New Prius gives electrifying spark to hybrid technology
DETROIT, MICH. — The old cliché in automotive performance is “there is no substitute for cubic inches.†Maybe itÂ’s time to counter that with: “Yes there is, and itÂ’s called technology.†Toyota struck the latest blow in its battle of hybrid-sedan technology with Honda by launching the 2004 Prius this past week.
If the hybrid game is like playing poker, there are more than two players, but while all the others have spent so much time posing and boasting about what might be coming that you have to wonder if theyÂ’re bluffing, only Toyota and Honda have shown their cards and advanced several decks ahead.
The Prius – pronounced “PREE-us†– keeps the same name but has become an entirely new car in size, power, performance, features and technology. The new car is enlarged enough to go from compact to midsize, and even though a 6-footer’s head might brush the ceiling in back, Prius can claim to be the first midsize sedan powered by the hybrid combination of internal-combustion and electric motors.
Toyota introduced the car to the media during a whirlwind tour of North American regions, and the Upper Midwest got its turn Thursday in Detroit. Improving emissions and therefore our air quality might be foremost in the technology, but the more tangible benefit for consumers is fuel economy. As gasoline prices seem to be comfortably settling around $2 a gallon in the U.S., the new Prius is certified by the EPA at a spectacular 60 miles per gallon in city driving, 51 in highway driving, and 55 for combined city-highway travel.
Those figures mean the Prius, which ranks at the top of the compact sedan list, doubles the EPAÂ’s fuel economy estimation for the top midsize sedan, which is ToyotaÂ’s stalwart Camry, at 26.6 miles per gallon, and the class-average of 25.8.
There is a significant difference in the Toyota and Honda methods of combining their gasoline and electric motors. Toyota’s system alternates power sources and can run the car alone on the electric motor, while Honda’s car can run on the gas engine alone. Both have amazingly low emissions, and both use rechargeable battery packs that supply potent electric-motor boost to the small internal-combustion engines. Honda’s little gasoline engines – three cylinders in the Insight and four cylinders in the Civic Hybrid – get boost from the electric motor when you step hard on the gas, and when you ease off, the electric motor shuts down and gets recharged by the gas engine. Toyota’s gasoline engine and the nickel-metal-hydride battery motor sort of alternate power most of the time, with the electric motor primary.
“The Prius is the only hybrid vehicle that can be run entirely by the electric motor,†said project manager Paul Williamson, who noted that it can actually operate for a full 3.6 miles on its electric power only. Along with the battery’s 8-year, 100,000-mile warranty, he said there has not been a single documented report of an electric Prius motor from the first two generations needing replacement because of wear or breakdown.
ToyotaÂ’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system lets the new Prius run 90 percent cleaner for emissions than the average of all cars being sold in the U.S., according to Toyota. The plant at Toyota City, Japan, which also builds Camrys, intends to build 70,000 Priuses in the next calendar year, with 32,000 of them scheduled for the 1,200 U.S. dealerships, where they will start appearing on October 17.
A special customer-loyalty plan has resulted in current Prius owners already ordering 1,200 of them, and demand for the new car may be take care of the supply, because while vastly improved, the price remains unchanged, at $19,995. With a wedge-nosed 0.26 coefficient of drag, it looks much more contemporary and stylish than its predecessor. It is 5 inches longer, with a 6-inch longer wheelbase, resulting in much more room front and rear, and under the hatchback, with or without the 60-40 rear seats folded down.
Toyota officials may not like to mention the “H-word†in the ongoing battle with Honda, but Williamson didn’t flinch. He is convinced the Toyota system has its advantages, but he also is aware that the technical race between Toyota and Honda is distinctly a two-horse race. “I can’t even think of a company that might be considered third,†he said.
Toyota claims to have built the first hybrid vehicle for production with the Prius in 1997, but it was sold in Japan. So Honda claimed to have the first hybrid for sale in the U.S. by getting the two-seat Insight to market a few months before Toyota brought a revised Prius to North America in 2001. The first Prius was a blunt, four-door, but considerably more mainstream than the Insight. But a year ago, Honda enlarged its hybrid engine and put it under the hood of a normal Civic, and the 2003 Civic Hybrid boosted Honda into the more-mainstream-hybrid lead.
Williamson said he leased a Civic Hybrid in Los Angeles for his whole Toyota staff to drive and evaluate. He thought he detected an edge for Prius. “Fuel economy and emission levels go off the scale if you canÂ’t make the internal-combustion engine of a hybrid shut off when you stop at a stoplight,†said Williamson. “When our car comes to a stop, it shuts off. The Civic didnÂ’t always do that.Ââ€
I had to tell him that the test Civic Hybrid I drove shut off at every stop, and I joked with him that maybe compared to the clear, Upper Midwest air, the hazy Los Angeles stuff was so nearly combustible that his Civic Hybrid kept running.
