds. We say baby shine on. I hope you'll join us next week for more motor week. When will test Nissan to bigger more powerful Altima sedan and a pair of potent pony cars from Ford. Jennifer Kesse Navas puts the pedal down on General Motors newest concept cars. Pat God helps your car keep its cool. Plus a lot of another long term road test

update and all the latest Motor News. I'm John Davis. Well see you then. To learn more about Motor Week TV's original automotive magazine visit PBS online at PBS dot org or America Online keyword PBS to order a video cassette of this program called 1 800 4 2 2 0 0 6 for. Over a week has been brought to you by Pep Boys. No matter what you drive Pep Boys has over twenty seven thousand items in stock virtually any part for any car with all the name brands you know plus service space staffed with NC certified technicians Pep Boys parts tires accessories service and a fine. What are you looking for. Even though there's. This. Yes.