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North American Auto News, 6/21/95 (2/2)
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Subject: North American Auto News, 6/21/95 (2/2)
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From: USFMC6DB@IBMMAIL.COM (CKB)
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Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 18:45:42 GMT
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Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
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Organization: ECC at Ford Motor Company, Dearborn Michigan
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References: <3rq6k1$1hk@newsbf02.news.aol.com>
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17 Jaguar cars. Luxury sport ute gathers steam. Car talk.
Detroit News | p 1E | 95:06:14
Jaguar Cars Ltd's all new luxury compact sports utility vehicle that the
company wants to sell in late 1999 or early 2000 will likely be built in
Louisville, Kentucky, on the same line as the Ford Explorer, instead of in
Coventry, England. Power for the all wheel drive SUV will come from a new
twincam 4.0L V8 engine mated to a new electronic 5 speed automatic
transmission. The SUV will likely share major chassis components with the
next generation Explorer (codenamed UW152) due in 2000. Price will be
about US$50,000 and the Jaguar will compete with the Range Rover. Internal
Jaguar forecasts predict annual production of less than 20,000 units.
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18 Opel: US$4.3 billion for cars, plants.
Automotive News | n 5609 p 4 | 95:06:12
General Motors Corp's Adam Opel AG subsidiary will invest US$4.3 billion
(DM 6 billion) over the next 3 years to develop new cars and modernize two
old German factories. This decision comes after Opel's union agreed to
work more flexible hours. Flexible work hours could save the company US$18
million per year. Since Opel exports much of its output, the very strong
German mark cost Opel US$214 million in 1994. Opel's 12,000 worker
Russelsheim, Germany, factory will build the Cadillac Catera, based on the
Opel Omega, for introduction in January 1996. Further, Saturn may use the
Opel Vectra platform for a second car, and the Opel Astra for a third,
smaller car.
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19 German union plans to embarrass BMW if UAW drive is blocked.
Detroit News | p 3B | 95:06:14
Germany's powerful Metalworkers Federation union will embark on a campaign
to embarrass German automaker BMW AG if it blocks a United Auto Workers
membership campaign at BMW's new South Carolina assembly plant. The German
union will begin a major publicity campaign revealing that although BMW has
union members on its board in Germany, it is fighting labor unions in the
US.
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20 Porsche AG. Boxster to debut in Detroit? Car talk.
Detroit News | p 1E | 95:06:14
Porsche AG in Germany is testing development mules of the Boxster
(codenamed 986). Spy photographs of the 2 passenger prototypes show that
the production version will look very different from the earlier concept
vehicle seen at the Detroit auto show. According to reports, the new
Boxster will debut at the January 1996 Detroit auto show. Porsche will
begin building the lightweight Boxster in fall 1996. Power for the
midengine car will come from a choice of twincam 2.5L and 3.0L 6 cylinder
engines or a 16 valve 2.0L 4 cylinder engine. All of the engines are water
cooled and come with a choice of automatic or manual transmissions. This
entry level model will be priced over the new BMW Z3 roadster but near the
upcoming Mercedes-Benz SLK, at about US$45,000. It reportedly will feature
luxury options such as a power operated soft top and a removable hard top.
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21 Winds of change. Saab returns to turbocharging as buyers ignore V6.
Automotive News | n 5609 p 8 | 95:06:12
Saab Cars USA experienced low sales of V6 powered cars so it will return to
offering turbochargers. The company will offer an automatic transmission
in its turbocharged, 4 cylinder engine version of the 900 for model year
1996. Regional director of Saab in the Americas, Jim Crumlish, said that
is too early to tell if the General Motors Europe V6 engine will completely
disappear from the company's lineup and added, "at some point it doesn't
make sense. We're a ways away from that. But it's fair to say that we
expected V6 to represent 60% of our volume. And it's been significantly
lower."
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22 Ferrari SpA. Testarossa successor due in 1997. Car talk.
Detroit News | p 1E | 95:06:14
The Ferrari 556TR, the successor the 512TR (Testarossa), will debut in
Europe in late 1996 and in the US by spring 1997. Codenamed F133, the 2
seat coupe will use the 456GT's tube chassis and will employ composite body
panels. The 60 valve 575 hp 5.0L V12 engine will be placed in the front,
instead of the rear, on the US$250,000 rear wheel drive TR.
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23 New cab, engine breathe new life into Toyota T100. Sales in 1995 surpass
1994 already.
Automotive News | n 5609 p 3, 59 | 95:06:12
Since Toyota Motor Corp debuted an extended cab and a more powerful V6
engine for its T100 midsize pickup truck, sales have increased to 15,594
units through May 1995, compared to that same number for all of 1994. The
company previously expected 36,000 T100 sales in the US when the enhanced
model arrived but has increased that projection to 40,000 units. Toyota
could sell 50,000 units in 1995 if its partner, Hino Motors Ltd, frees up
factory time. Bryan Bergsteinsson, vice president of the truck series team
at Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc, said, "We're hoping eventually to get into
the 100,000 range, but that would require a plant" in the US. "As long as
it's built in Japan, sales will be minuscule." Buyers who previously
purchased a domestic truck view the T100 as more of a family hauler than a
work truck, said one Toyota dealer.
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24 Toyota hikes import prices.
Automotive News | n 5609 p 1-2 | 95:06:12
Toyota Division is increasing the sticker price on some 1995 Japanese built
models by an average of 1.8% or US$354. Across Toyota's entire product
line, the sales weight average increase is 0.5% or US$101. North American
built Corolla, Camry, Avalon and Tacoma models will see their prices
unchanged. Toyota will increase prices on the Supra, Previa, 4Runner, Land
Cruiser, T100, Celica, Paseo and Tercel.
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25 Next Nissan Quest gets modest nose, tail job. Spied on the street.
Detroit News | p 1E | 95:06:14
A front three quarter spy photograph of the 1996 Nissan Quest shows a
redesigned nose, new air intakes, parking lamps and bumper fascia. The
taillights and rear bumper underwent a mild revision. Further, a new wheel
design is under evaluation. The mildly updated cabin features a passenger
air bag. The Mercury Villager twin will also receive the styling and
mechanical changes. The Nissan Motor Co Ltd and Ford Motor Co joint
venture is planning to conduct a major redesign of the compact vans for
model year 1999. The JV wants to continue to build the minivans in Ohio
for at least the next decade.
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26 Briefing. Nissan to redesign Altima. Car talk.
Detroit News | p 1E | 95:06:14
Nissan Motor Co Ltd will conduct a major redesign of the compact Altima
(codenamed ZQ) in model year 1998. Separately, Toyota Motor Corp will
debut the next generation Camry (codenamed 414T) in early 1997, and
Mitsubishi Motors Corp is expected to debut an all new Galant (codenamed
F62) in model year 1999.
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27 Power study counters Kia's quality claims.
Automotive News | n 5609 p 6 | 95:06:12
Kia Motors Corp finished last in the JD Power and Associates Initial
Quality Study with 295 problems per 100 cars in its first year of business
in the US. The top line was Nissan's Infiniti, which had 55 problems per
100 cars. When Kia arrived in the US, it promised "Japanese built quality
at a Korean built price." Kia said the Power's rating does not represent
actual vehicle quality. The Sephia, the only Kia vehicle in the 1995
survey, exhibited two recurring problems: an adhesive chrome strip near
the bumpers peeled at the corners and the glove box rattled. The 1995 1/2
Sephia will eliminate both those problems because a passenger air bag will
be added to the driver air bag, which will change the glove box design, and
the bumper will no longer feature a chrome strip.