Motorweek; 1425

This time on motor we were CBC classmates a empty air bags a record and Corvette cabin in Kentucky. So come drive with us next. TV's automotive magazine. Your host for Motor Week. John. Rohan welcome again to motor week. We're glad to have you with us. One word that can be fairly applied to most Mercedes-Benz sedans over the years is conservative well engineered and solid yes but not very exciting. Some notable exceptions are the 6.3 and 6.9 liter VHS of the 60s and 70s. And the more recent high output each 500. Well meet what

Mercedes calls the spiritual successor to those cars the C30 six was created in partnership with a German company best known for tweaking a Benz or two. Am G. And what they've done with the normally reserved Mercedes C 280 has to be driven to be believed. And we are believed. To Europeans Mercedes Benz means more than just luxury cars. The Stuttgart term also means racing specifically the thrilling bump and grind of a German and European Touring Car Championship. In this group world of carbon fiber gladiators safeties in a n g have together one of their own championships and numerous other race wins. Well this championships. It carries over to the very limited edition Mercedes Benz 36. It's brilliant read finish would normally be enough to distinguish from the average Mercedes C-class. But there are more substantial features like a deep spoiler with integrated cooling channel carbon fiber look people are trim

as well as ground hugging sides and a deep rear. There are also wider lighter 17 inch alloy wheels wearing ultra low profile Bridgestone rubber front brake set up worthy of the nürburgring huge twelve point six ventilated disk and four piston calipers straight off the SL 600. Next up the component chain is the suspension wishbones up front and multiple links in the rear replaces the standard shocks with stiffer units of their own design and install a stabilizer bar. But all this is just a lead in to the engine. Regular two point eight leaders C-Class walk has been punched out to 3.6 liter the inline 6 now makes two hundred sixty eight horsepower and two hundred eighty pound feet of torque. That's thanks mostly to a cart load of new components including hams crank Pistons a new engine management controls as well as a road here but. Our runs through the rear wheels through the same silky for speed automatic transmission used in

the v 8 powered a 420 crime there are no manual is available but power still reaches a number already. Produced here in the city. Times of six point eight second. Quarter mile times registered at fifteen point three seconds at 90 mph. Bottom end torque is unusually strong for a European car but it was still that Autobahn storming top in Russia that impressed us most. Indeed the C 36 has no crude muscle car maintaining a civilized feel that we're Sadie's is justly famous for. You need only use your right foot however and the seat £36 you into the realm of lap times and checkered flags. A world that we explored at George's Roebling road Raceway where our crew labored to find out if I am GS renowned race tuning magic has indeed rubbed off on the C-Class. Well good to see 36 exhibits a poise and balance in high speed corners that would leave most other sports sedan slumbering in its wake. Driving effort is modest replacing literally origin but the fact is on a par with many more hard edge

machines a big. Part of the cars the Bridgestone tires wear quickly when the surface is abrasive their stronghold Roebling did allow the use of all of the engines impressive torque when entering a braking zone. If you lock a quick shut down tight stopping distance of 117 feet from 60 is only ok for a Mercedes. Feel and control are vastly improved C-Class. We must restate however that this is a very civilized machine. A proper luxury car despite the Speed Racer mechanical. Just look inside to see what we mean. This cockpit is pure Mercedes luxury with some special touches like the compact steering wheel gauge cluster that still lacks an oil pressure gauge. See 36 logo on the shift knob and a healthy dose of burled walnut trim the leather covered sport seats a racer firm but so supportive along Highway hauls pass without discomfort. The power

adjustments are familiar. The ventilation controls and the standard Bose stereo the practical side of this is reflected in the room a rear seat trunk that offers plenty of space despite carrying a spare and large battery. This is to put it simply a lot of and it does cost a lot of money for the C30 six is forty nine thousand eight hundred dollars with options to fifty three thousand five hundred twenty dollars. But friends it's a roaring bargain with the pedigree of an AMG Mercedes pedigree maybe even more exclusive by the fact that only a thousand C 36 will be built over the next year. So if you believe that automotive Nirvana reported you had better not wait. For a car like a Mercedes Benz doesn't come along every day. And you have to do. It.

