Motorweek; 1606

Or. This time on motorways the general's new soldiers great bits were better than off road in the outback with. TV's original automotive magazine. Your host for Motor Week. John Davis. Oh and welcome again to motor week. We're glad to have you with us. If you've been faithful for the past two weeks you know it's time for part three of motor week's annual Detroit Big Three preview. We've already covered Ford and Chrysler and now it's time for America's biggest domestic automaker and the biggest car company in the world. General

Motors and for GM and 97 last is certainly not least. War 1997 General Motors is almost an auto industry unto itself with 14 new models being introduced over the next nine months. That includes a trio of fresh front wheel drive minivans. The Chevrolet venture Pontiac transport and Oldsmobile silhouette available in regular and extended length the steel body bands boast conservative styling European feel handling and features that their competitors can't match. Air bags and anti-lock brakes are standard and yes there is an available left side sliding door but the right slider retains DM's exclusive power assist. Engine powers from a three point four lead or 190 horsepower V-6. The most standard power among small bands. As you might expect Chevrolet will gain GM is most affordable new family sedan a legendary Malibu nameplate has

been re-activated for this Corsica replacement that is styled much like popular imports The same goes with a comfortable no nonsense mid-size interior that includes a split folding rear seat. The front drive chassis uses two engines a 150 horsepower 16 valve in-line for and a three point one liter pushrod V-6 rated at 155 horses. This is Spencer and is up to date. All independent but struts at each corner and anti-lock brakes are low cost option. Of a 97 0 0 build cutlass shares its body structure and engines with the Malibu. Its styling is different enough not to be easily confused. You won't confuse this car with the Sierra it replaces either. The interior is clean and modern. A very stiff body gives cutlass an expensive meal and a much improved ride in handling quotient. By the way the current Cutlass Supreme will be superseded by an all new olds intrigue next spring. It doesn't just look like a smaller Aurora. It drives like one too. Saturn is doing

to its Coop what it did to the sedan and wagon last year. That means new steel and plastic panels. A quieter engine and a roomier interior delivering more practical driving excitement with the money than competitors should make Saturn coupe even more popular. Meanwhile the excitement boats in Pontiac have already rolled out their new mid-sized Grand Prix sedan and Coupe and they certainly look the part. No other GM cars come close to their extremely aggressive show car styling inside and out. The W body chassis a thing completely updated with stiffer construction bore will base a genuine wide track and a new strut independent rear suspension top engine choice of GM super charged 3.8 leader V-6 rated at 240 horsepower under the hood of a. Coupe it delivers a 0 to 60 Sprint under seven seconds. Now you may not believe it but this ultra conservative Buick Century shares many of its major mechanical bits with the Grand Prix including a three point one liter

V-6. However it has been handsomely tailored for centuries much older buyers. That includes a split bench front seat with stretch out leg room but an equally spacious rear seat with available integrated child seat may also attract more younger families do a Buick Regal gets a bit sportier and more like various renovation next brain. But it's the all new Park Avenue and Park Avenue ultra that really say luxury looking very much like America's answer to an autobahn cruiser. You know it's new plank ship shares its basic height structure with Riviera. Seat belts are integrated with better comfort and the expansive dash should make Portland Roadmaster owners feel right at home. But they'll also find impressive road holding along with the boulevard ride. Both normally aspirated and super charged 3.8 liter V-6 engines remain the ample source of power. GM has other premium division Cadillac will be introducing their first B6 powered sedan in almost a decade. The German made caetera this rear drive executive sedan is aimed at the younger buyer who

otherwise would be visiting an Audi BMW or Mercedes franchise. It began life as Opal's flagship Omega in B6. It's been successfully massaged for American taste without losing any of its Teutonic ability. That includes power ringleader 200 horsepower 24 about P6 also found in the soft 9000 in our early testing of caetera we found it to be more fun than Cadillac buyers would ever expect. Speaking of bond we so far have only giddy expectations of the spring arrival of a new Corvette. Well the shape of their is derived from the current car. It is lower wider with a longer will base but shorter overall with an all aluminum V8 pumping out 340 horsepower through a rear mounted six speed manual gearbox. They plugged into motor week for this one. And you also have to plug in this new GM TV one every night. DM's first electric car is on sale or should we say on lease in California and Arizona through Saturn dealer. This is a real far with good handling a very

quiet ride and it even includes a great stereo mileage between juice up is about 70 to 90 miles. GM makes some of the most popular pickups and sport utility vehicles going too. But the truck news for 97 is pretty much limited to wider availability. But their new Express in Savannah a full sized van and the addition of a passenger side airbag with a Chevrolet saw GMC Yukon suburban and most seek a pickup. After all they have all those new cars in minivans to sell. Hertz indeed 97 is going to be a busy one for all of the general's troops. You know Motor Week master technician Pat Goss is a busy man he's always on the go. When you spend that much time behind the wheel you want to listen to more than just tire noise.

