Motorweek; 1610

I. This time on Motor Week a wider Boulder grand prix road adventure on the Rubicon. A new power for the explorer to come drive with us next. TV's original automotive magazine. Your host for Motor Week. John Davis. Welcome again to motor week. We're glad to have you with us. Styling is without a doubt a major selling point for most car buyers. However it's what's under the sheet metal that determines if a first time buyer becomes a long term customer. Now General Motors latest rejuvenated chassis is known as the W body and the first

Pontiac built on this new mid-sized foundation is the Grand Prix. Yes the styling is aggressive but so is what you can't see. And in fact it's the chassis and other hardware that makes the 97 Grand Prix the most exciting GM family series since the Pontiac curse. SS Jay of the early 70s. First off there's three inches of added wheel base but also an extra two inches of thread with for return of the true Pontiac Why drag the chassis as stiff and solid the front end wears familiar MacPherson struts though with new lower control arms out back and all new trialing design with coil springs replacing last year's fiberglass leaf set up next to our standard for this more stable chassis is DM's 3.1 leader B6. It puts out 160 horsepower and 185 lbs feet of torque but it's when you get to the three point eight leader of the six of the DP great boots and sedan fit things

start getting interesting 195 horsepower and 220 pound feet of torque worth of interesting gentle throughout press or speed front drive automatic with traction control. No manual is available. Still this 30 £400 easy sedan sprinted the 60 in a meet 7.7 second group of quarter mile. Around fifteen point nine seconds ahead of 88 mph power was strong throughout the rev band and stellar between 3 and 4000 rpm. The handling was also it's a perfect for a mid-size family sedan. Turn ins were sharp clinical and body well minimal. The ball the GCs Magnus stair power steering delivered above average speed back breaking was less notable with the standard wheel antilock equipped this stuffing ards keeping 60 in a good average of 128 feet but Pontiac was just getting started with the g t now and the optional GTP package. Are GTP coupes 30 886 has been super charged and in force

form delivers 240 horses and two hundred eighty pound feet of torque and stumps to 60 in 6.9 seconds before tomorrow night. Get to it. Fifteen point three seconds. At 92 miles per hour the GTP also benefits from more aggressive suspension tuning. It gives the DTP coupe and sedan the true driving excitement that Pontiac has frequently promised but not always delivered. Now the 97 Grand pre's aggressive styling comes almost lock stock and barrel from the 300 show car. The production lines make it one of the most aggressively shaped Pontiacs ever the GTP sports only minor exterior add on badges a standard rear deck spoiler and a low profile to 25 60 eagles on 16 inch alloy wheels. All grades of Grand Prix impressed us with a compliant quiet comfortable ride although we felt the GTI was near perfect. As well the rheumy ergonomically correct interior the Grand Prix driver Vyas dash is

sporty but logical with clearly marked oversized controls the sport bucket seats are supportive yet comfortable for long trips. Rear seat room is plentiful in both coupe and sedan with more head shoulder and hip room than last year but surprisingly no folding seat back or inside trunk access and both body styles now boast increased cargo space of 16 cubic feet. Other numbers have increased a bit as well. Grand Prix base prices begin at eighteen thousand five hundred seventy nine dollars for the FC move up to the GTA model and prices move to 900 thousand three hundred fifty nine dollars while the high stepping GTP begins at twenty thousand five hundred ninety two dollars. Still the 97 Grand Prix if it squarely in the center of the mid-sized plants but design and performance push it towards the top I list of hits includes the aggressive styling and sporty handling. We also like the large logical interior usable trunk and saving the best for last. Potent DTN GTP great power trains misses are only two. Neither manual

transmissions or folding re seat backs are available and that is most unfortunate but the positives clearly outweigh negatives and we think the 97 Grand Prix is a real winner. No other practical Family series delivers more smiles per mile. No this time honey I didn't play it safe. But they did play it smart. As cars are becoming more and more complicated motor week's top technician Pat Goss finds he's spending more time working with computers than camshafts but not all of those computers are used to repair cars. Let's see what he's talking about how their standard is and that is a huge car surely that's an exciting bargain for you. We have this lovely French exotic car. We have this absolutely fantastic Sunday driver and we got one of the finest again merged their rate the 1984 cavalier. You know when you come here Sam does the same as you guys we got financing we got terms we got a car for you.