Now to address some of your real world safety concerns is motor week's top branch Pat Goss. John we all hope that we're never involved in an accident like this that is so severe that we need the protection of an airbag. But let's face it it happens to many thousands of people every year. So that means it is a possibility for each and every one of us who drives you know airbags can really play an important part in safety and they've come a long way since their early beginnings in the 1970s when they were used on some General Motors cars. But what we see today most passenger cars they have driver's side airbags mini light duty trucks have driver's side airbags and we're seeing more and more passenger side airbags as well. But in addition to that well Valvo is getting ready to introduce the impact airbags on their 850 series. Some really impressive advancements are going on. What if you happen to have an

older car or a late model car that just wasn't equipped with an airbag. Well there are some possibilities. Here I have an airbag system that is made by breed technologies. Now this is a pretty simple operation. This is not the full airbag like you would have from the factory this is a face only airbag but it does give significant protection. Now the way this works is very simple. It has a self-contained unit mounted right into the steering wheel. Now this unit has its own mechanical sensor and everything so it doesn't have all of the sophisticated electronic sensors and the wire harnesses and everything that would go with a factory or bay. But it still does a very good job. Now I installed one of these on a late model Chevrolet Lumina and as we can see this is a very simple operation. You can be done just about by anybody that has basic tools and basic mechanical skills. By the way this works is that you remove the old steering wheel cause you take the worn cover off remove the

retaining not use a steering wheel puller to remove the wheel don't take it off with a hammer or anything like that then hit the news doing we'll on tighten the nut with a torque wrench. After you've done net put the components in for the airbag make sure everything is fitted properly. Check to make sure that the wheel is tight. Everything moves the way it's supposed to. After you've done that you have an installed airbag system. You have a couple of drawbacks number one is that you're going to wind up with an all black steering wheel which may not match the interior of your car but I think that's a very small price to pay for added safety that you're going to get from this system. If you have a question or a comment write to me. If I use your letter I'll send you a motorway teeshirt the address Motor Week. Our diminutive car of the Week is at 155 Nash Metropolitan.

This cute American British hybrid is owned by Kim Lawson of Dover Florida. Color photos of your car of the week candidate Owings Mills Maryland 2 1 1 1 7. Just as all roads lead to Spring Hill Tennessee for the Saturn homecoming last June Labor Day weekend 94 found thousands of Chevy Corvettes on the nation's highways all headed to Bowling Green Kentucky for the opening of the National Corvette Museum. So naturally our Craig saying Rs1 along that check out the shrine to America's only true sports car. They came from the corners of the continent and beyond devout believers driven by a dream united under a common banner celebrating.

The unveiling and dedication of a national monument to America's most popular sports car. Chevrolet Corvette. To be seen in Bowling Green. That was the dream of a lingering Kentucky that is home of the National Corvette Museum. And it didn't matter what you did or where you called home. If you had that blood in your veins this was your home too and your home has a pretty impressive single fire garage. It's truly time for everyone in America and we're going to ask for them. Thank God this is a fitting tribute for that type of a thing and after all that but it was America's only true but you know quite a bit more than with a lot of a lot more than the medal and five of the last of the way of life

and it's it's something very very special not just the MAC of the mall but worldwide. Just had the finding is ill that's why they everyone comes by the heels. They getting a bit the right way and everyone's collecting them even. And you won't find a collection like this anywhere else. The museum is divided into four areas each with its own theme the nostalgia area portrays the four events history in life like settings. This 63 split when the coop in the dealer's show room proves that hindsight really is cheap. While out on Route 66 the car turned out to be the real star race fans and if you're in that's the performance and design areas are for you. Here you'll get a good look at bets that have made racing history and the engineering expertise that lies beneath the swooping fiberglass body. One of my favorite exhibits is the Corvette salon. It's here to get to see

the results the engineers and designers letting their imaginations run wild. For instance there's Conan powered by this. Six hundred eighty six horsepower Falcon a 12 engine or this 20 Callaway sledgehammer with a top speed of over 250 miles per hour. But you can expect cars like this to sit around for long. Today has been this weekend has been just the beginning of what we call a living museum the National Corvette is going to change the way the south could be the same as well. And while the cars may change the Corvette spirit remains the same. Classic Corvettes over the years. This week we're in the windy city in the 1990s

and the big news here is station wagons namely the 1996 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable wagons rolling out here for the first time. Over half of the wagon market in the U.S. buyers will have to embrace the Taurus and sables controversial styling board to keep that edge more conventional styling marks the latest mid-level luxury sedans from Japanese car makers replaces the bigger and we're available with the current 2.5 leader five cylinder legends three point six infinities I-30 midsize luxury car started like this the Nissan Maxima more than cosmetic additions for its new mission. He has given the name Tacoma to its new compact truck line. Larger engines and a driver's airbag are highlights of these handsome haulers Mazda teased his loyal Miata lovers with the speedster concept aggressive looks an increased power and handling are high on owners wishless and this dream car covers all those bases. It may be 10 degrees outside but show goers will be thinking of warmer days when they see these new

