AUTOMOBILE WORLD – CAR NEWS, CAR REVIEWS, CAR INTRODUCTIONS, ALL ABOUT CARS

Imperial was originally the up market brand name of Chrysler vehicles built to compete directly with Cadillac and Lincoln models. For much of the 1950s, its cars had rather sedate styling, with much less glitz than that of rival marques, but after 1954, when Imperial became a separate division from Chrysler, all that began to change. Fins started to become taller and chrome embellishment more fancy. Finally, and entirely new Vigil Exner designed body was introduced in the 1957 in the market with wrap around screens and a set of quadruple front headlights. The comprised of the ride is two and four door hardtop models, a limousine and a wonderfully extravagant convertible all powered by a 345 bhp V8 engine. Each successive year Imperial tail fins grew bigger but so did everyone else’s. What the company needed was a gimmick that nobody else had, and they found it in their 1961 models, free standing headlights. Hoping to evoke memories of pre was classic, this was the ultimate in non functional design, which generated copy in the press but pleased few buyers. This outstanding ride has an engine of V8, with powerful engine of 6789cc.The chassis is Box section type, equipped with Drum brakes.

The car has three speed automatic transmission along with the independent front and live axle rear. The top speed was 112 mph (179 km/h). It reached 0-60 mph (96 km/h) in just 12 seconds. It was dropped in 1964 as the range began to feature the clean cut styling inspired by Lincoln’s MK IV Continental. The marque became more closely aligned to its Chrysler parent until 1975, When the Imperial was dropped as a separate line altogether.

Posted February 28, 2010 Comments(0)

Cord was founded in 1929, and set itself apart from other American manufacturers in its use of front wheel drive on a series of large, luxurious, straight eight powered machine described L29s. it is form the sarcophagus edged 810/812 Series cars that the marque is best remembered, however.cPowered by the specially designed side valve V8 engine this time, the 810/812 Series had crowd stopping looks featuring retractable headlamps and a wrap around grille on a long, narrow bonnet (hence the ‘coffin nose’ nick name). Created by Gordon Miller Buehring, their smooth and slippery profile was truly futuristic, and they had a futuristic specification to match that included an electric gearcahnge and, of course, Cord’s trademark front wheel drive. Several different variations on the original styling theme were employed. Without any doubt however, the most beautiful and sought after of these variants was the convertible model, particularly in 1937 812S form, featuring extremely an impressive supercharged 1700bhp engine. The engine was capable of 4730cc, with 170 bhp. The ride was fully equipped with Drum brakes with for speed manual transmission.

Thus equipped, the Cord was a supremely powerful 100mph (160km/h) car, capable of doing 0-60pmh (96km/h) in 13 seconds. In these 1930s, that was supercar performance. Unfortunately, Cord as a company was in a trouble by then, and its new owner decided to pull out of car production altogether for 1938. There would be no more big front drive American cars until the prologue of the Oldsmobile Toronado 30 years later.

Posted February 27, 2010 Comments(0)

Citroen has a proud record of building landmark large cars, from the rule breaking DS, through the SM coupe to the CX. The CX was replaced by the angular; Bertone styled XM, which came as both a hatchback and a giant estate car. But unlike the CX, which sold an incredible million units over its long life, the XM was not greatly loved. Citroen has found like Renault that the increasing popularity of large German cars during the 1980s was throttling the market for quickly French products. Between 1989 and 2000, XM sales averaged just 30,000 per year. Citroen signaled its intention to stay in what was becoming known as ‘non premium large car market’ with the unveiling of the C6 Linage prototype. This was rolled out of the Geneva motor show in 1999. However, it took until end of 2005 before the production version of the C6 was released for the first press test drivers. It had changed little from the Lignage, aside from the inclusion of full size headlights and rear light clusters. The design clearly paid homage the CX, with a very long wheelbase and a very short rear overhang. It also featured a very unusual heavily curved rear window. Like the CX, the C6 was a saloon.

Thanks to the overall length and a 3 metre long wheel base, the C6 hand a huge amount of rear legroom, through the rear seat would accommodate only two passengers. Under the skin, the C6 used Citroen long established hydropnuematic suspension design. However, despite its bold display off French ness, the C6 failed to capture a significant market, with annual  sales failing to break into five figure after a couple of year of production.

Posted February 26, 2010 Comments(0)

Citroen knew that replacing the DS would be a difficult job. The car had been in production for 20 years, and in certain aspects of ride and refinement it still had few peers in the big car class. It was with some relief, then, that Citroen fanciers greeted the new CX in 1974, in every respect, it was a worthy successor. Outwardly its sleek, fastback shape looked as aerodynamic as it actually was, although it was a surprise to find that it wasn’t a hatchback. Under the skin, front wheel drive was still employed, but this time the four cylinder engines, essentially the same pushrod units found in the last of the DS models, were mounted transversely and drove through new four and five speed transmission. Self leveling hydropenumatic suspension remained adjustable between three positions via a lever between the front seats, combining the magic carpet ride comfort with surprisingly agile handling. Roomy and comfortable, with a futuristic interior to match the styling, the CX was an immediate success, finding much favor as a long distance express. Later came a huge estate version, called the Familiale with either an extra row of seats or a massive load area, whilst for those looking for a ultimate in Citroen luxury, there was always the leather trimmed long wheelbase Prestige.