John cars trucks and audio systems really go together these days. If you think about the improvements that have come about over the last few years there are some amazing things. As a matter of fact the music that we're hearing right now. Well it's coming from the headliner in this hard tough it's coming from a very flat pair of speakers much like this piece of cardboard. It's amazing. It's called top down surround sound. Wow. You want to see a lot more of that as time goes on. Now not only do we listen to music in our automobiles but a lot of us listen to talk radio on AM stations and so on. Well here we have another problem same company does this. And what is that noise that you have in the background all the time. Well they have a noise cancellation system as we can see the tremendous difference makes the AM stations pleasant to listen to.

Now not only do we listen to music in talk radio and everything in our cars but we talk to people because just about every car these days seems to have a cellular phone. And the best way to have a cellular phone is with hands free but that means that there's a lot of noise that the person on the other end hears. So I'm going to talk to somebody that I know very well. How's it going. Yes yes that they were but. Now that is impressive technology. Well not only do we have things like that but I get a lot of questions and letters about can I add a

CD changer to my existing radio. Yes you can. There are systems such as we're seeing here that can be added into the existing radio without making big expensive changes. So you can do that and have great music 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 always Mills Maryland 2 1 1 1 7. Part of the week is a customized 1973 Porsche 911 Turbo. It was converted to a true speed story by owner Tim Benton of Westport Connecticut. If you support a special sports car so make good color photos of the motor with Owings Mills Maryland 3 1 1 1 7. Morocco Turkey Borneo bullies. These are just some of the far off lands that are globe trotting up while i reporter Lisa Barrow has traveled. She makes the rest of

our frequent flyer staff look like real homebodies. So where is she off road to. Next. On starting from Lake where Last June I had great hopes of finding some good country about its latitude but now I am afraid those hopes are smoldering in the ashes of despair. Enter those words in his journal versing some of the harshest unforgiving land on Earth. He was hired by Englishman to lead seven men in 20 camels on a five month expedition through Western Australia. Their quest. For gold. Today Landrover and journalists from around the world honor the expedition of 1896 by retracing their steps behind the wheel of discoveries and defenders. It's difficult to imagine what the original expedition was up against until you see this area for yourself where literally hundreds of miles from civilization with very little water

temperatures that hover around 100 degrees Fahrenheit in a very interesting array of insects and reptiles they call this place home. 5 to 30 bit tall species and about 10 metals their earlier Calvert expedition was credited with discovering the rare night parrot. We too are travelling with ornithologist zoologists and historians in search of new discoveries as we uncovered artifacts from the 1896 expedition. We are captivated by stories from Richard Davies the great grandson of Lawrence Welles The original expedition leader. Some parts of the journey were particularly horrific. When I got to adverse Well they had the record written records that the that the sand was so hot that the camels were just playing with one another trying to work in a job. Some of the

same games were about 100 feet high and they couldn't get the camels. The driving conditions that we've been experiencing of have been incredible. But under no other been tough. We've had where for example we've gone aiport I plummeted and it's just been off to the DNA to do it. Now I've experienced a lot of off roading but I've never encountered anything quite like an Australian sand dune. It looks easy to conquer but once you get into it if you don't keep your momentum up it consumes you. It was a challenge not to go unnoticed. Right right. Which was launched in 1994 had never really been on a hot expedition. So what we want is to put it to the ultimate test and put it into these demanding conditions. It's been a credit to the vehicles but we have had no problems the top when the 1896 Calvert expedition was complete they had traveled eighteen hundred thirty

six miles and lost two lives. Their search for gold became a search for water and sheer survival. As for the 1996 expedition with all our twentieth century conveniences we can only marvel at these courageous explorers and understand why their journey is known as Australia's last great exploration. Now back from the middle of nowhere and in her own front office. Here's Lisa barrow again with all the latest Voter News. This week we go undercover for the news well after dark at least to bring you these night shots of the 1998 accord although still quite conservative looking. This next generation accord favors its more expensive kin. The Acura RL the curbing C pillar and formal rear glass give the Accord a more elegant appearance perhaps a reaction to the progressive styling of the Ford Taurus. This prototype appears larger than the current accord with a stretched wheel base and a slightly shorter overhang at each end

