TT Roadster completes Audi’s world-class sports car entry
[[[[[[[CUTLINES:
1/ As a spectacular view, the just-introduced Audi TT Roadster challenged the sunset-colored Bell Rock near Sedona, Arizona.
2/ The TT Roadster looks good with top up or down, and only subtleties like twin exhaust tubes differentiates the 225-horsepower version from the 180 base car.
3/ The brushed-matte finish of the aluminum interior accents is set off by the optional, thicker, amber-red leather with baseball-glove stitching.
4/ The TT Roadster has a distinct, Bauhaus-look in silhouette, with Arizona’s Courthouse Butte in the background. ]]]]]]]
Sports cars are supposed to make emotional impacts on their drivers, their passengers, and on other people who see you coming, or passing by. The Audi TT Roadster fills that bill.
I was convinced while test-driving a silver TT Roadster at the car’s introduction in the mountainous area around Phoenix, by two bits of conclusive evidence. The first was that even slathered with sunscreen against the 95-degree heat, it was apparent my wrists, forearms, neck and cheeks were being fried a lobster-colored crimson. But I wasn’t about to stop or put the top up.
The second bit of evidence came when a fellow-motoring-journalist and I pulled up to a stoplight in suburban Scottsdale and we were second in a line of three TTs. A well-tanned and very attractive woman driving a black, SL500 Mercedes roadster — with the top up — stopped in the next lane. We looked over and she asked: “How long has that car been out, and how much is it?” We explained it was just being introduced and that she could buy four of them for the price of her $135,000 Mercedes. Then we zapped away to leave her behind at the stoplight.
Audi had established itself as the competitive equals of fellow-German auto-makers BMW and Mercedes by the time it introduced its stunning new TT sports car last May. The TT, which stands for “Tourist Trophy,” was an immediate hit, but it was only a preliminary move. Last week Audi introduced the TT Roadster — a convertible version of the year-old TT Coupe — and simultaneously introduced a 225-horsepower version of both TTs as an option to the very adequate 180-horsepower TTs.
“We wanted a ‘hero car,’ a brand-defining car, and we got that with the TT,” said Len Hunt, corporate vice president and Audi of America spokesman at the roadster’s unveiling in Phoenix last week. “The launch of the TT was not just the launch of a sports car, it was the launch of a new tradition at Audi.”
The TT was a styling hit, with its advanced-retro look and high-tech features, when it came out as a 180-horsepower, front-wheel-drive coupe last May, jumping right into battle with the Porsche Boxster, Mercedes SLK, BMW Z3 in the affordable/high-performance sports-car category, which is to say stronger than a Mazda Miata, and not as overpowering as a Corvette or Porsche 911. For Up North sports-car zealots, the TT holds the extra allure of front-wheel drive.
In October, Audi added the quattro version — Audi’s phenomenal, performance-oriented all-wheel-drive system with its copyrighted lower-case “q” designation. The car fulfilled Audi’s objectives, stated by Hunt as having advanced technology, a striking design, strong performance, all while being capable of evoking strong emotion. Incidentally, the quattro version is an even stronger candidate for year-round functionality Up North.
The roadster will be available in dealerships as of the end of this month, to complete the variety of TTs. The TT Coupe with 180 horsepower and front-wheel-drive is $31,200; TT Coupe with 225 horsepower and quattro — $36,100; TT Roadster with 180 horse FWD — $33,200; and TT Roadster with 225 horses and quattro — $38,900.
Those prices include standard leather interior, with an amazing baseball-glove-stitched orange leather option on the quattros. The 180-horsepower version has 16-inch wheels, while the 225 gets standard 17-inch wheels; the 180 gets a 5-speed manual, the 225 has a 6-speed; the 180 has a single exhaust, the 225 has dual exhaust; the 180 has an easy-to-operate manual fold-down top, the 225 a standard power top. Both cars come with an improvement on one of the most impressive warranties in the business — the 3-year all-maintenance-paid warranty has been increased to 4-year, 50,000 miles, with all periodic maintenance done free.
