Fortunately for Pontiac Aztek, ugly might only be skin-deep
The Pontiac Aztek, by contemporary standards of society overall, is definitely not “just another pretty face.”
It is, in fact, “unusual” if you wanted to be charitable in your description, and, as they say, “butt-ugly” if you didn’t.
When I first saw the Aztek at the International Auto Show, it was a concept vehicle, amid a stream of General Motors concept vehicles. Now, every manufacturer turns out concept cars for auto shows, hoping to attract attention and get a few oohs and ahhs from onlookers in order to get you close enough to consider buying the much more boring real-world vehicle parked next to it.
But a few years ago, Chrysler started bringing its more successful car-show concept vehicles to life. The Dodge Viper was one, the Plymouth Prowler another, and now the PT Cruiser. Ford has countered by planning to bring out a new Thunderbird, based on the concept vehicle shown last January at the Detroit International Auto Show.
General Motors, on the other hand, continued to build concept cars with no seeming intention of ever building a real one. Until this year. It would be understandable if we were to learn that the Aztek was just another one of those, and that somebody at GM finally said, “OK, we gotta build one of these,” and chose this year to do it.
When I saw GM was truly going to build the Aztek, I thought it was some sort of bad joke. A GM type asked me what I thought of the Aztek at GM’s new-product introduction, and I had to be honest. I said “If they make another Frankenstein movie, the monster will drive one of these.”
Sorry, but that was my first impression. The Aztek has a weird front end, quite tall, with what seems to be two tiers of grille. Sort of resembles a Grand Am beak that was overinflated. From the side, the lines aren’t bad, but from the rear, that downward sloping tailgate makes the Aztek resemble one of those late and unlamented American Motors Hornet station wagons — on steroids.
When I got one to road-test, I was prepared for the worst. Automotive columnists get criticized for constantly praising vehicles these days, although normally you know you’re writing about a car mainly for someone interested in buying it, so you want to point out the positives, while adding the criticisms somewhat more tactfully. With the Aztek, I figured this would be the time to pull out all the sarcastic cheapshots and dump them on this beast. You could say things such as the only good thing about the ancient Aztec culture being extinct is they won’t be able to sue Pontiac for defamation of character for naming the Aztek.
The sarcastic feeling didn’t go away in traffic or parked, when you notice that almost everybody gives you a long look in the Aztek, then they smile. From our observation, about 85 percent of the smiles mean the passersby are laughing at you, while the other 15 percent really like the look of the Aztek, and some even come up and stop you in mid-apology (“Â…Honest, it’s not mine, and I know it’s uglyÂ…”) to say how neat it is.
While being critical of the exterior design for being weird, bulbous and almost antisocial, and for GM for putting the same 3.4-liter pushrod engine in instead of giving us the new in-line 6 that the new Bravada will have for 2002, you have one problem: Once you get in the blasted thing, there is a lot to like about the Aztek.
At first, I thought the design of the seat upholstery was somewhere between weird to dizzying, but under the bizarre design, the seats are comfortable and supportive. The rear seat has the usual split, fold-down capability, and you can also pop those seats out, to reach 93.5 cubic feet of cargo space, in which you can haul 4-by-8 plywood sheets, if need be. The tailgate glass raises, and the tailgate itself folds down, and was purposely made strong enough to be sat upon, with two molded-in seats and cupholders.
Inside that rear cargo area, there is a crosshatch of netting, arranging two long storage areas crosswise, each with 100-pound capacity, and two more narrow ones running front to rear on either side of the center ones, or which can be reconfigured 22 different ways. Very handy for stowing grocery bags, or other things you don’t necessarily want tipping over or flying around back there. There also are two power outlets in that back area, making four altogether in the Aztek.
Also, the six-speaker Pioneer audio system has a 190-watt amplifier with two six-inch subwoofers, with a pair of four-inch, extended-range speakers aimed rearward. An option in the GT version of the Aztek is yet another set of audio controls for the rear seat occupants to listen through either of two sets of headphones to different stuff than the front seat folks. The audio system also can be operated by auxiliary controls located back in the cargo area, allowing tailgate or picnic types to annoy nearby folks with game broadcasts or music.
Taking the tailgate party on an actual camping endeavor is possible with an available tent structure that clamps onto the opened tailgate and turns the whole Aztek into a mini-motorhome.
So far, we’re pretty impressed and we haven’t even started the motor yet. Before we do, check out that large console between the front buckets. It’s big enough to house virtually anything, including two six-packs of pop, for which it also is insulated. Not only that, but you can fold up a handle from the side, and pull the thing right out, using it for a cooler.