like Toyota with its new Camry. Honda seems to be betting that conservative styling combined with high quality is the formula for success in the mainstream family sedan segment in safety related news board GM and Chrysler recently petitioned the federal government to allow for slower inflating airbags airbags inflated a rate of two hundred miles per hour which under certain conditions can cause injuries and even death to small adults and especially children. Current government standards require airbags to be strong enough to protect unbelted occupants. That standard was set in the 70s when only 10 percent of people wore seat belts. Today however seatbelt use is up to 70 percent and according to safety experts a slower inflating airbag would be safer. Until the standards are changed our best advice is to keep children belted or in child safety seats in the rear seat. And of course always wear your seat belt. And that's it for this week's Motor News. BMW frequently describes its cars as the ultimate driving machine.

But no matter how good a car is there are always those looking for a little extra juice. Some are racers some are just enthusiastic owners. And all turns of the vigorous aftermarket that's developed around the German auto industry a market that knows a winner when it sees one. And if you're German tuner you've been winning since 1966 at hillclimb formula races. And the rough and tumble of today's British Touring Car Championship. That experience has resulted in a line of specialized BMW components. They range from mild to wild at the wild and it's nature's demonstrator car of Nextel BMW 318 hatchback backing more aftermarket add on's been bodies on Baywatch. This tiny super bever shows just how far you can go with a catalog and a credit card. Plastic surgery is extensive looting a full selection of spoilers and even mirrors

while the slightly overdone interior feels more extra wood than some club based much more useful features include a special short travel shifter assembly with a racy aluminum knob and a set of lightweight aluminum pedals but it's less visible components that allow the company's extensive racing experience to shine through. Flip the hood and you won't find the 318 is when will your 1.9 leader for Instead there's a board in stroke rate leader in line 6 from last year 325 and he makes two hundred forty one horse power and two hundred twenty eight pound feet of torque. Dr. Crane modifications include new ignition mapping and camshafts and a limited slip differential as well as extensive alterations to the transmission. Carbon fiber valve and intake covers add some extra bizarre as wallop rebirthing exhaust some extra rumble. Yes the changes are equally thorough and range from new struts toxin springs so lightweight aluminum strut tower braces both front and rear to ultra low profile Borelli. He 0 tires on 18 in tabloid wheel. The outcome of all this

fiddling is an impressive driving experience. The engine is strong with maximum punch and expectedly in the mid range and bottom end was still so rich and ruins your own as in the time of six seconds what kind of water while time of thirteen point seven seconds and 97 mph. The short travels and resized for maximum use of that power though the revised gearbox ratios were a bit short in second and a bit too tall in third. Reasonably clobbering type but the chassis compensates by delivering thrilling Go-Kart like handling in these corners at but you know International Raceway provided a reasonably comfortable ride on the street and if you think all those were Mormons in a lonely reate good to be true you're right. To actually build a car like this would cost. Hold on to your hats. Forty eight thousand seven hundred fifty dollars and that's on top of the three eighteen to twenty one thousand nine hundred sixty dollars base price for a total of seventy thousand seven hundred ten dollars. But it's not quite as nonchalant about money as the Saudi oil baron you need not

despair. The good folks at AC Schnitzer is US importer the Klaus Evans burger Corp. will be glad to help you match a more realistic selection of Snits or components for your particular needs and pocketbook. So if your BMW needs a little something extra on either Street or track you could turn to an established winner for help and make your ultimate driving machine a winner no matter where you draw it. You know the last few years have been great ones for Buick. Once the weaker of General Motors premium car divisions this week's road test by request Mark has experienced an impressive renaissance in fact Buicks le Saber is now the best selling full size car in America. Meanwhile a new Park Avenue is ready to set higher standards for the front will drive luxury car sedan market. Yes for 1997 that rejuvenation continues as Buicks top sedans accelerate their move uptown. But moving uptown doesn't necessarily mean moving away from your roots.

Take this 997 le Saber for example since it's already tops with the over 50 set. It's designers a Buick chose several improvements over a radical redesign. Most of the alterations are to the exterior with a slightly smaller Jaguar like grille and more compact fixed lens headlights front fenders are now steel instead of plastic. New side moldings leave this to the rear where Till lights are also new and the license plate holder is integrated into the deck lid under the hood lies the newest form of GM is thirty eight hundred eighty six series two. It first appeared in the 95 Riviera the smoothest GM B6 yet it produces 205 horsepower and 230 pound feet of torque. That's a 35 horsepower boost over last year and makes for a much faster le Saber 0 to 60 and seven point six seconds. And a quarter mile fifteen point eight seconds at 87 mph that makes this the quickest Buick sedan we've tested since 1988.