ROADSTER ON ROAD
Taking the top off any car generally guarantees you of cowl-shake, the tendency of the body’s natural flexing to be displayed by wagging itself just a bit, most notably at the cowl area just aft of the windshield. The TT Roadster, however, is free of that vibration.
“The Roadster is not an after-thought,” said Marc Trahan, Audi’s production manager. “The Roadster was established from the start with the Coupe, and they were developed in parallel.”
That allowed Audi’s engineers to design reinforced strength into the Roadster. The door sill beams are 30 percent thicker, the sills themselves 20 percent thicker, there is an aluminum cross-member positioned just behind the seats to reinforce the whole structure, and to anchor the twin brushed-matte aluminum rollbars, which are as functional as they are stylish. Sturdier joints between the pillars and the floor assembly are further modifications meet standards from vibration analysis. The windshield frame pillars have high-strength steel inserts for added reinforcement.
“With the windshield pillars and the rollbars, the Roadster has the same level of rollover intrusion protection as the Coupe,” said Trahan, who added that even the soft top was designed with four cross-struts instead of three to eliminate any chance of wind-buffeting at high speeds with the top up.
The most evident result of all that is the complete absence of any cowl-shake or vibration. But the safety enhancements are also impressive, with that structural rigidity coupled with the TT’s 4-wheel disc brakes, an advanced antilock system, electronic brake-force distribution, electronic differential lock, full-time traction control (on the 180-horsepower versions), and a stability program that becomes available next month.
The body steel is galvanized on both sides to eliminate concern about corrosion, as well.
PERFORMANCE POWER
The same engine powers both versions of the TT. It is comparatively tiny, at 1.8 liters (actually 1,781 cc.) of displacement out of four cylinders. It is as technically advanced as any standard production engine, which allows it to feel much stronger than your basic four-banger.
It has dual overhead camshafts, with five valves per cylinder — three intake and two exhaust valves — and with a low-pressure turbocharger pumping extra life into all those valves. Displacement is measured by combining the total cylinder bore and piston stroke. The TT engine, also available in the A4 sedans and in some of Audi’s cousin, Volkswagen, has 180 horsepower that peaks at 5,500 RPMs, and 173 foot-pounds. A key to performance is what RPM point at which the torque peaks, but a marvel of the collaboration between the electronic management system and the turbo is that the maximum torque is attained at a mere 1,950 RPMs, and it remains at that peak until 4,700 RPMs.
It is little short of miraculous that Audi’s engineers took that same engine and tweaked it up to 225 horses at 5,900 revs, and increased the torque to 207 foot-pounds over a span from 2,200-5,500 RPMs. That range means that other engines may have more power at their peak, but the Audi engine gets to its peak just above idle speed and stays there until you’ve revved up toward the 6,700-RPM redline, where the horsepower peak takes over anyway.
“This is not just a computer-chip-tuned modification,” said Trahan. “The 225-horsepower engine has new pistons, a different compression ratio, different cylinder heads, different intake and exhaust manifolds, a bigger turbocharger, and two intercoolers instead of one for the turbo. The only other roadsters with all-wheel drive are the Lamborghini Diablo and the Porsche Carrera 4, both of which are far more expensive.”
With all that power, the difference between the two models in driving is interesting. The 180-horse version goes 0-60 in a quick 8-second burst, with a top speed electronically limited at 130 mph in North America. The 225-horse version quattro does 0-60 in only 6.7 seconds and has a top end of 143 mph.
When you drive the two, the 180 feels very responsive, and actually seemed quicker up to 4,000 RPMs, undoubtedly because it weighs 3,131 pounds, compared to the quattro’s 3,473. The added weight makes the 225-horse quattro feel always stable, but not as quick until that midrange, with the extra power taking firm command from 4,000-on-up.