The new Prius is ToyotaÂ’s counter-claim to the top-hybrid spot. What used to be called the Toyota Hybrid System is now known as Hybrid Synergy Drive, a more generic name because Toyota already is licensing companies such as Nissan and Ford to use the system. The problem competitors all face by not competing is Toyota and Honda will lengthen their edge in hybrid technology. In its three versions, the Toyota system has gotten lighter and smaller, and more powerful. It went from weighing 76, then 52, and now 45 kilograms, while electric power increased from 600, to 900, and now 1,200 kilowatts of power.
The internal combustion engine in the Prius is a small, 1.5-liter four-cylinder. It uses an Atkinson-cycle concept that allows the compression and expansion cycles of the four-stroke design to override the usual symmetric valve-cam timing, which allows benefits of a stronger power (expansion) stroke without increasing friction by also increasing the compression ratio.
Increases in power, torque and RPMs have brought more responsive acceleration, with 0-60 speed achieved in about 10.6 seconds, 30-50 passing acceleration in a swift 4.9 seconds, and top speed increased from 90 to 109 miles per hour for the new Prius.
A brief drive in the car showed impressive acceleration. Technical features include shift-by-wire, electronically controlled brakes, traction control, electric air-conditioning, push-button start, “smart†keyless-entry, Bluetooth hands-free technology for cellphone and the optional voice-recognition navigation system. Williamson said five-star safety ratings are anticipated, with dual-stage airbags and side and optional side-curtain airbags.
The new Prius should hold the top rung in hybrid performance – at least until the next engagement. Toyota is planning a hybrid Lexus RX330 midsize sport-utility vehicle a year from now, followed, presumably, by a hybrid Toyota Highlander. Rumors are that Honda is nearly ready with its hybrid compact SUV, probably the Honda CR-V, and Honda may be ahead of Toyota as both hustle to develop exotic hybrid sports cars.
Toyota’s hybrid success started with a controversial decision to build all the parts in-house, which meant a huge initial investment in research and development, but allowed the company to control cost stability while increasing refinement and production. Toyota marketing manager Ernest Bastien said that even though Toyota has sent 125,000 hybrid vehicles running in the world over the last six years, many consumers still are unaware. “Some people still think they must be recharged every night,†said Bastien.
“WeÂ’ve already recovered our initial investment, and weÂ’re a full generation ahead of anyone else in the industry,†Bastien said, staying away from that H-Word. “But now, through in-house R and D, we have been able to significantly reduce the cost of major hybrid componentsÂ…And we can bring to market a total and complete package, all for the price that is significantly less than the average price of a conventional midsize sedan.Ââ€
A General Motors loyalist among the media hissed that “there’s no way they can be making a profit on those cars.†Indeed, it seems amazing that Toyota could have already compensated for the enormous cost of developing its hybrid system, or that it can earn a profit while selling a car as technologically loaded as the new Prius for $20,000.
The greater issue is that General Motors, Ford, Chrysler and other manufacturers talk about the fantastic hybrid vehicles they’re designing, but the only two companies with hybrid cars on the streets are Toyota and Honda. If they can keep the price down as they escalate their competition, the clear winners are the consumers. Come to think of it, “clear†is the operative word, so the environment is also a winner.
(John Gilbert writes a weekly automotive column. Reach him by e-mail at cars@jwgilbert.com.)
New 5 Series steers BMW toward new-look image
The new BMW 5 Series may not be controversial, but it certainly raises BMWÂ’s lofty standards for blending sportiness, performance and luxury with technology that is beyond the scope of most competitors.
The 5 Series is midsize in BMWÂ’s trio of world standard sports sedans, with the larger, and much-criticized 7 Series above and the popular and unchanged (as yet) 3 Series beneath it. The 5 also represents the midpoint in the companyÂ’s changeover, as the German company departs from arguably the most beautifully styled sedans and coupes in the world to take a new and progressive form, sculpted by Chris Bangle.
When the 7 Series was redesigned two years ago, performance was outstanding, but styling featured heavy “eyebrows†over the headlights, contoured body panels that seemed to go unusual directions, and a trunklid and spoiler lip that looked like an afterthought. Inside, a needlessly complex “iDrive†computer system confounded virtually everyone. The new 5 Series is not as long, not as wide, not as heavy, not as expensive, and not nearly as controversial. If its styling is more pleasing, there is no questioning its performance and quality.
