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60 auto writers test vehicle with picks to be announced Dec. 7 in Montreal

WHAT IS the best new car
on the market?

Members of the Automobile
Journalists’ Association of -
Canada (AJAC) will soon be an-
nouncing their favorite vehicles.
AJAC members participated in
the annual Car.of the Year
runoffs Oct.29, 30 and Nov, Ein
Ontario. The results will be an-
nounced on Dec. 7 in Montreal.
The contest, which classifies
cars and light trucks into eight
categories from Best New
Economy Car to Best New
“Pickup, is judged by more than 60
automotive journalists from across
Canada.
:. Forty different : new vehicle
types are competing in the eight

- categories, and after a secret
ballot, the winner of each category
has a chance to win overall car of
the year...

Last year, Chrysler’s new LH
cars, the Chrysler Intrepid/Eagle
Vision/Chrysler Concorde, won
Best New Family Sedan and:
overall Car of the Year.:

. Vehicles entered in this year’s
‘contest include economy cars,
family sedans, performance
sedans, luxury, cars, sports cars,
“wagons and vans, pickups and

«performance cars. All vehicles
“must have been ntroduced ‘as 1994

models."': :
The highlight of the AJAC. Car
: ‘of the Year Contest is a four-day
“testing session at Shannonville
motorsports facility.

‘Automotive journalists from
across the country converge on _
this facility.to test-drive cars on ~

.. the road;:a racetrack.and on an... :
. off-road course. oo ;
-This unique testing venue’ “allows
back-to-back testing, enabling
me journalists; to make immediate
- comparisons between vehicles. :
;The Shannonville facility offers
‘two tracks: a tight, twisty “slow”
: track, ‘and a: fast’? track with °

AUTOMOTION

long, straight and sweepimg
curves.

Track testing, under controlled
conditions; allows journalists to
take cars to their limits to test
braking, cornering, traction, and
ride. These limits may never be
reached by vehicle purchasers, but
they are often an indication of
how well the vehicle will perform
in day-to-day use, as well as inl
emergency situations.

Shannonville also has an
road track for testing four- / A,
wheel-drive trucks.

Here, journalists can check
ground clearance, ease of cpera-
tion, traction, stability, and power
— all traits needed by four-
wheel-drive.vehicles when they
travel off-road.

Because of the independent
nature of the AJAC testing and
evaluation. procedure, AJAC

_ awards are highly valued by car-

buying consumers, and car man-

~ -ufacturers who use the awards for
’ . advertising purposes.

* AJAC is one of the few

_ | automobile journalists’ associa-”
’ tions in the world that represents

Glean freige matter oon

sys
excessive ‘oll content.
, Pressure check hi

feaks’ "with: fitter. cap and
‘adapter and tester: 7°"
Gheck crankcase and autematic all
{ransmission oil for water content.
4, Test, coolant thermostat *. with
‘ radiator therraameter.
“8, Check temperature gauge for ac-
pes BUCY.
2B Orain system and flush till ‘clean

Expiros Nov. 18th,

—s

ae,

fadiatot ‘tins.
8. Tast tadiator pressure cap wilh:
cap tester. +h
Check fan blades and pulteys for
‘ratignment and damage. 2 800 a
10. Internat and external inspection al. - :
hoses
:, deterloration,
11.Check core plugs (where possi-
ble) for seepage. .
12. Refill system with correct coolant
and check for air locks.
13. Check condition and tension of
drive belts with tansion gauge.

tor cracks and

= 5

Plus parts & tax

"EXTENDED HOURS OF SERVICE RECEPTION —
» Mon-Thurs, az: 3oam-8: 20pm Fri. & Sat. 8:00ain-6: oopm J

&6 The highlight is a four-day

testing session at Shannonville

motorsports facility. 99

journalists from across one na-
tion.

In the United States, there are a-
number of automobile journalists’
associations, and many awards are
given out by car magazines and
other publications.

The following is a list of cars
entered in the Car of the Year,
and my predictions for the win-
ners. My predictions are not nec-
essarily personal choices, but
rather who I think will win.

Of the cars entered in the Best

‘New Economy Car category — the

Hyundai Elantra GL, Lada
Samara Sagona, Nissan Sentra
Coupe, and Subaru Impreza L —
I would pick the well-built Nissan
Sentra.

The Best New Family Sedan
group includes the new Honda
Accord sedan, Hyundai Elantra
GLS, Lada Samara Sagona,

siperiee 6 year!100,000 km
iE Major Components

oe Warranty

© 6 year/100,000 km Emission
. Components Warranty

© 6 year Rust Perforation
Coverage with unisnited kilo-
metres

03 year/80,000km Bumper-to-
bumper Warranty with no
deductible

* 3 year/24-hour Roadside
Assistance anywhere in

Canada/Continental USA

* 3 year Travel Planning Service

Act Now.

Limited Time Offers.

Subaru Impreza sedan, Toyota
Camry Coupe and Volkswagen
Jetta. 1 think the Jetta and Accord
are close, but the Jetta will win.
The Best New Performance
Sedan category has the BMW
540iA, Chrysler LHS, Ford

- Taurus SHO, Saab 900 S, and

Volve Turbo Sedan. Despite the
high caliber of cars in this cate-
gory, I think the superb, V8-
powered BMW 540iA will take the
prize here.

The Best New Luxury Car will
be a difficult choice.

The BMW 740iA, Cadillac
Sedan Deville/Concours, Chrysler
New Yorker, Infiniti Q45, Jaguar
XJ12, Lexus GS:300, Lincoln
Mark VIII, and the new

Mercedes-Benz C-Class are in this -

group. The all-new, surprisingly- -
affordable Mercedes-Benz C-
Class is likely to win here.

¢ T-bar roof
* air bag
* AM/FM stereo cassette

© Special Limited Edition -only
284 produced
® cloth roof liner

Best New Sports Car contenders ;
include the Acura Integra Sport
Coupe, BMW 325i Cabriolet,
Ford Mustang, Jaguar XJS con-
vertible, Mazda Miata, Porsche .
911 Speedster and Toyota Celica.
Even though the Miata and :
Speedster are the only true sports
cars in this group, 1 think the
finely-crafted BMW will take it.

There are just three entries in |
the Best New Wagon/Van cate- .
gory: Audi 100CS Quattro |
Wagon, Subaru Impreza Sport
Wagon, and the Volvo 8590 Tur-”:
bo Wagon. The Volvo" would be.
my choice.

Of the Best New Pickup con-"
tenders — Chevrolet S10/GMC
Sonoma, Dodge Ram, Ford. °
Ranger Splash, and Mazda’ B-
Series — the impressive nev
Dodge Ram will win by a fand- -
slide.

The contest between BMW M3;
Chevrolet Cameo Z28/Pontiac :" °
Firebird Trans Am, Ford Mustang.
GT, and Toyota Supra Turbo will
come down to a close contest be-,
tween the M3 and the Supra. I
think the M3 will win. 4

As for overall Car of the Year,
Pll bet on the Mercedes-Benz Ca |

-. Class, the C220 and C280.

TH be reviewing the winners, ”
and losers, in depth at a later date

“in my test-drive columns.

* cruise control’
* power locks & mirrors
* alloy wheels

* power fold down top w/auto
down windows
® power locks, antennae

* Lease payments for 48 mo. O.A.C.
No down payment. Ist month & security
deposit, taxes extra. T.P. $16,746.24

**L ease payments for 48 months. $2000
down. Ist and last month plus security taxes

extras. T.P. $22,506.24

REGENCY NISSAN
(NORTHSHORE)

1160 Marine Dr.

Nerth Lancaurer DG6127

985-9311