Friday, July 1, 1994 - North Shore News - 19

AUTOMOTIVE

Automakers find their car niche

OVERDRIVE
ENVIRONMENTALLY
FRIENDLY products. A

politically correct approach.
Lean management mentaiity.

Welcome to the value-conscious,
environmentally responsible '90s. .

With stricter regulations, tighter
budgets, and stronger pressure from
many self-interest groups, cars in
general are becoming tamer in
design, weaker in power, and less
innovative, right?

Sorry, not according to my
books. There is no doubt that these
issues have recently forced
automakers to take a more conserva-
tive approach in developing vehicles
than in the past. That doesn’t mean
there aren’t any unique, eat-your-
heart-out cars out there.

In fact, in recent years, automak-
ers scem to have introduced more
limited production, special edition
vehicles than in previous decades,
Car companies are realizing that,
despite the depressed state of the
economy, people are still very much
in love with automobiles. And it
seems they are more; willing to buv
niche-oriented vehicles.

_ One of the best examples’of this
was witnessed in the development
of the new no-compromise
Chevrolet Impala SS — a hot-rod
muscle car based on the not-so-hot
Caprice sedan.

The Impala started out as an
autoshow car, but Chevy executives
brought it to the market after receiv-
ing overwhelming response from
the showgoers. Peoplc just loved the
aggressive all-black look, and many
wrote to say that they would buy
such a car if it were for sale.

So Chevy responded by dropping
the LT1 V8 engine from the
Corvette into the Caprice, and then
added black-on-black trims, huge
17-inch wheels, and a unique C-pil-'
lar treatment.

The result is a one-of-a-kind,
260-horsepower four-door muscle
car that can blow the doors off many
sports cars. Only 500 copies will be
available in Canada; U.S. buyers get
5,000 units,

The car is not perfect (tacky digi-
tal dash, modest column shifter, no
tachometer), but at just over
$31,000, it certainly offers a lot of

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- $4; the smooth yet spirited 300ZX

bang for the buck.

What about the BMW M3 coupe,
another special edition? Like the
Impala, the M3 is a limited produc-
tion model and is based on another
existing car (the 325) coupe).

BMW engineers transformed the
already excellent 3-series coupe into
an exotic four-seater by replacing
the standard engine with one
designed by BMW's racing special-
ist, BMW Motorsport GmbH,

This classy-looking coupe is
capable of reaching 100 km-h (61
m.p.h,) in just six seconds, and takes
corners like a true sports machine.
Unlike the American Impala, which
gets alot of help from the lasye dis-
placement engine, the M3 pumps
281 horsepower (21 more than the
fmpala) out of a considerably small-
er 3.0-litre, naturally aspirated six-
cylinder engine.

Even at a somewhat steep
$60,000 price tag, the limited pro-
duction M3 sold out completely
after its introduction.

The Japanese haven't been keep-
ing quiet, either.

Acura was the first company to
ignite the sports-car market with its
debut of the niche-oriented, all-alu-
minum NSX sports car back in
1990, Though other Japanese com-
panies decided to show some
restraint by not introducing exotic
machines in the same price range,
they have introduced semi-exotic
sports cars with performance levels
very close to that of the NSX.

Toyota. for example, re-engi-
neered the Supra for 1994 and trans-
formed the touring-sports vehicle
into a world-class sports car. The
320-horsepower, twin-turbo-
charged coupe is not a limited-edi-
tion model, but its hefty $60,000
price tag forces the car to be exclu-
sive and of limited quantity. (How
many new Supras have you seen on
the road?)

The Supra turbo shines among
the many available sports cars in
this class by offering an exception-
ally tight, yet refined and smooth,
feel —- while at the same time pro-
viding exotic car-like acceleration
and handling. Who said you can't
have everything in a sports car?

Other limited quantity perfor-
mance vehicles that have arrived at
dealerships in the past few years
include the all-wheel traction Audi

Photo submited
THE ALL-NEW BMW M3 coupe is powered by an engine designed by BMW's racing specialists.

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convertible; the Cobra-style Dodge
Viper; the King-of-the-Hill Corvette
ZR-1, the pure-bred Porsche 911
Speedster; and the soon-to-come
Saab 900 turbo convertible.

The Dodge Viper roadster gets a
lot of credit for revitalizing the
niche-oriented sports machine mar-
ket because Chrysler was able to
prove to the public that it’s possible
to develop a powerful, unique high-
performance vehicle that has a lot of
style and character.

Thanks to the advances in safety
features and environmentally pro-
tective devices, automakers will
continue to bring out more not-for-
the-masses niche cars in the future.

Let the fun begin.

** Based on $2,000 down

a ** Based on $2,000 down 3 ; OAC
48 mo. plus taxes, O.A.C.

: 48 mo. plus taxes, O.A.C.

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