John would you buy a car from this guy. Well of course not. No one would knowingly buy an automobile or anything else from somebody that looked and acted like them. After all this is the 90s and we have all kinds of ways to shop and protect ourselves against sleazy salespeople. But you may be dealing with somebody just like that and not even know it. If you go into the Internet to buy something especially an automobile there are a lot of automobile Beall services in there. Well if you do then you may be dealing with this individual. Of course there are many many very good services so if you go into the Internet you can look for used cars all sorts of ways to shop for used cars there. You could also go through some of the searches where you can look for used or new or information about automobiles a lot of different things. Then of course you could go into one of the home pages from the

dealers and their manufacturers because there you'll find information about all of the new models even pictures and equipment lists and suggested retail prices. Lots and lots of information there. Then there are buying services where they help you go through the buying process and tell you what the invoice is and what you should be paying and so on. Then there is one very important thing. Before you buy any automobile you should go into your computer and access the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or all data there you'll find all of the recalls and technical service bulletins. So you can tell whether or not this vehicle has had a good track record. Then of course there are things like auto parts finder where you can locate the various hard to find parts for your particular vehicle. Some of these actually search throughout the entire world to put you together with the parts that you need. There is one thing that you have to be very careful of though. Some of these may

ask you for a credit card over the Internet. Don't do it even though you think these things are very secure. They aren't. There is one that looks familiar. Anyway if you do your homework you can really save time and money by using the Internet and 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. There's a little CNA board band that is a Model T and A Model A belonging to Jim McGrath of Hillsdale New Jersey. These are beautiful examples of two milestone for us. Now if you own a classic submit good color photos to Motor Week Owings Mills Maryland 2 1 1 1 7. You know Lisa Barrow is rapidly emerging as the off road adventure of the motor

week staff. Why she's mucked it up everywhere from Britain to bullies and travelled some of the toughest trails in the world. But she doesn't always have to leave home in search of dirt ball adventure. In fact one of her biggest challenges was right in her own backyard. If you are a forfeit we are here in the States there's one trail that was your vehicle and your lot if your time will walk out if the legendary. Welcome to the country will look over the hood when you're driving. Don't look out the shot you'll hit a rock on the other side look straight over the hood. Memorize the trail in front of you. This is the forty fourth money of the Jeepers jam Berea cross the Rubicon which is actually an old stagecoach trail that begins in Georgetown California crosses the Sierra Nevada

and finishes at Lake Tahoe. The river country borders the desolation Valley wilderness area and I think it's some of the most pristine beautiful country that anyone could ever see. It's sheer granite cliffs Cheapside boulders trees growing out of the granite blue lakes everywhere. So. It's. Not. That. Much. It's a challenge when he's on the trail. You know 10 20 times that your first time is a challenge at the time and the typical response is if I hadn't seen the vehicle in front of me go go over that area I would have turned around and gone back. It looks like it's impassable.

The key is to keep your eyes on the rock rollers. The trail guide to get you through the tough stuff by nudging a boulder here and there and by staring there for really know how some of them will cross this trail over 200 times. Good job you're doing fine. Come right at me. But don't hit me. Aside from four wheelers it's not unusual to see hikers bikers even motorcyclists here. Mining today on the Moon River trail. But officer for the U.S. Forest Service they call me because I've been out here for three suiters my 13. The budget was going 160 miles out on the stair and this time the Rubicon got the best a Rubik up cycle and it had to be airlifted out. The Jeeps on the other hand were unstoppable. I will never cease to be amazed at what I have seen these vehicles accomplish on this trail here. On a talk on a scale of 1 to 10 1 be easiest. The Rubicon is rated at 10. I give it an 11. This is not for everyone. You really get tossed around. It's

unnerving intimidating thrilling and exhilarating and when it's all over you won't believe the feeling of accomplishment. If you can drive the Rubicon you can drive anywhere. We're always glad to see Lisa return home especially when she brings us goodies like this week's Motor News. This week we take our first turn behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz news board scar the supercharged SLK 230. Not to be confused with the longer and heavier SL roadsters the 13 button SLK is Mercedes burst supercharged sports cars in the 1930s and its first retractable hard top ever. The two piece bolding steel roof is an engineering tour de force ID neatly away in the 12 cubic foot drunk hour comes from the sixteen point three or four cylinder and intergroup roots type even super judger helps you blow out 193 horsepower and 207 county of tours and give the 20 lb SL page in their

power to weight ratio far better than the BMW Z4 3 or Mazda Miata. Bus and various rightly performance including mid 7 7 0 to 16 runs. Moving Mercedes Benz components make up the SL days Jassi pacifically the double wishbone front and multi-lingual suspensions found on C and E class cars. The only transmission in US bound as a case is a 5 speed automatic that adapts to individual driving styles and situations. First U.S. deliveries of SL case begin before winter ends and with only 6000 available priced at just forty thousand dollars each Most are already spoken for. Also in this week's news is something that most of us who drive are painfully aware of traffic. The American Automobile Association has identified the 10 worst highway bottlenecks in the US saying that motorists are battling the bottleneck blues. The worst 10 stretching from Boston to Los Angeles were picked based on the number of motorist that that did and the length of daily delays at the busiest intersection of all is in. No surprise