Starting up the engine, you find plenty of power, with 185 horsepower at a 5,200-RPM peak and 210 foot-pounds of torque at 4,000 RPMs. The four-speed automatic transmission has adaptive calibration logic to adjust shift-points to the type of driving you force on it. The whole unit works well, and delivers over 20 miles per gallon, which is very good, by SUV standards. I got over 23 on one tank.
Pontiac, incidentally, is calling the Aztek an “SRV” for sport-recreation vehicle, rather than settling for SUV. The idea is obviously to give GM a weapon in the newest facet of the SUV market, which is the lighter-weight, sport-oriented bracket started by Jeep Wrangler and recently enhanced by the Nissan Xterra, and now the Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute. So there are assorted bike-carrying accessories and the camping version.
Pontiac has long been the top manufacturer for offering heads-up display, with information projected onto the windshield, which can be adjusted for brightness or eliminated. It’s neat for keeping an eye on remaining fuel and speed, either consciously, or, in George Bush’s case, subliminably. In the Aztek, that system is taken to a new level, with enough brightness and flexibility to show everything from speed to all gauges, radio frequency or CD number and track.
But a major key to the Aztek’s strongpoints is the Versatrak all-wheel-drive system. An especially compact unit, it fits under the flat rear floor and still leaves room for a compact spare tire. The beauty of the system is that the Aztek runs on front-wheel-drive all the time, until sensors detect slippage of the drive wheels. When the module senses a difference between the rotation of the front and rear wheels, but before actual slippage occurs, two pumps engage multi-plate clutches that shift torque from front to rear, automatically.
I’ve watched demonstrations of the Aztek climbing inclines in situations where one, two or even three wheels have no traction. Pretty impressive. Also, you can get an optional 3,500-pound trailer-towing option with heavy-duty cooling and alternator, plus load-leveling rear suspension. Not a bad idea, because it’s one tow-vehicle that can make any trailer look more attractive. Oops, there I go again.
Focus hatchback, sedan family sprout spacious wagon as well
Ford established a pretty surprising beachhead when it came out with the new Focus just one year ago. Amid expensive luxury sedans, flashy sports cars and enormous sport-utility vehicles, Ford had the audacity to come out with an entirely new small car. The Focus was so impressive, overachieving at every objective, that it won the International Car of the Year award for 2000.
I had driven two different Focuses, a sedan and a three-door sporty hatchback. I recently got a chance to drive a Focus SE station wagon, and it shows another, more versatile side to the model line. While the Focus hatchback could be called a subcompact, and the four-door sedan could almost be called a compact for interior room, the wagon is almost up to minivan standards in roominess.
As I was driving the car, the thought occurred to me that even with the four-speed automatic transmission, it still had plenty of snap for performance, making it a surprise that the test vehicle was powered by Ford’s 2.0-liter Zetec four-cylinder. It’s a spunky, 16-valve unit with dual overhead camshafts, and it measures 25 miles per gallon city, 32 highway. I got nearly 30 in combined driving.
The catchy part of the test vehicle might indicate exactly where auto companies are headed to promote their vehicles in the very competitive marketplace.
Open the rear hatch, and you saw several backpack-type bags. There was an insulated cooler, a large blanket emblazoned with Ford’s corporate emblem, and one of the bags had a complete kit of picnic accessories. Obviously, this was the Focus SE Picnic edition. This was a 2000 model, so who knows what to anticipate for 2001?
While the sportiest Focus with a five-speed manual transmission is an impressive performer, the more mundane performance because of the automatic is by no means dull.
That’s the beauty of the Focus. It approaches the task of driving from various directions — work commuter, family hauler, fun-to-drive sporty hatch, and now the fully-flexible wagon, with room and desire to go picnicking or on trips.
Base price of the five-passenger SE wagon is $15,380, which puts it at the upper scale of Focus pricing. For that, you get substantial standard equipment, including keyless entry, power locks, driver and passenger airbags, child safety rear locks, the automatic transaxle, power rack and pinion steering and power brakes with front discs and rear drums. Suspension is by MacPherson struts in the front, with independent multilink in the rear.
A rear window wiper-washer, solar tinted glass and halogen headlights, plus five-spoke alloy wheels, all are standard. Air-conditioning, variable wipers, a rear-window defogger, plus a 60-40 fold-down rear seat are further standard features, and it ranks as a low-emission vehicle by the EPA’s rating.
There are options, including the Zetec engine, and a comfort group, which includes tilt steering, cruise control, power windows, antilock brakes, side-impact airbags, and an audio upgrade to include a CD player, boost the sticker price to $17,695.
The solid demeanor of the Focus makes it feel solid and secure, and the front-wheel drive performance makes it a keeper for wintertime as well.
The actual price sticker sheet for the Focus says its color is Atlantic Blue Clearcoat Metallic, and it was a pretty color. The interior is medium graphite cloth, although it felt softer than that. Everything on the car is listed and categorized on this sheet — except the cooler, the blanket and the picnic outfit. Maybe I was supposed to keep it.