“Quality is something everybody expects these days,†said Tom Purves, chairman and CEO of BMW North America. “So quality doesnÂ’t separate the best anymore. Design can separate. We have a desire to break new ground, but since we introduced the 7 Series, we have been the subject of a lot of discussion. Our market research showed that people thought our three models were not different enough. We have addressed that, and our cars are different now.Ââ€
The 5 may well cut into the 7 market. It is not as large, but it is large enough; it is not as roomy, but it is roomy enough; it is considerably more sporty, and, I think, far more attractive. It costs far less, too. With the strong and smooth 194-horsepower 2.5-liter in-line six, the 525i costs $39,300; moving up to the 3-liter six with 225 horsepower the 530i costs $44,300; and the 545i with its 325-horse, 4.4-liter V8 costs $54,300. The Sport Package costs $3,300 and adds bigger 17-inch wheels, with all the high-tech stability, traction and steering devices. All engines have new, six-speed transmissions, a slick-shifting manual, an automatic, or a sequential automatic that is really a clutchless manual, shiftable by steering-wheel paddles.
BMW maintains its tradition of front-engine/rear-drive, and while the 5 has 50-50 weight distribution on front and rear axles, and all sorts of electronic traction gadgets, I still invited BMW engineers to visit DuluthÂ’s North Shore in January to understand why snowbelt drivers appreciate the inherent advantages of front-wheel-drive.
In design, the new 5 carries on what the 7 started, with careful refinement. The front end is not as extreme, and the lines, including the “eyebrows,†flow more harmoniously through the side contours and the rear decklid. The spoiler lip is better integrated, flanked by artfully curved taillights that not only light up when you step on the brake, but shine with greater and increasing intensity if you step on the brake harder, as in a panic stop. That is brilliant, as a means to heighten awareness of following drivers, but almost incidental because of all the other technical attributes of the new 5.
The 5 is a couple inches longer, taller, wider, with more interior room than the 2003 model. It also is lighter, because of aluminum driveshaft, steering, suspension parts, plus a unique bonding process that affixes the aluminum front and rear subframes to the rest of the steel chassis and body parts. That translates to more interior room and an enlarged trunk that will hold four golf bags, which product manager Martin Birkmann said was very important in planning the new car.
Obviously he was generalizing, although someone asked Birkmann why four golf bags were important. “Well,†he said, “you donÂ’t HAVE to carry five golf bagsÂ…if youÂ’re going golfing alone.Ââ€
ItÂ’s doubtful, however, that golfers with a new 5 Series sedan would golf alone; not when every acquaintance would look for an excuse to ride in the new 5.
Typically, when a new car swipes good ideas from rivals and incorporates them. BMW invented some things, but whenever it adds features inspired by competitors, they include advancements in technology by BMW. Examples range from the commonplace, like cruise control, climate control, windshield wipers, heated seats, and seat headrests, to more complex features, such as side-impact airbags, adaptive headlights, heads-up display of speed and fuel in the normal line of driverÂ’s forward vision, navigation systems, variable valve-timing on the engine, stabilizer (anti-sway) bars, and power steering. Here they are in 5 deployment:
* Adaptive cruise control sets an interval to maintain behind the car ahead at freeway speed. On the 5, four different interval distances can be set, and the set speed is indicated by a mark on the outer ring of the speedometer. Climate control holds left or right preset temperatures, and on the 5 it also maintains properly comfortable humidity, instead of the normal car-heater dehumidifying, and it ventilates the interior if the car is parked in hot weather. Windshield wipers detect rain and activate themselves, just as the headlights switch themselves on when ambient light drops to a certain level.
* The optional seats are heated, as are the rear seats on the 5, and the head restraints pivot forward, closer to the front occupantsÂ’ heads, to prevent head and neck injuries in rear-impact collisions.
* Among higher-tech elements, side airbags are triggered by sensors that detect any change of pressure within the door structure for quicker deployment, while also decreasing the chance of unwanted deployment. An upper side curtain runs the full length of the occupant compartment and it remains inflated for several extended seconds in the event of a rollover, to prevent injury from broken side window glass.
* Xenon headlights shine brightly on both low and high beams, and they adapt to steering input and speed to swivel the outboard lights with relation to the front wheels, shining around anticipated curves. BMW complements this feature with auto-leveling, to correct headlight aim for varying trunk weight and for weight-transfer during acceleration or braking, to keep the light focused on the road instead of oncoming driversÂ’ faces.
* Heads-up instrument display, long a feature of specific General Motors vehicles, superimposes speed and fuel level graphically on the windshield. BMW has incorporated it, with the display including computer warnings and navigation instructions as well, and instead of being shown on the windshield, it is focused several feet ahead and in line with the driverÂ’s view of the road on the 5, making it is easier to read without refocusing eyesight from the road to the windshield. The navigation system works on voice commands, which recognize 3,000 words for wireless phone use, navigation, audio controls and climate control.