Los Angeles where Interstate 5 merges with I-10 and State Route 60 and want to one. An estimated five hundred sixty six thousand vehicles took this intersection each day. Major highway merge points interstates where the number of traffic lanes are quickly reduced in areas where development has outpaced road capacity are all major factors in creating traffic bottlenecks. Another problem is where roads that were originally built to speed out-of-state travelers around the city are now clogged with commuters. It's estimated that American drivers lose more billion hours each year stuck in traffic. The bottleneck list is part of AAAS campaign crisis ahead. America's aging highways and Airways. It's an effort to call attention to our aging infrastructure and what must be done to correct it. Studies show that more than one third of U.S. roads are in poor or mediocre condition. And that's it for this week's Motor News. Hi I'm Craig Singh on this week's Roadside America finds us on the road to Bowling Green Kentucky

and the National Corvette Museum has the most comprehensive non profit museum ever dedicated to a single automobile. The museum's 50 plus Corvettes spanning its 43 year history offers an extensive look at America's most popular sports car. Staying on top of the hottest vehicle segment in the auto industry is a Herculean job. So you just know that the folks who design and build a bestselling Ford Explorer are putting in some serious overtime. And all those long hours have not gone to waste. The result. Why for 97 the Explorer offers more than ever before. And it's more of what we like best in a sport utility vehicle more power. A 1997 Ford has introduced the latest version of it's been for leader cologne B6. But unlike the now base level pushrod version this new power

plant where single overhead cam heads and pumps out 205 horsepower 45 more than before. Torque is also up substantially to £250 fee and once a new engine without a new transmission. But not just any transmission. The first 5 speed automatic that hit the sport utility market designed to improve the Explorer's acceleration showing it off road abilities. It makes clever use of overdrive to add a new gear between the old four speed units first and second. And if that wasn't enough for its control track full time four wheel drive system has been revamped settings now consist of an auto mode for normal or whether road driving a new high position for general off road use and lope with a really rough stuff. The new engine transmission package came to us as an option on a two door Explorer Sport. There are standard equipment on any of our and limited grade models. As soon as we got it we hit the test track for some hard numbers 0 to 60 registered.

A quick 7.9 seconds of a quarter mile took sixteen point one seconds at 87 miles per hour. But it's Day to Day road work not flashy race track demos that are the bread and butter of most modern SUV. I now hear the new drive train delivered mixed performance both bottom in and mid range power were strong giving it plenty of punch when dicing through traffic or blasting off highway exit ramps. But once on the highway top in power was softer than we expected and required a floor bending punch of the gas pedal to initiate passing. And while we're on the story we must mention our short wheelbase sports choppy ride a consequence of parked off road Springs though it's nimble short wheelbase platform compensated with surprisingly sporty handling. And if you're one of those rare sport you donors who isn't afraid of dirt. The new drive train will provide you with improved climbing ability for traction on loose surfaces. With all this hardware changes it's no surprise that the 97 explorers Interior has received only minor tweaks fine by us since this is an extremely well

designed cockpit with comfortable seats big visible gauges at the approved dash controls and clever features like this optional CD changer in the center console the rear seat area of our two door requires a bit of climbing to get into the office. Plenty of head and leg room cargo space is good too and easy to load thirty two point six cubic feet with the seats erect. If all this makes you want a 97 Ford Explorer of your own then get out the old checkbook two door sport or buy or y car test vehicle started twenty three thousand ninety five dollars and add up all the goodies in the price comes to twenty eight thousand five hundred fifteen dollars. But if you can handle the price you will definitely get more for your money in 1997. More engine or transmission more traction and a more capable explorer than ever before. If there's any one motor vehicle that can truly be called All American it would have to be the subject of this week's road test by request. The Jeep Wrangler now civilian