[[[[CUTLINES: (I’m guessing you won’t use more than four Town and Country pictures, so the first two cutlines can go with whichever two overall views you choose.)
1/ Chrysler’s redesigned minivans for 2001 are topped by the luxury Town and Country model.
2/ Subtle but sheetmetal creases establish a stylish beltline on the redesigned Town and Country.
3/ Grocery-carrying van owners will appreciate the power-assisted tailgate, which opens at the touch of a remote key button.
4/ Both sides have sliding side doors, with either one or both of them power-operated, depending on option packages.
Ford Focus
1/ The sharply styled nose of the Ford Focus spreads back to unveil a large, roomy wagon version.
2/ A surprise under the hatchback was a cooler, blanket and complete accessories and utensils for a large picnic.
All-new Chrysler Town & Country minivan can offer ‘base luxury’
The trouble with having a great idea, is what do you do next?
Chrysler Corporation has had what you call some pretty good ideas in recent years, with the PT Cruiser, the Viper, the Prowler, and more-mainstream sedans, such as the Dodge Intrepid, Chrysler 300M and now the new Stratus and Sebring. But the best idea that traditional “No. 3” U.S. manufacturer ever had, bar none, was the minivan.
Since its introduction 17 years ago — on Nov. 2, 1983, to be exact — not only did Chrysler establish an entire segment that not even contemporary market research could have foreseen, but it has dominated that segment beyond reason, having sold over 8 million by itself. There are over 17 million minivans running the roads of the world, 15 million of which are in the U.S. alone.
From 1993-1998, minivan sales plateaued at their peak of 1.4 million sold annually, as consumers looked at SUVs as alternatives, but manufacturers and customers alike came back to minivans last year, increasing the record to 1.6 million in 1999. There are now 15 different competitors for the DaimlerChrysler minivans, but 40 percent of minivans sold last year were Caravans, Voyagers or Town and Country Chryslers.
In the face of some impressive challenges from competitors, Chrysler has upgraded its minivans through the years, but 2001 represents a year of complete revision, from wheels to roof-racks. The challenge was simple, as a DaimlerChrysler executive said: “Don’t mess with the formula, but make it different and make it better.”
I got a brief taste of the new minivans at Chrysler’s introduction in Seattle several weeks ago, and the tightness, quietness, handling and overall quality upgrades were very impressive, with the Dodge Caravan sport my favorite, because it handles even the twistiest roads with a sports car’s poise. The Chrysler Town and Country, however, was the jewel of the bunch at intro time, loaded with outstanding features that included a little fold-up device in the rear cargo area that pops up into something resembling an oversized ice-cube tray to allow you to stash grocery bags upright, without any fear of becoming horizontal — when you try to drive as if it’s a sports car.
My eagerness to give any of those minivans a more thorough test was satisfied when I got a Chrysler Town and Country for a week, and I was eager to test all those things that make it the luxury minivan of the industry.
EXCELLENT ‘REAL’ UPGRADES
From a styling standpoint, it’s got to be a challenge to redesign a van. It’s like the rhetorical question of how do you make a better-looking breadbox? But the designers did well. The prominent front grille leads to streaming creases in the bodywork that extend back at shapely angles, and are picked up by side creases that run from front to rear, angled just to show a more wedgy look and raise the beltline while connecting the headlights with the taillights. The rear pillars are angled forward in a sweeping curve, and the rear bumper curves up at its extremities to add protection to the taillights.
Structurally, the new platform is quietly secured by a 20 percent increase in torsional stiffness of the body, and sophisticated design and construction have aided both the interior soundproofing and the safety characteristics from the suspension to the fit and finish. Chrysler’s association with Mercedes-Benz also adds a benefit. Mercedes executives are excited about selling minivans in Europe, and Chrysler followed Mercedes’ lead to making the new minivans capable of meeting Economic Commission of Europe (ECE) rules for side-impact and offset-impact crash-tests.
While stiffening the front corners and sides to resist intrusion from more than just the usual U.S. front head-on crash tests, variable-force front airbags and the optional side airbags help further, but attention to small details is most impressive. All four pillars on either side are molded from a plastic material that is deformable to absorb impact loads, and they are covered with a separate material that has honeycombed ribs for more energy absorption. Plus, there is polyurethane foam bonded to the headliner and roof side rails.
The Town and Country was equipped with the strong 3.3-liter V6 and 4-speed automatic transmission, and it performed well with its 180 horsepower and 210 foot-pounds of torque. A larger 3.8-liter V6 offers 215 horsepower, and soon the Town and Country will offer the potent 3.5-liter V6, which is a more sophisticated overhead-camshaft engine with 230 horsepower. But the 3.3 provided plenty of acceleration and freeway cruise-holding power.