bargain convertible models of the kissing cousin Chevy Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire. While Chrysler offered only a glimpse of its 1996 dropped out based on the just introduced Sebring coupe but the head of the show by far is an updated version of the classic Oscar Meyer Wienermobile proof positive that you can teach an old dog new tricks. So with all the hot new models and a peek at the future the 1995 Chicago Auto Show was frankly the place to be and that's it for this week's Motor News. Since its introduction in 1980 the Toyota Tercel has been a worldwide hit providing truly economical transportation with Benchmark quality. But in the 90s economy car buyers have lots of quality choices so they keep sales strong. Toyota has given them a complete make over. Let's see if their efforts will pay off.

With 15 years experience under its belt Toyota is one of the elder statesmen of the economy car class. But you'd hardly know it in the very 90s sheet metal that surrounds the latest two and four door versions of this popular subcompacts from the deep brown nose to the tail. The 95 crash and business like and carries a host of changes. The most significant of which is an all new engine the Twin Cam 4 cylinder makes 93 horsepower and 110 feet of torque from one point five liters that's a good 5 0 to 60 time of ten point four seconds. And a quarter mile run at seventeen point five seconds ending at seventy eight miles an hour. We did find a 5 speed manual shifter to be a bit on the rubbery side but engine output is healthy the word no. Keeping track of it however was an easy due to the continuing absence of a tack ometer and even DX grade car's handling is rarely the forte of subcompact commuters.

But even with changes in its essence throughout suspension the Purcell dealt with foreigners in a very competent manner. Steering wheel is on the light side and body roll heavy but grip is more than adequate braking is accomplished with the front desk and rear drums they brought our test car down from 60 and one hundred twenty eight feet. The building was better than average though a tendency to lock up in hard stops had us wishing for the optional anti lock system. In real world use the term cell delivered a very comfortable ride and reasonable interior sound level of 70 decibels. Fuel mileage was better than reasonable however. The EPA predicts 31 city and 39 highway we averaged an excellent 36 mpg. Her cell has never been a fancy car with words like purposeful and efficient use to describe its interior. They still apply those changes to the dash now mean that safety can be moved higher up the list because the big dash changes the addition of dual airbags for both the driver and front seat passenger. The seats that face that dash wear a better grade of fabric to their firm and offer good back support.

Another dash change sees the radio controls moved higher for better access to lation controls are less change for good reason. There's nothing wrong with them. There's nothing wrong with the supply of cup holders either. The terror cell has them for those in front and for those in the rear seat as well and adult passengers can even fit back there to use them. A split folding seat back is optional but cargo space measures small nine point three cubic feet. Although a low lift over makes for easy loading. But paying for the 95 hersel may take a bit more work. While the base to Dora herself starts at a very reasonable nine thousand nine hundred ninety eight dollars that's still fairly plain D X runs a minimum of eleven thousand twenty eight dollars. The four door DX starts at eleven thousand three hundred twenty eight dollars with a moderate load of options comes to thirteen thousand five hundred three dollars. So choose your extras carefully. But that price can buy some important safety features that your so now offer standard dual airbags and available anti-lock brakes. It also meets 5 mph

bumper standards as well as 1997 federal side impact dictates while pricing may hold the latest or sell back a bit. Toyota's strong reliability record plus the loyalty of long term customers will surely balance it out. So we fully expect the latest herself to continue in the footsteps of its predecessor paying off for yoga in its customers face with strong sales and years of worry free motoring. For many years Chevrolet sedan were considered the standard for family transportation. But by the late 1980s that dominance was history especially in the mid-size market where the Ford Taurus toy a Camry and Honda Accord overwhelms Chevy Lumina sedan but with last spring's introduction of the 95 Lumina the subject of this week's road test by request. It's clear that the bow tie brigade tried to create a real comeback kid. So does this new generation loom with more of what it takes to recapture market share.