After the brief introductory test of both Roadsters, I got the chance stay on after the introduction to spend a few days taking the 180-horsepower Roadster north to Sedona, where it was 20 degrees cooler, then winding northward on a spectacular drive through Oak Creek Canyon, and later to the Grand Canyon. We got 27 miles per gallon overall, and 32.9 mpg on strictly freeway driving, which was very impressive.
Based on preliminary feelings, the 180-horse Roadster is a superb-handling sports car capable of challenging the best of the competition, while the 225-horse version sticks to the road absolutely as if on rails, and has the power to beat most of its rivals. And, as if just for sports-car fans Up North, either version should be awesome on snow and ice.
GM unveils 2002 Bravada surprise with high-tech in-line 6
[[[[[CUTLINES:
1/ Ron Kociba stood proudly next to the 2002 Bravada introduced at the New York International Auto Show this past week with “his baby” under the hood — an all-new, dual-overhead-cam, multi-valve, in-line 6-cylinder engine with variable valve timing.
2/ The 2002 Bravada is all-new, from the frame, brakes, suspension, interior and engine. ]]]]]]
NEW YORK, N.Y.—It seemed like nothing more than a normal introduction, when General Motors chose to introduce four “all-new” trucks at the New York International Auto Show.
The executives and marketing folks took the stage and rolled them out. First, there was the new GMC Denali. Same as the Blazer, really. Then came the Denali XL, the longer version, same as the Chevy Suburban. Third out was a new Sierra pickup truck.
And then it happened. Next came a 2002 model year version of the Oldsmobile Bravada, a vehicle that once neared extinction until benevolent folks at GM decided to salvage it and give it another chance, with a new look reminscent of the Olds family two-vent front seen on the Aurora, Intrigue and even Alero.
But this Bravada is all-new from the ground up, the platform, the frame, the body, the interior, the suspension, and the engine. Especially the engine.
“This is a once-in-a-career opportunity,” said Ron Kociba, the engineer in charge of creating the all-new in-line 6-cylinder engine, “to develop a totally new engine in a totally new truck, to be built in a totally new plant in Flint.”
More on that later. First, a little background.
The automotive world is taking some exciting new turns these days, and a lot of those turns are toward high-technology developments. It costs a little to research and develop the high-tech refinements to engines, but Honda, Toyota, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Porsche, Mazda, Nissan, Saab — you name ’em, they’ve forged on ahead, spending good money to develop advanced technology, knowing that it would bring payback in the coming years.
Trailing, but at least headed the right direction, have been Chrysler Corporation and Ford Motor Company. And General Motors? Well, with a high-skilled and plentiful crew of engineers, GM stubbornly avoided keeping up. There were a few applications of technology, such as when Cadillac went to the Northstar engine, with its dual-overhead camshaft V8, with four valves per cylinder. A smaller application of that engine was allowed to go to Oldsmobile for the Aurora, and then GM built a new 3.5-liter V6 to be built off it as well, but it, too, only goes to Oldsmobile for the Intrigue and this year as the base engine in the Aurora.
Otherwise, GM automobiles and trucks had the old-fashioned, but inexpensive, system of pushrods actuating the valvetrain from down in the block. So if you got a new car, with fancy styling, like the Grand Prix or Bonneville or Impala or Monte Carlo, you got a 39-year-old engine with pushrods — even while cars from Ford, Chrysler and every import manufacturer were well beyond merely using overhead cams, and had advanced on to multiple valves and variable valve timing.
That’s why it was so exciting to see the Bravada roll out, batting cleanup in the four-truck introduction by General Motors during the press preview days of the New York Auto Show.
ALL-NEW PLATFORM
The Bravada rides on an all-new platform. Its overall length is 10 inches longer than its predecessor, five inches wider, and five inches taller, with a wheelbase six inches greater. That extra size allows for 83 cubic feet of cargo room, up nine.
The frame has eight structural cross-members instead of the six on the previous vehicle. That adds greatly to the stiffness of the body, to say nothing of the safety and handling. All-new suspension includes a double-A-arm front and a rear arrangement with five-link geometry and air bladders electronically controlled to raise, lower and maintain a level stance regardless of road condition. Larger brakes, with discs on all four wheels, and 17-inch wheels (8 inches wide), also help the handling.