The EPA estimates are 18 miles per gallon city and 24 highway, while I got 21.3 on combined city-freeway driving.
Other subtle but significant improvements include larger headlights, which are 50-percent larger in size and 80-percent improved in illumination. The air-conditioning and heat are adjustable separately by three zones of control. Instrumentation is larger and more legible. Handy little storage bins are virtually everywhere, as are cupholders, some of which are in the backrest of the second-row buckets or rear seatbacks, and two of which are cleverly designed to swing out from flush-mount locations on the outside of the two second-row buckets.
‘BASE LUXURY’ CONTRADICTION
As if competing with the height of our colored-foliage season, the T&C arrived in a glistening dark red — “inferno red tinted pearl coat” it says here — making it even more jewel-like.
It was curious, however, to note that instead of the low-profile tires mounted on gleaming chromed alloy wheels that made the T&C stand out at the introduction, the test fleet vehicle had sort of tall, 215-70 tires on 15 inch wheels, and the wheels were, well, just WHEELS, with wheel covers, for crying out loud.
Opening the door, I jumped into the anticipated supple, plush, leather bucket driver’s seat, only to find out that it was NOT leather at all, but a nice, fuzzy velour-type stuff. Hmmm. True, it was an 8-way power seat, but it was quite a letdown, if you like leather, and if, indeed, leather was a reason to select the luxury version of the Chrysler minivan fleet.
Ah, but it did have the power remote gadget on the key fob, which allows you to activate the newly powered rear liftgate. It is an impressive device, because you can be carrying armloads of stuff to the vehicle and, at the touch of the right button, you hear a series of little beeps and then the tailgate swings up, up and away, for easy stowing. Of critical importance is that safety has been designed into the device, so that if it touches anything, the door stops instantaneously and reopens. And it can be manually overridden.
A different button on the fob allows you to open or close the right side sliding door, which also is handy, but the third button, signifying the left side sliding door, didn’t seem to function. Hmmm. Turns out, the test vehicle had only part of the power-door package, and the left side sliding door wasn’t included, despite its presence on the fob. An impressive touch is the almost-soft power closing device that seals the tailgate and the sliding door once it is in close enough proximity to latch, eliminating slamming and reslamming.
Meanwhile, back at the power tailgate, I was eager to show off the excellent idea of that rear fold-up parcel holder, which can be raised to a higher position to still allow grocery bags to stand upright, while leaving a large capacity under the shelf for stowing other items. Curiously, that shelf was NOT installed in this vehicle.
Looking at the rear end, I noticed an “LX” emblazoned, which, to me means luxury, and I checked out the sticker price, and it said $30,425, which means luxury even more intensely. So finally, I went to the thorough and complete information guide I had gotten at the introduction. To my surprise, the Town and Country comes in the LX, the LXi, and the Limited. Amazing — the LX test vehicle was the “base” model of the luxury minivan, which is one of those nonsequitors like “jumbo shrimp.”
I mean, when you can buy a Voyager or a Caravan in versions from base to loaded, and you choose to pay extra for the luxury Town and Country promises, you might assume you’re going to start out above and beyond those less-exalted models.
The other problem, I suppose, is that normally the road-test vehicles supplied to the media usually are loaded to the gills with the best options — how else can they get tested? — so it was surprising to see a Town and Country test vehicle that lacked some of the most impressive reasons for upgrading.
At $30,000, the vehicle had a lot of options, so adding leather, the rear gadget, dual-sliding-door power and the neat wheels might have boosted it beyond comprehension. But the base price of the Town and Country is a reasonable $24,430. To reach its price, the test vehicle added such options as a preferred package with three-zone air-conditioning, snscreen glass, air filtering, overhead console, keyless entry, heavy-duty alternator and assorted convenience lights ($1,620), plus supplemental side airbags ($350), removable console that can be placed between either the first or second row of bucket seats ($160), four bucket seats themselves ($820), the power driver’s seat ($370), the right side power sliding door ($385), power liftgate ($250), roof rack ($215), Infinity speaker system and AM-FM-cassette-CD upgrade ($720), and load-leveling and height control ($290).
So it adds up. Makes you wonder if you were going to add all that stuff as a la carte options, you might be better off going for the upgraded model, and you could end up with leather seats and neat wheels in the process.
Improved Jetta, Passat move forward with assist from Audi
The resurgence of Volkswagen can be traced directly to the overwhelming, cult-like following for the New Beetle. But VW has far loftier plans, and once you’re lured into a Volkswagen dealership, you might find various other vehicles to tempt your budget.