Well if it doesn't it won't be for lack of trying. Chevrolet went right to the source for input on the noumenon. They interviewed nearly 3000 potential midsize sedan customers to determine what they wanted in a family style Chevrolet. Value for their money was first on the list followed by reliability safety comfort and convenience styling came in fifth while any type of performance attribute finished well out of the money. But Chevrolet didn't neglect any important aspect of the all new base for Alice great luminous styling is modern with a rounded shape similar to Taurus but yet clearly different with a big blue bow tie on the grill. People viewing early Lumina prototype said they looked sleek upscale and not like a rental car coming or going to a base remains of one hundred seven point five inches overall length gross 2.6 inches and with creases 1.5 inches. We're styling features a tapered sailplane three lens tail lamps plus logo and 5

mph bumper to match those up front. The standard limit of power comes from this. Series 231 hundred V-6 engine sequence to port fuel injection hopes the 60 degree engine developed 160 horsepower up to 20 from last year. Corporal mains of 185 pound feet a 210 horsepower twenty four valve 3.0 leader V-6 is optional on Luna ls. Power is delivered through this claim shifting for speed automatic overdrive transmission are based on a move from 0 to 60 and ten point three seconds. Certainly family sedan type number power delivery is quite consistent throughout the rev band which helped us achieve a respectable quarter mile time of seventeen point five seconds and a terminal 2 miles per hour. Again what you would expect from a mid-sized family hauler. But the stiffer bodied Lumina handled far better than expected for a base car. The rear stayed planted giving our drivers a genuine feel of confidence.

The four wheel independent suspension feature struts at each corner at the rear variable rate for springs around the structure as part of it. Filing center moment is excellent power rack and pinion steering made negotiating a tight slalom a breeze part of the credit must also go to optional 16 inch cast wheels up to 25 60 series tires 15 inch 2 0 5 70 series rubber is standard. All helps Lumina handle our high speed lane change without sway. And the lock brakes are standard on LS grade luminous but our base test car had them as an option. The front disc rear drive system halted the thirty three hundred thirty pound sedan from 60 and a good 121 foot average although the pedal was a bit song. Besides the normal abs chatter. A dash light tells you when traction is low inside llewyn are soft interior fabrics treated to resist family spills. The split bench front seat is cushy and comfortable but could use more side bolstering front seat room is generous. Our car had optional power controls but the tilt will be standard. Plastic surfaces

are low luster because people told Chevrolet that shiny plastics looked cheap and the single piece of plastic would provide visual relief. There's a full sized glove box and standard airbags for both driver and passenger base Lumina gauges are expected least sparse but large legible and fill up the space. However something needs to fill the space between body and door where the paint shows through. Unlike Taurus CFC free air conditioning is standard its controls couldn't be any easier to use and dual zone temperature control is available. All aluminum interior knobs and switches are soft to the touch to make them more user friendly. That includes this high end stereo cassette sound system. The rear seat is wide enough for 3 adults and like Taurus there's no pass through to the trunk but there is this handy but not under the dash to open the trunk lid. The fifteen point seven cubic feet of cargo space can swallow large amounts of luggage a cargo net can be put to good use to Chevy's efforts at sound insulation paid off with a low reading of 65 decibels.

EPA mileage ratings for the 30 186 are 19 city and 29 highway. We averaged a good 24 mpg in real world driving. Luminous have real world safety too with standard dual airbags and 5 mph bumpers anti-lock brakes are standard on LS luminous and a very reasonable $386 option on base cars. All Lumen is made 97 side impact standards luminous standout in the pricing category too with the well equipped base model starting at fifteen thousand four hundred seventy dollars about eight hundred dollars less than Taurus. LS stickers begin at seventeen thousand four hundred ninety five dollars are moderately option based alumina listed at seventeen thousand seven hundred ten dollars. We think that's great value for a feature packed contemporary mid-sized sedan and the kind of value that should enable the bow tie brigade to reclaim its family sedan presence. The old car lovers among us have quite a few choices these days when it comes to

periodicals. One of the nicest is the car collector and car classics. It features domestic and foreign cars from all arrows along with reports on major collector car shows and auctions. Plus full color classified ads. There's also an occasional museum review and even a centerfold. It features a pre-war classic on one side and a muscle car on the other. The all color photography is great and the stories informative. Join us next week for more motorways and a road test of Honda's milestone minivan the Odyssey. I'm John Davis. Let's see that. To order a video cassette of this program call 1 800 4 2 2 0 0 6 4 4 send 29 ninety five plus $4 shipping and handling to this address. Two motors from the Motor Week home video collection or current best episodes of the motor We

television series. Call 1 800 4 2 2 0 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 motorway world test Honda's breakthrough minivan design the Odyssey and Mercury's a version of Ford's world cars. The mystique fact Garst Bluestar opinion on supercharging while Lisa Barrow goes in search of traction above the Arctic Circle. Plus we'll have all the latest

Motor News. So don't you miss the next motorway.