versions of jeeps military model have been caring faithful fans over hill and dale since the end of World War 2 and while jeeps current owner of Chrysler appreciates its classic appeal it also knows that modern buyers are only willing to take an astrologist so far. So can this redesign 97 Wrangler deliver the comforts that today's buyers demand and still please the purists. While it's off to a good start. That's because the new 97 wrangler or T.J. Don't retains that instantly recognizable cheap look and it returns around the headlines next to the classic stamped steel seven Bar Grill. Much to the delight of Jeep purists who never accepted the YJ Wrangler is rectangular lamp. But other than that hardcore You will notice minor styling changes to wrangler. The gas filler is now readily accessible on the left rear fender. The windchill is an inch shorter and by its bases move 2 inches forward and the slant has increased four degrees. And yes it still holds sway and new

hood latches are still mounted Al Bore. However the most important Wrangler changes can't be seen but felt. Gone are the old fashion police crane replaced by these coil springs at each corner. This quadric oil multi link suspension adapted from the Grand Cherokee vastly improved ride quality on pavement where there is less choppiness despite a still short ninety three point four inch wheelbase. Off road capability improves even more because quadric boiling freezes the Wranglers will travel by 7 inches or even more goat like prowess. Plus there's a substantial eleven point two inches of running ground clearance at the rear axle and if that isn't enough you can now order 30 inch tires on your wrangler. Standard world wide or system remains a part time shift on the fly unit but the transfer of casing gauge is much easier than before. How are you over that. The rain is either this 2.5 leader 4 cylinder standard on base SC grade wranglers and good for 120 horsepower and 140 pound feet of torque. Or this

improved poor leader straight six optional on SES and standard on sport and Sahara greats and now unload 181 horses and 222 pound feet of torque with peak power at a most useful Twenty eight hundred RPM transmissions include a 5 speed manual and a three speed automatic on straight line pavement. The eye 6 with 5 speed produced an impressive seven point six seconds 0 to 60 cars a quarter mile trip by and sixteen point three seconds at 83. No good for a beer cold beer to low end work but the Wrangler standard front this rear drum brakes don't work. They didn't inspire. Took the longest one hundred thirty six feet to stop from 60. We strongly recommend the optional if you lock system. We were surprised how this new wrangler took to our street handling course. The stiffer frame and body worked well with the compliant coil springs to produce a more agile yet far less tipsy feeling vehicle. Some credit to go to the power steering borrowed the Grand Cherokee although more feedback would be nice.

Speaking of the unexpected check out the Wranglers new interior. Much more car like now and it even has dual airbags and a real glove box. While some purists will miss the flat metal dash Chrysler chose a plastic modular design so a right hand drive model for export would be cheaper to build. It's still a big climb up to the driver seat. My back buckets have minimal adjustments but provide good support analog aids cluster now faces your eyes not your knees. And the neat center stack put stereo in climate controls within easy reach of both fronts. The folding rear seat will still accommodate two in a pinch and the combination of a locking tailgate and this optional steel at a trunk panel provides real storage security while artificial air conditioning is available. Natural law is what the Wrangler is all about and that's easier to come by thanks to a new soft top design that on snaps on zips and folds almost quickly up or down wind buffeting is reduced and in all season hard top

remains available. Wrangler prices remain pretty reasonable too and it's the least expensive convertible you can buy. The four cylinder assy starts at thirteen thousand four hundred ninety five dollars and this board at seventeen thousand one hundred ninety two dollars a sports sticker touted nineteen thousand seven hundred forty four dollars. That's without ABS brakes that at five hundred ninety nine dollars more. Chrysler has managed a minor miracle with a 97 wrangler. They have redone it vastly improved on a classic while retaining all of the essential character of an open jeep. It is both more civilized and more capable. The purist and everyone else should be pleased. These days there is a video available on just about every subject that you can think up. The latest to land in our VCR is presidential limousines. My producer Rick Boudreau much of the video quality and camera work are decidedly low budget and the narration tends to be a bit drawn. But it's obvious that Mr. Boudreau knows his

subject and packs a tremendous amount of information into the tapes 43 minute running time. But it's strictly for the hardcore enthusiast. We hope you join us next week for more motor week when we test the new Dodge Dakota pickup and charge around and General Motors Eevee one electric car racing off the high road in pursuit of the prancing horse while Pat DOS delivers some quick answers to short questions. And we'll see how the Ford Windstar looks the buyers the second time around. I'm John Davis Well see that 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. Motor from the Motor Week home video collection or Krueger 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 with his address. Hello I'm John Davis. On the next edition of motor week we test the Son of Rambow a new Dodge Dakota and get a charge out of General Motors Eevee one electric car racing Aasif style road again and pursuit of that prancing horse. While our top tech path cost the labor some quick answers to very short questions once we see how the Ford

Windstar shapes up as a used minivan. So don't you miss the next Motown week.