But let’s not kid ourselves. The breakthrough with the Bravada is the engine. It is in-line, replacing the hardy V6 engines so common in GM applications. Both block and cylinder head are made of cast aluminum, using the “lost-foam” technique used in the Saturn engine program, where a perfect outline of the engine is done in styrofoam, then molten aluminum is poured in, vaporizing the styrofoam and leaving aluminum in its place with precision.
Its cylinders displace 4.2 liters, with dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder, and with a variable valve-timing, which allows the camshafts to adjust, overlapping when power is needed but backing off for a smooth idle.
Final figures aren’t certain, but the engine will develop 250 horsepower, and something over 250 foot-pounds of torque. Torque, remember, is the low-end pulling power needed more by trucks than cars, but needed for hard-charging starts, towing or not. As for the in-line arrangement, consider that BMW and Toyota still build exceptionally strong and smooth in-line 6s.
This is the first time GM has put an in-line 6 in a truck, the first time it has used overhead camshafts in a truck, the first time it has used multiple valves in a truck, and the first time it has used variable valve timing in a truck.
Question is, how did Kociba and his staff convince the bottom-line constables that they could limbo under the cost-effective bar and build such a progressive engine?
TIMING IS EVERYTHING
Kociba has been with General Motors for 32 years. He worked on the 3800 V6, which began life in 1961 — think about that, in this computer age — and advanced its potential with supercharged treatment. Next he got to run the 3.5-liter V6 engine, the high-tech Intrigue engine, which was the perfect launching pad to send him onward and upward when he was given a clean sheet to build the Bravada 4.2.
“We had the opportunity to build it from scratch,” Kociba said. “We had to meet several objectives. It had to be reliable, durable, affordable, and it had to have improved fuel economy and performance.”
But why an in-line engine, in this world of V6s?
“The cost of doing this on a V-type engine is prohibitive,” he said. “Think of where we’re coming from. With an in-line engine, we only have one cylinder head and one head gasket.”
Right. When Kociba says “affordable” as one key objective, he may have meant affordable to the bean-counters as much as to the customers.
“It’s all aluminum, the block and the cylinder head, with pressed-in iron liners in the cylinders,” he explained. “With the overhead cams, we could go to four valves on each cylinder, and variable valve timing on the exhaust, to give us a more aggressive cam profile.”
It not only worked, it worked so well that the new engine requires no external hang-on emission-control devices. Improved economy, emissions and power all were exponents of the slick styling. Which, of course, was why I’d long been critical of GM’s reluctance to go to such designs a decade or two before this, when the rest of the automotive world was heading that direction. I mean, if GM is the biggest U.S. car-maker, it should be a technological leader we can be proud of.
Added efficiency and durability was also gained by eliminating sparkplug wires, so separate coils at each sparkplug are used. Kociba, who simply couldn’t stop smiling as he discussed his new baby, added that the one advantage of being late to the overhead-cam, multi-valve, variable-valve-timing party, is that he was able to examine a whole world of advanced engines and pick what he wanted.
“We’re really proud of the applications we chose by picking the technology we could produce and still keep it affordable,” Kociba said.
And, of course, the future is now unlimited. This engine will go on and power midsize pickups, I would guess, and who knows what all? And the technique could certainly be applied to other engines. I’m guessing Kociba might end up in charge of redoing a few venerable old V8s in coming years.
“GM can do anything it sets its mind on,” he said.
SAAB engine concept features variable combustion ratio
Automotive engine technology seems to be leaping ahead in giant steps these days, in order to meet tightening laws for economy and ecological concerns. It has reached the point where overhead-camshafts, multiple valves and even variable valve-timing have become so routinely deployed that the line between high-tech and normal is continually blurred.
However futuristic today’s technology may seem, however, the continuation of unique ideas pushes the envelope ever-further.