The reason the New Beetle is so successful is that it has little in common with the Old Beetle except the shapely arch of styling. At the time of the New Beetle introduction, VW was just about to launch a thoroughly revised Golf, which had been the company’s bread-and-butter compact. Always known as a safe, sturdy, dependable car, the new Golf was better in every respect. So VW plunked the New Beetle body onto the new Golf platform and brought it out before the new Golf.
The result was that the New Beetle with its front-wheel-drive Golf powertrain and platform, surpassed all previous small car results in crashworthy safety tests. That wouldn’t have been a surprise for the Golf, but it was for the New Beetle, because the original Beetle had the engine in the rear and all the frontal crash protection of a steel manila envelope.
Subsequently, VW brought out the new Golf, and has since brought out new Jetta and Passat models. Having recently reported on the Golf, we should take a long look at the Jetta and Passat to best assess where Volkswagen is headed under its current head of steam.
While obviously linked to the New Beetle, the models of the Jetta and Passat I tested provide evidence of the more subtle close link Volkswagen has with Audi, its corporate partner and also a company on an incredibly successful roll.
A recent column by veteran Budgeteer columnist Herb Palmer mentioned that Audi was considering withdrawing from the U.S. market. To clarify, an unsubstantiated accusation — later disproven in a countersuit — were broadcast in a “scoop” by 60 Minutes on national television, linking Audi to an unintended acceleration case, and Audi’s U.S. sales dropped to a point in 1994 that the company considered pulling out.
The introduction of the A4 model, however, in 1995 led Audi to an upsurge from worst to first in U.S. resale value, while the A4, A6, A8 and TT models all are currently rated worldwide at the top of their classifications. The new Passat, in fact, came out on the firm and stable Audi A4 platform. The Jetta rides on Audi’s Europe-only A3 platform. And both models I test-drove had Audi engines and drivetrains.
JETTA GLS 1.8T
The Jetta began life as a 4-door Golf with a trunk, and that still remains as its basis. With the Passat entering as a larger, roomier sedan, VW fits the Jetta in between the Golf/Beetle and the Passat, and, whether by chance or brilliant engineering, it fits very well into a niche that is near-perfect for anyone who wants the sporty agility of a sports-sedan but still needs the rear seat for kids and/or occasional full-sized adults.
Volkswagen long has made strong, durable engines, including a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, which, in 16-valve form, can run at over 140 miles per hour all day on German autobahns, and a narrow-angle 2.8-liter VR6 that has won engineering awards for innovations such as one cylinder head for both sides of the V.
But the big attraction of the 2000 Jetta GLS is the availability of a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder with an amazing five valves per cylinder and a low-pressure turbocharger. If that engine sounds familiar, it is an Audi engine, available in either the A4 sedan or the TT sports cars. It is an engine bristling with technology, with three intake and two exhaust valves on each cylinder, all operated by a slick, dual-overhead-camshaft design and controlled by a sophisticated engine-management system that regulates the turbo.
It produces 150 horsepower at 5,800 RPMs, and 162 foot-pounds of torque, which, instead of rising to and falling from a peak, instead comes in at 2,200 RPMs and remains at that level until 4,200 RPMs, thanks to the computerized engine controls coordinating the turbo.
While the Jetta broke sales records in 1999, it didn’t get the 1.8T engine until midyear, and while you can pay more for a GLX model with the 174 horses of the VR6, the flexible and fun 1.8T has sufficiently spirited performance and delivers improved fuel economy. The EPA estimates are 22 miles per gallon city and 28 highway with the optional 4-speed automatic transmission, and I got 24 MPG combining freeway, city, and Duluth hill-climbing, while proving the automatic would rev freely to 6,200, with a 6,500-RPM redline.
The test car had a base price for the well-equipped GLS at $19,200. The automatic transmission is an $875 option, the luxury package added $1,175, and the Monsoon sound system — a 200-watt, 8-speaker, digital signal-processing unit — is well worth an extra $295. Adding a cold-weather package boosts the sticker to $22,220. The basic automatic transmission worked well, but the fun-quotient of the car could be dramatically enhanced with the addition of the 5-speed Tiptronic, which allows manual shifting of the automatic.
At that, the Jetta GLS is competitive with such stalwarts as the top Honda Accord or Toyota Camry, and beats them significantly in price when you consider the standard equipment. The 1.8-turbo engine, track-correcting independent rear suspension, anti-slip regulation stability control, antilock 4-wheel disc brakes, front and side airbags for front occupants are all standard on the GLS. So are other safety concepts, from side-bolstering tubes and foam-padded doors, 3-point harnesses for both front and all three rear occupants, height-adjustable front buckets, and the usual air-conditioning, power-steering, power locks, windows and side mirrors.
