AMMUTE Poise NEWS photo Nell Lucente The Chevrolet Lumina Van gets a new nose job and a redesigned instrument panel, and standard driver's airbag for 1994. Powered by a standard 3.1-litre V6, or an optional 3.8-litre V6, the Lumina Van's best asset is its smooth quiet powertrain and comfortable ride. GM showcases new safety and convenience features in van’s 94 model TEST DRIVE | WHEN THE Trans Sport concept vehicle was dis- played at auto shows across the country six years ago, showgoers were awed by its futuristic, space-shuttle-like styling. Gencral Motors decided that there was enough interest in the van to pul if into. production, but when the Pontiac ‘Trans Sport, and its sis- ter van the Chevrolet Lumina APY. finally came to market, public inter- est seemed to fade. The futuristic styling had its drawbacks. . The huge. three-part front wind- shield restricted forward vision making parking difficult. The Jargc side-pillar behind the driver restricted rear vision when shoul- der-checking. Inside, the long dashboard shelf was difficult to clean. And most of all. the driving position was, and is, set well back from the base of the windshield. Sitting in the new driver's seat is like siting in the cockpit of a 747 rather than bya family van. In an attempt to correct these faults, General Motors has short- ened the Lumina Van's nose and redesigned the hood, headlamps, grille and buniper. Apart from a more conventional appearance, the Lumina Van (the APY designation has been dropped) is bow easicr to fit into tight park- ing spaces. The new dashboard has a ledge to prevent loose items fron sliding beyond arm's reach and the instru- ment and contro! layout has beer redesigned for easier reach and use. However, the windshield and side pillar design remains the same and the driving position still lakes some getting used 10, Ou the positive side. a number of new safety and convenience fea- tures have been added for 1994. A driver's side airbag (passenger et airbag not available), side-door guard beams, two fold-out rear child seats, and a power-operated sliding side door are ali new. The right-rear power sliding door is a very useful feature, thought it's only available on uplevel trim models. The driver can open and close the sliding door with the push of a button. A safety mechanism prevents arms or feet from being caught in the door while its closing. The effort required to close the door manually is rather high, partic- ularly for school-age children, and I would recommend the power door. The Lumina Van's standard five-passenger seating arrangement consists of two front bucket-seats and a three-person, removeable sec- ond-row bench seat. Two rear buckets, also easily removeable, can be added to bring the maximum passenger cupacily to seven adults. A (wo-seat centre row is also available. All rear seatbacks can be folded Mat to form makeshift tables complete with cupholders. The Lumina Van's seating arcrangement has one disadvantage. The second-row three-person bench is wider than the (wo-person bench common in other mini-vans, and access to the third row trom the side door is not as easy. However, anfike some mini vans. the second and third row seats are quickly removeable for cargo- carrying tasks, A feature | didn't like was the optional aulomatic locking doors. When you put the lever in Drive. all the doors lock automatically. I think this should be up to the dri- ver. The Lumina Van's best asset. apart from tts uulily, is its smooth powertrain and quiet, pleasant ride. A 120 horsepower 3.1-litre V6 engine combined with a three-speed automatic transmission are standard equipment. The standard powertrain is ade- quate for around town use, but many people prefer a larger engine. For (994. a 170 horsepower 3.8 litre V6 engine mated to a four- speed automatic transmission has Price as tested $26.198 Base price $19,598 Type three-door, seven-passen- ger mini-vass Layout transverse engine/front-wheel drive Engine 3.0-litre OHV V6. multi- port fuel injection Horsepower 170 @ 4.800 rpm Yorque 225 ft-lbs @ 3.200 rpm Transmission four-speed elec- tronically-controlled automatic Tires P205/70R-15 all-season front been added. The extra horsepower and torque improves acceleration and passing abilities, particularly with a full load on board. The additional over- drive gear makes highway cruising quieter and more relaxed. The Lumina Van's chassis and Tunning gear are based on the front- wheel-drive Lumina ‘sedan. . Because of this, the Lumina Van- has a low, step-in height, and is low cnough to fit easily into any garage. Carge capacity is enormous with the rear seats removed, and the floor is flat for easier loading. The big. rear hatch extends down. to bumper height and has a rear step. however it requires a fair amount of effort to lift up. Wheelbase 2.788 mm (109.8 in.) Length 4.863 mm (191.5 in.) Width £878 mint (73.9 in.) Height 1.670 mm (65.6 in.) Cargo capacity 3.188 Jitres (1E2.6 cu. £1.) seats removed Fuel consumption Ciry: 8.8 100 km (20 mgep) Hwy: 8.8 VtOO kn (32 mpg) Inquire about the 1994 Lumina at Dick drwin Chevrolet Oldsmobile. $44 Marine Dr.. North Vancouver.