Amid the high-tech surge, and the development of sophisticated hybrid engines that combine standard internal combustion engines and electric battery-made power, Swedish automakerSAAB — which is now a subsidiary of General Motors — has come up with yet another way to meet the ever-changing demands of the contemporary auto industry.
The concept is a motor with a flexible cylinder head that allows the compression-ratio of an engine to be constantly varied while it is being driven. In all other modern techniques, the valve timing or the fuel feed can be adjusted and changed, and in all of them, the engine’s compression ratio stays constant.
The compression ratio is the piston displacement volume plus the volume of the combustion chamber, divided by the volume of the combustion chamber. In simple terms, it is the amount by which the fuel-air mixture in the cylinder is compressed before being ignited.
The energy in fuel is best put to use when the compression ratio is as high as possible, but if it is too high, the engine will ping, from pre-ignition. So in conventional engines, the compression ratio is preset at a compromise level, which can tend to favor one extreme or the other, but rarely can accommodate both.
High-performance engines of years past had high numbers on their compression ratios — 10-1, or 11-1. When exhaust emissions and fuel-economy became primary, the compression ratios lowered to 8-1 or 9-1. More recent technology has allowed manufacturers to find other ways to harness emissions, and compression ratios have been able to rise again, helping create more power.
According to SAAB scientists, all other bits of technology leave the compression ratio fixed, which means that an engine may only occasionally, and by random chance, be running at optimum compression.
So SAAB has worked for nearly a decade to develop the “SAAB Variable Compression” engine, or SVC, which combines the variable compression ratio technique with lowered displacement and high supercharging pressure. All three factors are vital to the engine’s success
“We’ve been working on this concept for over eight years, and we made a four-cylinder, a six-cylinder and this five-cylinder,” said Hans Drungel, the project manager from Sweden. “We’ve run a SAAB 9.5 sedan test car with this engine with both a four-speed automatic and a five-speed manual transmission. The redline on the engine is 6,000 RPMs, which isn’t particularly high. But it has about the same power as a normally-aspirated 3.0-liter V6.”
The SVC engine is built in two segments. The monohead consists of the cylinder head with integrated cylinders, and the lower portion consists of the engine block, crankshaft, connecting rods and pistons. The monohead is built on pivots, and it can be raised or lowered, depending on the load of the engine.
When running at low load, such as cruising on the freeway, the monohead is tilted away from the lower block by hydraulic actuator, increasing the slope of its angle and lowering the engine’s compression ratio. When power is needed, you step on the gas hard and the slope of the monohead’s tilt is reduced, decreasing the volume of the combustion chamber, and thus raising compression.
SAAB’s electronic engine management system controls the variation, which is calculated to act based on engine speed, engine load and fuel quality, and in the process, it makes the compression ratio continuously variable. The same engine management system also operates a supercharger, which feeds massive doses of air into the combustion chamber off a compressor, for larger doses of boost via a compressor.
SAAB first used a 1.4-liter six-cylinder engine to develop the system, but more recently dropped it in favor of a 1.6-liter five-cylinder engine. The engine varies its compression ratio between 8-1 and 14-1, depending on engine load.
At maximum output, it turns out 225 horsepower and 224 foot-pounds of torque. Obviously, that is more power than most V6 or V8 engines in standard production, and it is incredible output for a 1.6-liter displacement.
Even more impressive than the power increase is that the SVC engine also increases fuel economy by 30 percent, and lowers emissions to meet contemporary and even future demands.
On top of that, the other most feasible concepts feature variable valve timing or alternative fuels to gasoline. The beauty of the SVC is that while it operates on a unique variable compression ratio scheme, variable valve timing could also be applied to it, and it could be programmed to burn alternative fuels.
SAAB engineers insist that the engine still is only in the concept realm, with no date to be powering cars in the showrooms. But with emission laws tightening and competing technology getting prominent reviews, it would seem likely that the SVC engine could be out within two years.