DMX muscle car and handling is sharper partly thanks to our cars Grand Touring suspensions of variable effort magnetic power steering it delivers the light feel that mature drivers demand while adding more feedback to the rest of us. The same goes for the standard antilock brakes which provide firm strong stops from their front disc rib drum combination. While fuel mileage EPA rated at 900 city and 30 highway averaged 22 mpg for us. We regret to report however that the LE Sabers interior styling has changed little the would tone dash in particular remains flat and stodgy looking gauges are small for a car and a drivers entering their bifocal years though the new seats in our limited test car while a bit short offer better padding and support for backs of all ages. And while the dash may look a bit archaic. All switches are perfectly placed the limit its dual zone automatic climate controls are straightforward as is the optional cassette and CD stereo rear seat

room has always been Buick stock in trade and the full size le Saber continues to offer plenty while the lower lift seventeen point one cubic foot truck will swallow plenty of luggage when unlike many luxury cars the LE saber won't take a big bite out of your wallet. Base price for the LE Saber custom is twenty two thousand five hundred forty five dollars. I limit a grade test car stock to twenty six thousand ninety five dollars and bullion equip. It's still tops out at only twenty seven thousand nine hundred ninety six dollars. That's a lot of luxury and comfort at a family car price. But if you want to go even further uptown then you might want to wait till fall for the 1997 Buick Park Aves all new from the ground up. The Park Avenue will share the more rigid chassis of the Oldsmobile Warren. Chassis improvements include a switch from a war piece to a stronger two piece for Pan Am thinner hydro form still roof pillar supports that act as a safety cage as well as reinforced door structures and a magnesium instrument panel support under the aluminum hood.

Two versions of Buicks impressive 30 800 series 2 basics engine provide motivation a standard 205 horsepower model which is shared with a list saver drives the base Park Avenue. While top grade ultra models carry the Rivieras latest super charge to be 6 it pumps out 240 horsepower and two hundred eighty pound feet of torque suspension upgrades include a switch to lighter aluminum components and a rubber isolated subframe stop road vibration from reaching the passenger compartment. Which is bigger and more luxurious. Total interior space now measures a huge one hundred thirty point three cubic feet or almost as big as the disappearing Roadmaster. Everything is new from the arched dash to the plush bucket seats which features seat mounted safety belts. Other new features include a standard air filtration system and the Ultras climate control and a moisture sensor that automatically activates the windshield wipers which we needed along with the available traction control on our first drive through wet California. But even on slippery mountain curves the big Park Avenue felt nimble and sure footed and we

looked forward to giving it a real workout back home this fall. That's when we'll also find out how much it costs that we estimate base prices for the Standard Model Park Avenue to be about twenty eight thousand five hundred dollars. Ultra prices should start at about thirty four thousand five hundred dollars. That's a serious luxury for the money and serious competition for other luxury brands. And that in a nutshell is the story for Buick for 1997 revived revitalized and move in uptown. For those of you who actually take your sport utility vehicle off the road author Tony Hugo has written the best in his series of adventure motoring guidebook byways get you 60 off pavement driving through the Beehive State spectacular natural wonders including the Red Rock elaborate opinion country. Or you can follow the original roots of the Pony Express or the first transcontinental railroad. Each drive is rated for difficulty has a detailed map and gives you all the information

you need to know before you venture port what that spiral binding makes it best board friendly. Be sure to join us next week for more motorways. Well test the all new 97 Toyota Camry and pop across the pond for the Paris Auto Show. I'm John Davis. We'll see you then to order a video cassette of this program call 1 800 4 2 2 0 0 6 4. Or send twenty nine ninety five plus for ninety five shipping and handling to Motor Week Post Office Box 5 5 7 4 2 Indianapolis Indiana 4 6 2 0 5. Voters from the Motor Week home video collection or current best episodes of the motor week

television series. Call 1 800 4 2 2 0 6 4 0 to order a catalog send a self-addressed stamped envelope to this address. Hello I'm John Davis. On the next edition of motor week we'll drive the all new part 97 Toyota Camry sedan and a hatefully revitalized infinity. Q Forty five luxury four door car crew travels to the City of Light for the Paris Auto Show.

While back home Pat Goss gets it straight. Plus we'll have all the latest Motor News. Don't you miss the next motorways.