* Variable valve-timing has gone from exotic to common on high-tech engines, allowing flexibility in opening and closing valves for optimum engine power and efficiency. Another high-tech feature is “drive-by-wire†technology that uses electronic rather than mechanical connections from driver controls to engine components. BMW’s Valvetronic takes both to new levels, holding valve-lift longer for greater power, and is integrated with the company’s “Double-VANOS†system, rotating both intake and exhaust overhead-camshafts seamlessly from least to most timing assignments. It is all controlled by stepping on the gas, although then the system then electronically take control to carry out the driver’s intentions.
* Stabilizer bars, or anti-sway bars, are braces that help counter hard-cornering flexing and leaning of the body. On the 5, they arenÂ’t simply bars, but active rods that can be twisted by hydraulic actuators to absorb the flexing, keeping the car amazingly flatter even in severe swerves. Coupled with Dynamic Stability Control and traction control, plus the Active Roll Stabilization (ARS) from the 7 Series, the 5 introduces Active Steering, a unique system that electro-mechanically varies steering ratio to quickly adapt to what a driver is trying to do, and is capable of doing.
Everyone from novice driver to Juan Montoya – driver of BMW’s Formula 1 race car – can benefit from Active Steering. Philip Koehn, engineer and project manager for Active Steering, explained that the new rack-and-pinion system electrically varies the steering ratio from 10-1 to 20-1, much more than in conventional mechanical systems, reacting instantly to steering input. It also is vehicle-speed-sensitive, instead of engine-speed-sensitive.
Driving the new 5 Series sedans through scenic and twisting roadways from New Jersey into upstate New York at the vehicleÂ’s introduction, I was impressed at how it stuck to the road and absorbed jolts on a lot of switchbacks and tight turns in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. We also had a chance to drive through an emergency-handling course set up in a parking lot, where the new 5 without the optional active steering swayed and leaned a bit, but still was predictably BMW-good while swerving around the slalom cones.
Then we drove the same course in the cars with the optional active steering, and the difference was incredible. The car maintained an almost totally flat attitude while cutting back and forth at a much swifter pace, with no leaning and steering precision that almost seemed to predict the next line of cones for easier steering.
“We wanted a steering system that would help drivers be involved, but still go beyond the normal limits,†Koehn said. “We wanted to get the best handling and agility without affecting the straight-line handling properties at high speed. Conventional power-steering has been developed to optimum levels, and electronic steer-by-wire systems are good, but they eliminate some of the driverÂ’s involvement. Our active steering gives the benefits of steer-by-wire but maintains the connection the driver has in a mechanical system.Ââ€
Koehn modestly insisted that Active Steering “works best if combined with our sport suspension, active roll stabilization, and the optional 17-inch wheels.Ââ€
He was right, because all these seemingly independent technical bits harmonize better than Simon and Garfunkel whenever you make an abrupt steering move. Most steering problems occur because of over-correcting after an initial steering maneuver. Generally, a driver over-corrects by making an emergency steering move, and after the car responds, the driver reacts too late for a smooth correction and over-corrects, making matters worse.
All of the 5Â’s considerable electronic technology is tied together by the quick-responding Active Steering, and making the car react more quickly and precisely to the initial steering move, and effectively helping eliminate the over-correction by lessening the time and effort required to correct the first swerve.
BMW even tried to take care of the hopelessly complex iDrive system for heat, air, audio and navigational controls. On the 5 Series, the now-familiar large aluminum knob on the console is reduced to controlling four functions – communication, navigation, entertainment and climate. However, for those who might think the 5 is the perfect sedan, the revised iDrive still involves a lot of counter-intuitive moves, which might take months, or generations, to encode as instinctive. You need to hit the right sequence of a half-dozen switch commands such as entertainment/radio/FM/preset/scan/tone before you can change stations or add a little bass.
Do you think you can do that without taking your eye off the road? Remember back when you pushed a button for your favorite station and turned a knob to adjust volume or tone?
In a way, it is a bit fulfilling that the 5 has the weird iDrive. When a car seems perfect, car-reviewers are left with the uneasy feeling that they’ve overlooked something. The 5 is so close to perfect, and if it takes some imperfection to truly qualify as “perfect,†maybe that’s why BMW installed the iDrive.
Lancer Evolution more of a sports-sedan revolution
Call it a problem with translation, but it would seem that Mitsubishi missed when it named the Lancer Evolution. It becomes very obvious after you’ve driven about one block that the car should have been named “Revolution.†After all, Evolution requires considerable time passages, while Revolution conveys sudden, immediate, instantaneous, surprisingly abrupt, and extremely quick action.
Get behind the wheel of the new Lancer Evolution, and you will redefine the difference, and realize that it takes no time at all to be impressed. In fact, you get a hint of what is to come before you even climb inside. The test car came in an electrifying blue, and if that wasnÂ’t enough to make the pleasing but unspectacular lines of the basic Lancer compact sedan come to life, the high-mounted rear spoiler looming up off the trunklid certainly did the trick.
