® Price us (ested $35,000 © Type 5 passenger, 4-door sedan © Layout transverse front engine/front wheel drive © Engine 3,800 cc OHV V6 wétuned port fuel injection © Horsepower 170 @ 4,800 rpm ® Transmission electronically-controlled 4 spd. auto. © Tires P205/70 R15 all season radials © Curb weight 1,636 kg/3607 Ibs. © Wheetbase 2,815 mm/110.8 in. ® Length $,215 mm/205.3 in. © Width 1,869 mm/73.6 in. © Height $495 mm/55.7 in. ¢ Trunk space $66 1/20. cu. ft. © Fue! economy ave. 11.2 1/100 km, 25 mpg © Warranty Basic 3 yrs/80,000 km Powertrain 6 yrs/160,000 km SOME OBSERVERS have compared the styling of the new Buick Park Avenue to the Jaguar XJ6, a compli- ment which certainly bumps it up a couple of notches on the prestige scale. Last year’s sharp creases have been replaced by subtle curves, notably a gentle hip over the rear wheels, a rounded trunk lid, and a clean, aerodynamic front end 441 haven't yet seen a photograph of the new Buick Par Avenue that does it Justice. It just seems to look much better in person.99 Grapaics ubmitted highlighted by a thinly fluted grille. Perhaps more important than its altractive new appearance is BUICK’S top-of-the-line luxury sedan has been redesigned for 1991. The Park Avenue continues to offer a refined power- train: a 3.8 litre V6 engine mated to a new electronically-controlled four-speed automatic transmission. New features include a dual climate control and anti- lock brakes. ° the fact that it now looks different from the less expensive Buick LeSabre (which retains last year’s body style) and some other Gen- eral Motors A-body cars. The Park Avenue now has its own distinct personality, a necessity, | believe, in the luxury car class. The front-wheel-drive Park Avenue is 20 cm longer and three cm wider than last year, though the wheelbase remains the same at 2,815 mm (110.8 in). Both interior room and trunk space have been increased significantly. Two trim levels are available, the Park Avenue and the Park Avenue Ultra. As I mentioned, the interior has also been completely redesigned, and the results are positive. The dashboard curves around into the doors in a harmonious, ‘one- Piece’ effect. Artificial woodgrain panelling in the dash and doors is standard equipment. My test vehicle had big, comfy velour-covered seats with elec- trically-powered adjustments on the driver's side. There is plenty of headroom and legroom for both front and rear seat passen- gers; however, there is not a fot of storage space. A new feature this year is two heater temperature set- tings, one for the driver's side and one for the passenger's side. The new Park Aventte also of- fers standard anti-lock brakes, aluminum wheels, and an elee- tronic sun sensor thiet automatically adjusts the interior temperature, What U ceally liked about this car, as | did with last year’s car. is the sinooth, effordess powertrain. The new eiecetronically-controlled four-speed automatic transmission shifts imperceptibly most of the lime and is well-emated to the 3.8 Friday, November 23, 1990 - North Shore News - 29 AVENUE Luxury sedan has classy new styling Greg Wilson litre V6 engine. The engine, with its twin counter rotating balance shafts, is an exceptionally smooth unit, despite the fact that it uses tradi- ional engine technology (overhead valves, two valves per cylinder, and an iron block). The 3.8 litre V6 engine has 170 horsepower, but does run out of steam oat higher engine revolu- tions. This is nat really important though, because most of the time it is designed to foaf along below 4,000 rpin, The Park Avenue is an) in- credibly smooth and = quiet automobile, On a flat stretch of highways at 100 km/h, the Park Avenue’s engine turns over a leisurely and quiet 1,700 rpin, Vhe car glides ever the pave- ment, seemingly unaffected by adverse road surfaces, a great car for long dips and highway cruis- ing.