An important element in the success of any midsize sedan is the feel of driving. The Jetta starts out with that solid platform, and laser-welding and high-tech bonding tricks have led to an extremely rigid bodyshell with narrow-gap tolerances. That gives the GLS a firm stance and precise feel to the most abrupt steering input. It also is the perfect basis for deformation crumple zones designed to absorb impacts, front and rear, while accordioning to keep occupants barricaded.
Brilliant blue lighted instrument numbers with bright red-orange needles worked on the New Beetle and is just as impressive in the Jetta. A 2-year, 24,000-mile warranty covers everything and includes all scheduled maintenance, done free, for that span.
The Jetta rear seat looks cramped from the outside, but I talked to a large, 6-foot-2 and quite stout fellow who rode for 10 hours in that location and said once inside he had excellent comfort, partly attributed to the indentations in the backside of the front buckets to help rear knee room.
PASSAT GLX 4MOTION
The Jetta may well be big enough for a young family with two or three kids, but if not, Volkswagen offers the Passat. Still on the superb Audi A4 platform, the Passat has an enormous rear seat and trunk, more the size of the larger Audi A6, or, to the uninitiated, more like a limousine than a midsize sedan.
The Passat has 106.4-inch wheelbase (compared to Jetta’s 98.9), and overall length of 184.1 inches (compared to Jetta’s 172.3). There is a similarity in looks, with the Jetta having a slightly more-chiseled front and a notched rear compared to the Passat’s sweeping curvature at the rear pillar. That smoother look of the Passat improves on Jetta’s excellent .30 coefficient of aerodynamic drag to an amazing .27.
For 2000, the top-of-the-line Passat GLX also got Audi’s 2.8-liter V6 instead of the very good VW 2.8-liter V6. The difference is that Audi’s engine also has the 5-valve-per-cylinder technology with dual overhead cams, and produces 190 horsepower (instead of 174) and 206 foot-pounds of torque.
But the test GLX takes a giant step beyond all that. It was the “4Motion” model, which is Volkswagen’s name for its all-wheel-drive system. Audi, as car zealots know, have an exceptional all-wheel-drive system called quattro, which just finished 20 amazing years of outstanding duty. Audi always spells “quattro” with a lower-case “q” for subtlety, and, until this year, I imagine Audi couldn’t have imagined sharing that wonderful asset with Volkswagen.
The Passat’s 4Motion combines a mechanical front-to-rear apportioning of torque from the standard 50-50 whenever wheelspin is detected, and it also has an electronic control to split the left-right split by applying brakes lightly to prevent wheelspin and allow the system to pull the car straight ahead even if only one wheel has traction.
The problem, of course, is that the otherwise reasonably-priced Passat climbs onward and upward with the 4Motion, from a base of $27,655 to a sticker of $30,905 for the test car. The big difference is the 4Motion system at $1,650, and the Tiptronic 5-speed automatic transmission at $1,075.
Standard equipment is similar to the Jetta, right down the line on 4-wheel disc brakes, antilock, alloy wheels, anti-intrusion side beams and padding, front and side airbags for front occupants and height-adjustable front buckets. In the GLX Passat it also means genuine wood interior trim and leather seats and steering wheel, a trip computer, rain-sensing wipers, power glass sunroof, heated front seats, rear-seat pass-through to trunk, heated wiper wash nozzles, and the Monsoon audio system.
The Passat has Audi’s 4-link front suspension, which minimizes the torque-steer of front-wheel drive, but, of course, works just fine with the 4Motion as well. The Jetta turns on a dime, at least a 35.8-foot dime, while the longer Passat has a very impressive 38-foot turning radius.
The Passat has an aggressive, streamlined stance and all the comfort and stability of much more expensive luxury cars, and still is fun to drive and performs with some of the best sporty sedans. The only question is that when customers find dealerships — outlets in Duluth, Bemidji and other Up North points closed up shop several years ago — they might be somewhat startled to see how advanced Volkswagen sedans have become. And also, they might question whether the world is ready for a $30,000 Volkswagen.
[[[[[[[CUTLINES:
1/ The Volkswagen Jetta GLS has a new but familiar look, with a surprise under the hood.
2/ Rear-seat room may appear cramped in the Jetta, but once inside it proves to be surprisingly adequate.
3/ The hood’s creases add a note of distinctiveness to the Jetta, compared to the smoother Passat.
4/ The Passat GLX roofline arcs smoothly to cover the large rear seat and meet the extended tail covering an enormous trunk.
5/ Foglights are integrated into the headlight unit in the smooth front end of the Passat, which has an amazingly low 0.27 coefficient of drag.
Sebring, Stratus sedans and coupes are similar but different
Before the coming of the minivan and the sport-utility vehicle, the major decision facing U.S. car-buyers was simple: coupe or sedan? If you got what you “wanted,” it was probably a coupe; if you got what you “needed,” it was probably a sedan.