However, technology seems to be leaping ahead by large increments these days
Needs change for spring tune-up
SPRING AUTO CHECKLIST:
Putting together a checklist of maintenance rules starts with the owner’s manual of each car. It is vitally important to deal with the major maintenance intervals, such as 30,000, in order to keep new-car warranties in order. Generally the dealerships take care of that sort of work, and in many cases dealers are required to do the work.
As cars get kept longer, customers obviously want to maintain them better, and here are some key things to do during spring check-ups:
Oil changes. Some people swear by 3,000-mile oil changes, while some manufacturers are now boasting that their engines can go more than twice that far on oil because of the sealed systems and improved oils. Synthetic oils generally have a longer life span than normal oils, but cost more. It is important to change the oil filter when changing the oil, otherwise the new oil is instantly contaminated by the quart of old oil being contained in the filter. Use a good brand of oil — most top brands are pretty equal so it’s personal choice — but watch the viscosity levels closely. A 10-40, 10-50 or even 20-50 multi-viscosity is good for summer, while 5-30 or 10-30 is preferable for winter, when it’s harder for oil to flow when it’s cold.
Other fluids. Check the antifreeze level for summer cooling as well as projected winter protection, and such items as transmission fluid and brake fluid.
Diagnostic check. With computerized engine systems, it is possible for a well-equipped shop or dealership to plug into the system and check whether all settings are proper. Modern car engines don’t have ignition points, so the old-style tune-ups are a thing of the past. Spark plugs should be checked, and platinum-tipped plugs can be regapped and used for up to 100,000 miles.
Fan belts and accessory belts. It is always important to and to check the tension and condition of various accessory belts. A qualified mechanical shop will routinely check them and advise when they are sufficiently worn to require replacement. One of the most important is the timing belt on an overhead-camshaft engine; anticipated lifespan is about 60,000 miles, and failure to check and change it can lead to costly engine damage if the belt should break while driving.
Hoses. It’s important to check radiator and engine hoses for cracks or leaks. Replacement is inexpensive, especially when compared to the grief of having a family trip interrupted by an overheated engine when the radiator hose springs a leak.
Suspension. Original equipment shocks and struts are better than they used to be, but when they get worn, their effect on a car’s handling can be too subtle to notice over 30,000 miles or so. But precise steering, handling and stability can be restored by having upgraded struts or shocks installed when the original ones wear out.
Brakes. Often your car will warn you of the need for new brake pads by feeling uneven when you step on the brakes. The pads should be checked for sufficient remaining life. And replacement pads should be at least as good as original equipment, if not better.
Tires. Often overlooked, the little square-foot patch of each tire’s footprint is your car’s only contact with the road. It is the most significant piece of insurance you can invest in, and a little research is important. You can spend a lot of money for premium, long-wear, high-speed tires and be gravely disappointed in the fall when you find that their tread compound loses its flexibility and they spin far too easily in snow or on ice. Or you can spend a lot on snow tires that work very well on snow or ice, but are wobbly and hard to manage on dry pavement. There are numerous compromises, including all-season tires and some with “m & s” ratings for mud and snow. Customers must decide which compromises they are willing to make, but the difference in handling and safety control capabilities of better tires should never be compromised. Running tires at or near maximum inflation number listed on each tire might make the car ride a tiny bit harsher, but it also can provide better handling and control.
Rotating tires. This is a personal decision. With the old bias-ply tires, it made sense to rotate all five, including the spare, to get even wear. Radial tires rotate differently, and some prefer to switch them front to rear on the same sides of the car to keep them rolling in the same fashion. With front-wheel-drive cars, front tires will wear out at a much faster rate, from the weight load, the traction, and the majority of braking. Switching them front to rear will allow all four tires to wear out at the same rate.
Filters. All of ’em — starting with air filters and going directly to the fuel filter. Many driveability problems are swiftly traced to a fuel filter that hasn’t been changed at a reasonable interval.