Also, a deep-set hood scoop with a meaningful screen set off the front, along with a lower spoiler and foglights, and that big Mitsubishi tri-star emblem right on the middle strut bisecting the upper grille opening. For more cosmetic hints, the large and stylish Enkei 17-inch alloy wheels that housed ultra-low-profile tires left plenty of room through which to see the Brembo disc brake caliper housings on all four wheels. On the rear, far below that big spoiler, there is a huge cannon on the end of the tailpipe.
However, those Japanese companies are pretty crafty, and it is possible that all the trick stuff is for looks, or that some youthful street-racer had taken a basic Lancer and gone crazy with after-market specialty items.
In the case of the Evolution, or Evo as it has come to be known, that is not the case. While Honda and Toyota have gone after the flashiest Formula 1, CART and IRL racing series titles, Mitsubishi has devoted its attention to the less-publicized World Rally Championship circuit. It took strong and modified motors, turbocharging and all-wheel-drive to hoist the Lancer to the top echelon of rally racing over real and rugged roads, and Mitusbishi sold those hottest Lancers in Japan.
The decision to bring roughly the same sizzling performer into the United States this year followed the car’s appearance in some Japanese-designed virtual-reality video games, and coincided with the movie sequel “2Fast, 2Furious,†which is one of those hyper-action movies that captivated youthful viewers as one of the few things that could distract them from their racing video games. The movie, in fact, is like a street-racing video game on a big screen. And the star of that movie is – the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.
So bringing the Evo to market in the U.S. required the opposite of subtlety, and the car lives up to its mission. Not only is it striking in appearance, but when you open the door and climb in, it gets better. You drop into a genuine Recaro bucket seats. There are a lot of impressive seats being manufactured these days, but for absolute form-fitting support, Recaros remain the standard by which all others should be measured.
You start the Evo and flick the five-speed manual transmission into first, and long before youÂ’re wondering why they didnÂ’t put a six-speed into such an all-out performance car, you come to realize that more gears might be superfluous in real-world driving.
Because its all-wheel-drive system is designed to cling to the road, the 271 horsepower and 273 foot-pounds of torque from its dual-overhead-camshaft, turbocharged two-liter four-cylinder engine take you directly into the future. Suddenly. The carÂ’s 0-60 times have been listed at 4.8 seconds, which whips cars like Corvettes and Porsche 911s, and I noticed that you can reach 60 just as the tach needle spins its way to the 7,000 RPM redline in second gear, and if you reach the redline in third, youÂ’re hitting 80.
I did not attempt to redline the Evolution in fourth or fifth, which tops out at a reported 155 miles per hour, but you get the picture as to why sixth might not be necessary.
Drawbacks? Sure, there are drawbacks to such an uncompromising performer. For one, the suspension, which has MacPherson struts in front and multilink at the rear, has its coil springs and high-pressure shock absorbers bolstered by stabilizer bars. The term “uncompromising†is perfectly defined by the fact that the suspension and ultra-quick steering makes the Evolution turn and swerve with amazingly tight precision in every circumstance. But the other side of that very impressive coin is that it is so firm that many people might find it too harsh to have the tiny slap of a highway tar-strip transmitted from the Yokohama tires, through the suspension, the stiff chassis, and the Recaros directly to your hind-quarters.
As a stalwart believer that U.S. cars were too soft for too long, and that European and Japanese cars constantly prove that firmer handling doesnÂ’t have to mean harshness, I also can recognize that there is a limit at which firmness can make comfort go away. The Evo might be over the edge for some, but if youÂ’re under 30 or you appreciate superb handling, it is right on.
Same with the price. The Lancer Evolution starts at $28,987, and the test car came in at just a tick under $30,000. ThatÂ’s a lot, for a Lancer, but certainly not when you consider the high-tech equipment, which starts with things like hollowing the camshaft for weight-reduction. The Evo weighs 3,240 pounds, which is spry for an all-wheel-driver.
A far greater drawback than the stiffness or price is that, whatever the color, the car is an absolute magnet for law enforcement officers. One Saturday evening, while driving from Minneapolis to Saint Paul with my wife, and my older son and his girlfriend in the back seat, I demonstrated how the Evo was on takeoff from a couple of stoplights. I was careful to confine the initial bursts, letting off before reaching 30, when, to our amusement, a young fellow in a turbocharged Toyota Supra would roar past each time, still accelerating.
We drove a mile or so onward at normal traffic pace, then I saw flashing lights in my rear-view mirror. I pulled over, thinking I was making way for an emergency vehicle to get to a crisis. The car pulled in behind me and a woman police officer strolled up. She apparently had been waiting, perhaps assuming IÂ’d break some law. I think she was surprised to see that it WASNÂ’T an 18-year-old hot-rodder, and she asked if I was having some sort of problem with the silver Supra back there. I said no, he might have had a problem, but I didnÂ’t. I explained it was a test-drive vehicle and that it was hard to keep down, which is why I was careful to not go over 30. She smiled, and said to be careful.