Over the past couple of decades, the minivan and then trucks and SUVs of all shape and style took over the consciousness of U.S. buyers, as well as manufacturers, who, except for rare success stories such as the Pontiac Grand Am, seemed to pretty well concede the midsize sedan and coupe segment to Japanese car-builders like Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Subaru.
So here we are, boldly roaring into the new millenium, and Chrysler Corporation — now DaimlerChrysler, thank you — has simplified matters for U.S. car-buyers. Do you want a midsize sedan, or coupe?
I was startled last spring at the stunning looks of the 2001 Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Stratus sedans and coupes when they were unveiled to the media at the New York Auto Show. I haven’t yet gotten my hands on one of them for a normal test-drive, but I was able to attend the driving introduction for the Sebring/Stratus sedan and coupe in Seattle, Wash., a couple of weeks ago, which proved that no matter how impressive the cars looked up on a pedestal in New York, they were more impressive when hurled around the mountainous roads of the Pacific Northwest.
While recreating both models for showroom introductions that are happening right now, DaimlerChrysler has created an interesting sort of competition between the two brands, and between the sedans and coupes. For example, when I first saw them, I liked the look of the Sebring far better, with that Ferrari-esque nose. My wife, Joan, first saw them and declared that she liked the Stratus far better, with its Viper/Intrepid-like front.
“If people like one distinctly better than the other, great,” said Gary Kanarek, project planning engineer on the coupe project. “Mainly, we wanted to separate the two, with the Stratus designed to be bold, capable and powerful, while the Sebring is expressive, athletic and refined.”
That same concept carries over to the sedans as well, but here is the interesting twist — the coupe is not at all a 2-door version of the 4-door sedan. In fact, it is an entirely different car, with entirely different engines and entirely different teams working from start to finish.
The sedans were both done by Chrysler’s “large-car” team, which had done such an impressive job on the current Dodge Intrepid and Chrysler Concorde/LHS/300M. The sedans are being built at Chrysler’s Sterling Heights, Mich., assembly plant. The coupes were designed by a separate team, working with engineers from Chrysler’s Mitsubishi partner, and they are assembled at Normal, Ill., at the DiamondStar plant Chrysler has shared with Mitsubishi for two decades.
So while the sedans and coupes retain a family resemblance that is close to identical except to the most discerning eye, they are entirely different from the ground up. All of them have some impressive attributes, such as progressive computer design that should assure closer fit and finish, four-wheel disc brakes on all models, and the availability of both a strong 4-cylinder and an extra-strong V6, with AutoStick manual-automatic transmissions and some 5-speed manual shifters.
With base prices under $18,000 and a totally-option-loaded ceiling of $25,000, the Sebring and Stratus could be the best U.S. sedans and coupes ever devised for challenging such stalwarts as Accord, Camry and all comers.
SEBRING/STRATUS SEDANS
As curvy and sporty as the coupes are, the Sebring and Stratus 4-door sedans appear every bit as sporty. Chrysler knew that the outgoing Stratus and Chrysler Cirrus — a name dropped in place of Sebring for 2001 models after only the coupe and convertible were Sebrings before — had impressive quality-control figures from J.D. Powers. Eager to keep those buyers, Chrysler also wanted to reduce wind and road noise, and to improve safety characteristics, power and handling in hopes of attracting new buyers.
With an all new body that is beautifully styled with tightly stretched lines over the cab-forward/upraised-rear shape, the Sebring/Stratus were given a new underbody platform with a 13 percent reduction in twisting flexibility and a 33 percent reduction in bending. In past years, cars had platforms that were pretty flexible, and the focus of the suspension had to be on stiffening it; the new design of the Sebring/Stratus and various other cars can be made so stiff that engineers can fiddle with the suspension to soften the ride to a more compliant level.
Chrysler’s engineers seized that opportunity to aim the Dodge Stratus at sporty performance in its handling, and aim the Chrysler Sebring a little more toward comfort and luxury. Same for the steering, where the Stratus requires a bit more effort, enhancing that performance feel. The Stratus also offers an R/T model with better handling because of firmer suspension.
But make no mistake. Luxurious as the Sebring is, it stays flat and has very good performance, and, as sporty as the Stratus is, it is plenty comfortable and luxurious. And while their styling takes cues from the much larger Concorde/Intrepid, the Sebring/Stratus sedans are much smaller, but still more than adequate in interior and trunk space.
Both the Sebring and Stratus share as base engine Chrysler’s 2.4-liter 4-cylinder, which is a dual-overhead-camshaft, 16-valve piece that has 150 horsepower at 5,200 RPMs and 167 foot-pounds of torque at a peak of 4,000 RPMs.
