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NEWS photo Faul McGrath

THE CHRYSLER LHS adds a sporty image to the New Yorker luxury car with bigger 13-inch tires, fog lights, Touring suspension, and standard five-passenger interior
with console-mounted shift lever. Inquire about the LHS at Regency Plymouth Chrysler, 1177 Marine Dr., North Vancouver.

TEST DRIVE
AS CONTEMPGRARY as
the new Chrysier New
Yorker is, to some the New
Yorker name evokes images
of plush velour interiors and
padded vinyl roofs,

That doesn't go down well with
a new generation of luxury car
buyers weaned on BM'Ws and
Acuras. Perhaps that’s why
Chrysler created the LHS, a
rebadged New Yorker with a
European flair.

You'll have to look hard,

though, to spot the difference
between the two vehicles. Astute

4&4 Chrysler believes that the LHS and New Yorker

will appeal to different kinds of buyers. 99

observers will note the LHS’
larger 16-inch alioy wheels and
tires, chromed twin exhaust
outlets, integral fog lights, LHS
badges, and standard five-
passenger interior with centre
console shift lever.

The LHS also has more stand-
ard equipment than the New
Yorker, including low-speed trac-
tion control and automatic climate
control.

But that’s as far as it goes. Both
cars share exactly the same engine,
transmission and suspension,
{though the LHS chassis is slightly
stiffer).

Despite this, Chrysler believes
shat the LHS and New Yorker will
appeal to different kinds of
buyers.

According to Chrysler’s buyer-
profile research, the typical LHS
buyer is expected to be between 45
and 55, married, and have a
housghold income between
$60,000 and $100,000. Most will
be male, and many will already
own. a premium import car.

New Yorker buyers are expected
to be between 50 and 60, earn
$45,000 to $80,000, and half of
them will be women.

I had high praise for the New
Yorker when | reviewed it a few
weeks ago, calling it a good value
in the luxury car market.

The LHS is also a good value if
you want a luxury car that’s
equipped to the nines.

Standard equipment is too ex-
tensive to list here, but some of
the more important items are:
dual airbags, automatic climate
control, power windows and cen-
tral door tocking, 1 1-speaker In-
finity premium sound system, an-
ti-theft system, trip computer,
electrically operated driver and
passenger seats, tilt wheel, remote
keyless entry, heated outside
power mirrors, four-wheel dise
brakes with ABS, and low-speed
traction control.

Like the Chrysler Intrepid,
Concorde and Eagle Vision, the
LHS is based upon Chrysler's new
front-wheel-drive LH platform.

These cars have been com-
plimented for their roomy interi-
ors, high level of standard equip-
ment, smooth V6 powertrains, and
excellent handling characteristics.

The standard 3.5-litre overhead
cam V6 engine and four-speed
automatic transmission provide
surprisingly quick, quiet opera-
tion. Though the LHS is a pretty
big car, its curb weight (1,580
kg/3476 lbs.) is not avreszive, so
the high-revving engine’s 214
horsepower is more than enough
to provide peppy off-the-line
Starts and quick highway passing
manceuvers.

The front-wheel-drive LHS has
an engine and transmission
mounted lengthways, rather than
transversely, to reduce vibratioz.s
in the passenger compartment.
This works very well and my only
complaint about noise stems from
wind noise a high speeds.

The front-wheel-drive layout
aiso provides excellent traction in
wel or snowy conditions, even

See LHS page 24

Base price $33,435.
Type four-door,
passenger sedan

five-

Layout longitudinal front
engine/front-wheel drive
Engine 3.5-litre V6, SOHC
(2), 24 valves, multi-port fuel
injection

Horsepower 215 @ 5,800 rpm
Torque 221 ft.-los. @ 2,800
rpm

Transmission four-speed
automatic

Curb weight 1,580 kg/3,476
Ibs.

Wheelbase 2,870 mm/113.0
in. ;
Length 5,268 mm/207.4 in.
Width 1,890 mm/74.4 in.
Height 1,416 mm/55.7 in.
Tires Goodyear Eagle GA
P225/60R-16 radials.
Trunk capacity 507 litres/17.9
cu. ft.

Fuel consumption City: 13.0
L/100 km (22 inpg); Hwy: 8.2
L/100 km (34 mpg)

Warranty Basic: one year/
20,000 km plus Powertrain:
seven vear/115,000 km: or
Lomplete: three year/60,000
7