The next day, my wife drove the car six blocks to a grocery store, and a county sheriff followed her to the parking lot, and walked in with her before suggesting she hadnÂ’t done anything wrong, but she didnÂ’t look like the type that would be driving such a car. “YouÂ’re right,†Joan said. “IÂ’m more the Jaguar type.Ââ€
So, we headed for the North Shore of Lake Superior, for a little more secluded driving enjoyment. If it’s a drawback to guarantee yourself a police escort, you’d probably want to choose something more sedate. Come to think of it, I wonder if Mitsubishi considered “Sedate†among the car’s understated name possibilities. Because there is nothing sedate about the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.
Lexus disguises technical advances in 2004 LS430
DETROIT, MICH. — Amid all the flashy displays of all-new 2004-model-year automobiles , it was something of a surprise when Lexus summoned a group of the nationÂ’s automotive writers to come to Detroit this past week to sample the 2004 LS430. After all, the Lexus flagship is only halfway through its life-cycle for the current design. But since the LS430 has commanded about 25 percent of the entire luxury car segment sales, the journalists showed up.
Call it a tactical mistake, but maybe the Lexus folks shouldn’t have rolled out a 2003 LS430 for the media to compare to the “more striking†design of the new 2004s placed around the Detroit Athletic Club entryway. At a casual glance, or even under fairly close scrutiny, the cars look very close to identical, exuding the same sense of luxury and conservative stability that has established the LS during its 15-year existence.
Lexus officials pointed to the “boldly restyled front and rear,†and tossed out superlatives that include “more masculine,†as well as “more aggressive†and even “more emotional†than the LS430 has been. Strong words that may be a subtle concession to what is now perceived as the car’s only previous shortcomings, but underneath that slightly-changed skin, and the hyperbole, the 2004 Lexus LS430 has undergone a substantial technical makeover.
And so have projections for sales. After rising to the heights of a 31,110-sale year in 2001, and a follow-up of 26,261 in 2002, Mike Wells, North America vice president of marketing, said intentions are to bring in only 20,000 LS430s for the 2004 model run, which will start when the cars reach showrooms later in September. Prices will be released Sept. 25, although officials insist they will remain competitive, which would keep it around the current carÂ’s base of $55,000.
Lowering projections from 2002 sales levels does not exactly convey confidence, but reduced projections, accompanied by technical advancements such as a sport model, a new six-speed automatic transmission, altered suspension and safety refinements, it is clear that Lexus is responding to a more-competitive market for the next couple of years.
“For 2002, we had 25 percent market share,†said Wells. “But with the new BMW 7-Series, and new models from Audi, Volkswagen, Jaguar and Mercedes, the market segment overall has grown this year, but this vehicleÂ’s sales have gone down.Ââ€
Sales for 2003-model LS430s is expected to be about 20,000 units, a drop from 25 percent to 18 percent of the segment, and thatÂ’s where the 2004 projections are pegged. “WeÂ’re going to bring in 20,000 LSes and weÂ’ll sell 20,000. If we brought in 25,000, weÂ’d sell 25,000,†Wells added. “But this is what we project, as part of our model mix.Ââ€
Style-wise, the front end has slightly restyled headlights and lower facia, while the rear trunklid has a wider indentation for the license plate, with slightly revised taillights that house LED brake lights, and the return of dual exhausts, which were on the LS models until being dropped in 2001.
Mike Watson, manager of product education and development, ran through the new technical features. Adaptive headlights swivel the low-beam up to 15 degrees left and 5 degrees right when the driver’s steering input projects negotiating an upcoming curve. He attributes the reduction of 0-60 acceleration time from 6.3 seconds to 5.9 to the new six-speed transmission, which has an “S†mode for sporty manual sequential shifting.
The new suspension uses a larger monotube shock instead of the twin shocks of its predecessor. The sport package, which is indicated by a tiny medallion on the sides, just behind the front wheelwells, has “Eurotuned†firmness that Lexus officials suggest might help capture performance-oriented buyers, while the luxury package gets air-suspension. On the new car, 17-inch wheels are standard with 18-inch on the sport package.
Refinements range from significant to subtle. Significant is a back-up video displayed on the navigation screen, similar to the RX330 SUV’s system, and also significant is the navigation system, which has increased its “points of interest†from 785,000 to 5.6 million. If you see a point of interest you like, push a button and the wireless phone system calls the location.