The heartbeat that sets the Sebring/Stratus apart, however, is the 2.7-liter V6, an underrated and underappreciated gem Chrysler built only after doing 1,500 versions on computers, and which is strong enough to serve as base engine in the larger Intrepid and Concorde. It is a chain-driven, dual-overhead-cam V6 with 24 valves and a hearty 200 horsepower at 5,900 RPMs, plus 192 foot-pounds of torque, peaking at 4,300 RPMs.
What the Sebring and Stratus get with the 2.7 that the Intrepid/Concorde lack is Chrysler’s AutoStick, which is a strong, 4-speed automatic, with a notch at the bottom that connects the shift lever with a manually-operated, spring-loaded connection. Bump it to the right, it upshifts, or to the left, it downshifts. Running that 2.7 all the way up to redline with the AutoStick provides all the kicks any sports-car zealot could desire.
“The 2.7 gives us best-in-class power, with 0-60 times about 1.5 seconds quicker than the 2.5 V6 it replaces,” said John Tak, the engineer who was chief prodct planner on the sedans.
The seatbelt harnesses have been improved with pretensioners and the airbags have been supplemented with an optional side airbag curtain to enhance the head protection of front and rear occupants in the event of a side impact. The platform stiffness also improves crashworthiness, and the improved handling improves the sedans’ evasive ability.
The headlights have been redesigned and refocused to provide a broader and longer beam, improving brightness by 25 percent. One neat touch is that in its attempts to cut noise, the Sebring/Stratus have 5 mm. Glass in the windshield, compared to 3 mm. in cars such as the Accord.
SEBRING/STRATUS COUPES
Major national magazines have suggested that the Sebring/Stratus coupes are built on the Mitsubishi Eclipse platform, but Chrysler engineers said it was a hybrid platform, with the front resembling the Eclipse and the rear more similar to the Mitsubishi Galant.
The outgoing Dodge coupe was the Avenger, and both Dodge and Chrysler coupes had very good, but unexciting, Mitsubishi 2.0-liter 4-cylinders or 2.5-liter V6s. The new car has a 2.4-liter 4 and a 3.0-liter V6. Yes, the sedans also have a 2.4 as base engine, but the sedans use the Chrysler engine used in the minivans or the new PT Cruiser, while the coupes use Mitsubishi’s 2.4, which has 147 horsepower at 5,500 RPMs and 158 foot-pounds of torque at 4,000 RPMs.
The coupe V6 is Mitsubishi’s smooth 3.0, with a single overhead cam and four valves per cylinder. It matches the 200 horsepower of the sedan engine, at 5,500 RPMs, and delivers 205 foot-pounds of torque at 4,500 RPMs.
At first, my thought was that the sedans with the DOHC 2.7 would blow away the SOHC 3.0 V6, but after driving them, the power seems pretty comparable. The coupes also differentiate, with the Sebring getting a bit more luxury and the Stratus going toward the R/T settings for firmer handling.
Both engines can be obtained with the 5-speed manual transmission, which is a fine Mitsubishi unit that shifts smoothly. That’s something not yet available with the 2.7 V6 in the sedans. The 4-speed automatic in the coupes is also Mitsubishi-built, and it also has a clutchless-manual setting that, for 2001, is also called AutoStick. But it’s different from Chrysler’s.
Porsche was first out with that sort of transmission, which allows the driver to shift the lever into a little adjacent gate, where it can be nudged forward for upshifts or backward for downshifts. Because of the patent, Chrysler uses a side-to-side gate for its AutoStick. Mitsubishi, however, paid Porsche to use the patented system and the AutoStick in the coupes goes forward or backward instead of side-to-side.
Chrysler also used computer tricks to make the Stratus exhaust sound a little more throaty, in keeping with the high-performance image. The concept of sportiness, as well as safety, is aided by a body with 9 percent improvement in torsion rigidity and — get this — 99o percent improved against bending. Improved suspension, with isolated front crossmembers and stabilizer bars front and rear, give the new coupes a real handling flair.
The coupes could be enormous hits, particularly Up North, where you could think of them as a Mustang/Camaro challenger with front-wheel drive and a real, usable rear seat and surprisingly roomy trunk.
In fact, the Stratus or Sebring might be the sportiest looking coupes around. The big question is whether they’re as sporty looking as the Stratus or Sebring sedans.
[[[[[CUTLINES:
1/ The 2001 Chrysler Sebring LXi sedan felt right at home on twisty roads in the mountains of Washington.
2/ A Stratus R/T coupe showed off its lines on the highway leading to Hurricane Ridge, on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula.
3/ The smooth lines of the midsize Sebring resemble the Chrysler 300M, and the 2.7 V6 might challenge the performance of its larger sibling.
4/ A bridge along the rocky coast of Whidby Island provided a mystical backdrop for the sleek 2001 Dodge Stratus R/T coupe. ]]]]]]]]]]
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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