(Auto section headlines, cutlines…)
[Cover copyblock]
The arrival of spring means the return of warmth and color Up North, and in the automotive world it means the whirlwind end to a hectic four months of major U.S. auto shows. After a spectacular beginning in Detroit, Los Angeles and Chicago, with smaller stops in the Twin Cities and other areas, the auto show season had an even more stunning conclusion with the New York International Auto Show, just concluding at Jacob Javits Convention Center.
Dozens of new vehicles, ranging from concept cars to production surprises, dominated the New York show, which ran through the end of April. Sports cars, futuristic sedans, exotic cars and the ever-increasing sport-utility vehicle segments all were expanded in a dazzling array.
An example of what was introduced at New York is shown on this page, running clockwise from the upper right:
An all-new 2001 Toyota RAV4 compact SUV;
Oldsmobile unveiled a high-tech 2002 Bravada;
BMW, with its Z8 not yet in showrooms, showed off a Z9 concept;
Nissan’s luxury Infiniti branch introduced an all-new Q45 flagship;
Chrysler moved across Manhattan to Cipriani’s Theater to display its new 2001 Sebring sedan, convertible and coupe.
—All photos in this section by John Gilbert, except where noted.
[index at left on cover:]
All stories in this section by John Gilbert, Up North Newspaper Network.
INSIDE:
P2-3/ Chrysler redesigns compact Sebring, Stratus.
P4-5/ Toyota increases SUVs to five.
P7-8/ Minivans, SUVs, luxury concepts prevail.
P9-12/ Photo scrapbook of hot new models.
P13-14/ GM improves high-profit SUVs, trucks.
P15-18/ Spring tune-up needs have changed.
(page 2)
(headline)
Chrysler’s Sebring triplets steal the show
(cutlines:)
The restyled Dodge Stratus will be out this fall in sedan and coupe form.
(page3 cutlines:)
Chrysler’s all-new Sebring sedan for 2001 has a decidedly high-tech look.
(Page 4 headline:)
Highlander, revised RAV4 expand Toyota’s SUVs
(page 4 cutlines:)
Toyota’s Highlander fills a new SUV niche between RAV4 and 4Runner.
(page 5 cutlines:)
New RAV4 is longer, wider, taller, more powerful and more stylish.
(page 7 headline:)
Refined minivans most efficient people-movers
(page 7 cutlines
GM has restyled and revised features on the Venture and other minivans.
(Page 8 cutlines:
Ford’s renovated Windstar boasts newest child booster seat is safest.
[Page 9 headline:
All eyes focus
on sports cars
(page 9 cutlines:
Porsche 911 adds turbocharger to reach 415 horsepower.
Audi TT offers 2001 roadster with quattro, 225-horsepower upgrade options.
Jaguar F-Type expected to move from concept to reality.
Cadillac, of all makes, has an endurance-racing sports car for LeMans.
[Page 10 headline:
Concept cars
flex to future
(page 10 cutlines:
Audi allroad quattro features sizzling performance and suspension that can alter ride-height for true off-road use.
Lexus SC430 concept convertible has foldaway aluminum roof.
Mazda Nextourer concept is station wagon of future.
Isuzu Amigo and Rodeo cousin will have new-concept alternatives.
[Page 11 headline:
Stylists also work
on flashy interiors
(page 11 cutlines:
Mazda Evoq 4-door concept shows right-hand drive.
BMW Z9 has changeable computer screen on dash.
Audi TT has baseball glove stitched leather option.
Lexus SC430 offers stunning array of luxury trim.
[Page 12 headline:
SUVs keep on
adding new models
(page 12 cutlines:
Mitsubishi has redesigned its Montero for the coming model year.
Isuzu Axiom is a concept SUV that will be brought to life.
Ford Explorer offered in new SporTrac with pickup box.
Subaru is exploring new boundaries for Outback-style SUV-pickup.
[Page 13 headline:
GM keeps on truckin’
with new Bravada
(page 13 cutlines:
Oldsmobile Bravada totally redone, with DOHC, multi-valve, in-line six.
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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