Dynamic laser cruise control maintains the interval behind the car ahead, and sensors alert the driver to obstacles behind, in front and at the corners when parking. Also, Bluetooth technology allows wireless communication for hands-free cell-phone use even if the phone isnÂ’t plugged in. A smart-access key fob works to lock or unlock doors, or to turn on the ignition even if you leave the key in your pocket or purse, as long as it is within a proximity range.
Safety improvements include added knee-level side airbags, and a precollision system triggered by a radar sensor behind the grille, which detects an object, calculates the closing rate, and when it decides a frontal collision is imminent and unavoidable, it flashes a warning on the screen, pretensions the seatbelts, stiffens the suspension to sport setting for maximum emergency handling, and initializes brake-assist for full-force brake force.
More subtle is the addition of the moonroof and a rear sunshade as standard equipment, and a change from orange needles to white, matching the numerals on the electronic instrument panel. Watson conceded that the return of dual exhausts was more cosmetic than technical.
Demographics for the car at 65 percent male, age 50-55, 85 percent married, 75 percent college educated, 25 percent with children under 18, and household income from $200,000 to $225,000 per year.
Driving the LS430 is impressive, with typical quietness that has become the benchmark of the industry. The wood and leather touches are impressive, and performance is smooth and swift, with the high-tech, dual-overhead-cam 4.3-liter V8 accomplishing 290 horsepower and ultra-low emissions status simultaneously. Electronic throttle control and a computerized system smooth out acceleration by delaying throttle opening slightly from a standing start.
The sport model adds an interesting new dimension. It will be noteworthy to see if return Lexus buyers seek the sport model, or whether it’s aimed at conquest sales from other brands. The sport model definitely has firmer suspension, which might not impress the LS430’s luxury buyers, and it may only partially approach the level of the Mercedes AMG models, or the BMW “M†brands, or the Audi S8 version of the A8.
On that note, it seems that the unprecedented Lexus mid-cycle makeover – plus the phrases such as being more masculine, aggressive, and emotional – are in response to the fact that Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Jaguar and Infiniti all have sportier images or specific sports models.
“Certainly, competition forces you to stand up and take notice,†said Wells. “ThatÂ’s why weÂ’ve made some of these changes, and in the carÂ’s next cycle, youÂ’ll see more changes.Ââ€
(John Gilbert writes weekly auto columns. He can be reached by email at cars@jwgilbert.com.)
Vintage Volvo wagons celebrate Golden (Gate) 50th
When you mention Volvos, most people immediately conjure up the idea of safety. When you think of station wagons, most might think of those hulking family-truckster type of wagons that hauled American families around in the 1970s and ’80s – although that’s when we should think of Volvos, because the company commands 19.8 percent of the entire station wagon segment.
Volvo is celebrating its 50th year of being the worldÂ’s most persistent builder of station wagons, and it came up with a unique method of doing it. What could be better, to celebrate the Golden Anniversary of Volvo wagons, than to invite owners of vintage Volvo wagons to San Francisco, the Golden State, and have them escorted in a drive across the Golden Gate Bridge?
To chronicle it all, Volvo invited a select few automotive journalists and their wives to drive the first dozen cars in the caravan, and, while IÂ’d like to think Volvo didnÂ’t select the journalists by their, uh, vintage, I was flattered to take them up on the offer.
The response from the Volvo Owners Club was such that Volvo had to cut the allowed number of participants to 100, and arrange with three different San Francisco area law enforcement agencies to arrange an escorted caravan. A couple hundred other vintage Volvo wagons and cars followed along, unofficially. The drive also had to be scheduled for 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 24, because traffic would be lightest then for shutting down the bridge, however briefly. If youÂ’ve ever crossed the Golden Gate Bridge at daily rush-hour time, you can immediately grasp the logic.
At the front of the line, several models of the classic Volvo Duett led the way. Volvo had supplied what it called PV444 and later PV445 platforms for various companies that needed a strong chassis on which to build vans and wagons. The PV445 served from 1949 through 1953, when Volvo found a lot of platforms left over, and put its inventiveness to work.
“Wagons epitomize Volvo engineering,†said Thomas Andersson, vice president in charge of Volvo marketing in the U.S. “In 1953, had 1,500 excess chassis, so the company created the Duett. It became the mobile home of Swedish citizens. The first safety belts were standard in Duetts.Ââ€
The word “Duett†means dual purpose in Swedish, just as “Volvo†means “I roll†in Latin. Volvo rolled Duetts into the marketplace from 1953 until 1960, to serve the dual purpose of hauling people and all sorts of stuff, then redesigned it off the 210 sedan platform. Changing from the P445 Duett to the P210 Duett also meant an engine with 75 horsepower, which replaced engines that had started at 40 horsepower and risen to 60 in the first incarnation. The P210 Duett continued being built and sold primarily in Scandinavia until 1969, by which time the companion Amazon supplanted it. The P220 Amazon, based on the popular 122 sedan, was built from 1962-1969 as a four-door wagon.
Robert Kelly and his wife, Mary McKenzie, who live in nearby Santa Cruz, drove a 1967 Volvo 122 Amazon to the San Francisco function. A widower who moved to San Francisco from Montana, Kelly contacted Mary McKenzie via the Internet and the two kept up contact, mostly via his vintage car analogies – “body used, but still functional.†McKenzie, who is divorced, is from Minneapolis, by way of Rochester, Minn. She came to California over five years ago and married Kelly, who has owned a number of Volvos. He said he wouldn’t trade for a newer one because he hadn’t seen any that outperform his Amazon for his purposes.
Volvo changed from 122 to the 140-series sedans in 1967, exchanging its rigid-body, rock-solid trademark for a revolutionary one with crushable front and rear sections around a solid interior cage. At that point, Volvo produced 142 (two-door) and 144 (four-door) sedans, and added a 145 (wagon), all of which had a squarish design, compared to their rounder predecessor. After being sold alongside the 122 for a year, the 140s replaced it and continued in service through 1974.
In 1971, Volvo even made a wagon out of its P1800 sports car, and the squareback 1800ES for only the 1972 and Â’73 model years. In 1974, VolvoÂ’s 140-series sedans were given a revised wagon, the 245, which had a four-cylinder engine with overhead camshafts instead of the conventional pushrods, or an optional V6. The 245 was built for 19 years, through 1993, getting updated styling in 1981 and 1986. A larger 265 was added, stressing the V6, from 1975 through 1985. Those models all remained faithful to the squarish look, as did the 760 Estate, which was built from 1985-1990.
The car I drove in the caravan was a 1988 model 245, owned by Michael and Karen Poret, from Santa Cruz, Calif. We were sixth in line, up and down hills, through parks, and then across the legendary Golden Gate, where we circled and then returned, back across the 1.5-mile bridge to gather at the Presidio historical site. The Perots couldnÂ’t drive with us because they drove their other vintage Volvo farther back in the caravan.
“WeÂ’ve have four 240s,†said Michael Poret. “We had seven. Karen bought an 850 once, but she didnÂ’t like it. We saw this car going down the street, and she said, ‘I wish I couldÂ’ve bought that.Â’ So we drove after it and bought it from the owner.Ââ€
The 740 Estate, with either a four-cylinder or an in-line six instead of the V6, was built from 1985-1992, and had a turbocharged version of its engine that could go 0-60 in 7.4 seconds in the mid-1980s. In those same years, the 850 Estate sold from 1993-96, and the 940, from 1990-98, and 960, from 1990-97, carried the Volvo wagon up to the current V-series wagons. The 850 had a five-cylinder engine, and competed in the prestigious British Touring Car Championship, while also being the first vehicle to offer side airbags.
The V40, based on the new generation, front-wheel-drive S40 compact sedan, began life in 1995, while the larger V70 came out in 1996. They spawned the popular Cross Country models with all-wheel drive, remaining popular in an era when other companies seemed to want to distance themselves from the somewhat mundane perception of station wagons as they went to minivans and sport-utility vehicles. Volvo watched the trend come full-circle, and many of the latest “crossover†SUVs are really little more than contemporary station wagons, while Volvo was perfecting the breed, with the V70 wagons somewhere between the S60 and S80 in size, but on a stand-alone platform not derived from any sedan.
I love the older Volvos, particularly the first Duetts and Amazons, and I fondly recall a 1968 Volvo 142S that was our family car shortly after college. But I had to take a couple of hours to show Bob Kelly and Mary McKenzie that there is, indeed, a newer Volvo wagon that will outperform their beloved car. We went for a ride down the coast, south of San Francisco, in a shiny, black V70 R – the new 2004 wagon with all-wheel-drive, a turbocharged five-cylinder engine with 300 horsepower and magnificent suspension. He was impressed, but unconvinced.
Andersson, the marketing boss for Volvo in the U.S., said it best. “The V70 R is the fastest production station wagon, and with it, and the cars we will be coming out with, I think we can say that the first 50 years were great, but the next 50 will be even better.Ââ€
(John Gilbert writes a weekly automotive column; reach him by email at jgilbert@duluth.com, or visit his website, www.jgilbert.duluth.com.)
About the Author
John Gilbert is a lifetime Minnesotan and career journalist, specializing in cars and sports during and since spending 30 years at the Minneapolis Tribune, now the Star Tribune. More recently, he has continued translating the high-tech world of autos and sharing his passionate insights as a freelance writer/photographer/broadcaster. A member of the prestigious North American Car and Truck of the Year jury since 1993. John can be heard Monday-Friday from 9-11am on 610 KDAL(www.kdal610.com) on the "John Gilbert Show," and writes a column in the Duluth Reader.
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