There were thrifty diesel and 2 liter petrol models and, perhaps best of all, the 168 bhp Gti Turbo, the fastest Citroen since the demise of the SM. More than one million CXs were built before the car was replaced in 1989 by the XM, a model which has proved much less popular and charismatic.

Posted February 25, 2010 Comments(0)

The first fruits of the wedding between Citroen and Maserati were the awesome Citroen SM of 1970, a standing GT car making use of the best from the both corporations. Power came from a smaller V6 version of Maserati’s long lived quad cam V8 which, at 2.7 liters, came in just under the punitive French tax laws that penalized engines of over 2.8 liters capacity. Like the DS, the SM possessed a front wheel drive, with the gearbox/ transaxle slung out ahead of the compact engine. The power output of 170 bhp through the front wheels was handled by Citroen’s predictable and well tried hydro pneumatic self leveling suspension, interconnected with the four wheel disc brakes (inboard up front) and ultra quick power steering. Fast and refined with excellent handling once the driver had mastered a sensitive touch with the steering and brakes, the SM was an extremely impressive long distance GT. It was the shape, though, the captured enthusiasts’ hears. Styled inside Citroen, it was dramatic and purposeful with a broad, fully flared in glass nose, and a tapering tail that was as slippery and aerodynamic as it looked. Sales were initially strong, but the love affair was to be short lived.

The fuel crisis hit in 1973, making all the various big 18 mpg (15.8 liters/ 100 km) super-cars somewhat unpractical. Citroen went on to further improve the car with fuel injection, a bigger 3 liter version and an automatic option, but it was to no real avail. Manufacturing stopped in 1975, 13,000 cars down the line.

Posted February 24, 2010 Comments(0)

The 1948 Citroen 2CV, with its trademark corrugated steel bodywork, was an economy car designed to put rural France on wheels after the Second World War. In all respects, the car was uncompromisingly basic, so as to keep servicing easy and running costs low. Its willing twin cylinder, 375 cc, air cooled engine delivered an impressively economic 56 mpg (5 liters/ 100 km), and could just about squeeze out 43 mph (69 km/h), although that dropped to 37 mph (59 km/h) with four people aboard. Still, slow as it was, the 2CV was considerably more comfortable than many bigger, faster competitors, with superbly practical hammock type seats that could be lifted out to accommodate extra loads, and an excellent soft ride that took rutted frame tracks in its stride. The all independent suspension was designed to supple enough to transport basket of eggs ploughed grassland without infringement a single one. Huge body roll was the inevitable result of spirited cornering in the 2CV, but front wheel drive meant it gripped beautifully. All the body panels detached easily as well, and the fabric roof rolled back to allow very pleasant open air motoring, or to cater for times when there was a tall load to carry.

The car was a great success and remained in production, eventually with 602 cc engine unit 1990, having spawned many derivatives on the same theme, most memorable the Dyane and the Ami. More than five million units were produced.

Posted February 23, 2010 Comments(0)

Between 1982 and 1991, sales of so called Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) in the USA rocketed from 100,000 to 900,000 per year. Chrysler had wisely bought up the Jeep brand name and image when it took over AMC in 1987. The company suddenly found itself possibly the world’s best known off roading badge with which to exploit a massive booming market niche. Two new Jeep badged off roadster were an integral part of Chrysler’s recovery plan for the early 1990s. The smaller of the two, the jeep Cherokee arrived just before the Range Rover sized Grand, which was launched in the early 1992. The Grand said a lot about Jeep’s engineering and styling abilities even as part of the ailing AMC Empire. It was especially surprising considering that the Grand Cherokee’s predecessor was an ancient mock luxury truck. With a new vehicle entering the luxury off road segment, Chrysler found itself with a car that had a badge to challenge the prestige of Range Rover and a styling package that suggested a futuristic version of the classic British workhouse. Early reports on the Cherokee were sure that it was also far better built than its British made rival.Under the stylish shell, the Grand, like the Jeep rode on comparatively crude (through well located) beam axles and coil suspension.

It had a very well developed ride for its class of car, and it handled with surprisingly alacrity. Finely conceived and good looking SUVs, the Cherokees were big successes in the home market, and made serious inroads into the brand conscious European market. Although the Grand was replaced in 1998, the original was probably good enough to sell into a new millennium.

Posted February 22, 2010 Comments(0)

At the Detroit Motor Show in 1989, Chrysler showed a concept car called the Viper, a low, wide and mean looking two seater roadster with a hint of the AC Cobra in its hunched stance. The public loved it. They were even more impressed, and even more keen to buy, when they discovered it had an 8 liter, 90 degree V10 engine. Chrysler were so encouraged with the response that they decided to put into production. Despite a surprisingly hefty all in weight nobody was disappointed with the Viper’s titanic strength. Its engine, reworked by Lamborghini, developed 450 lb/ft of torque so that Viper didn’t really what gear it was in, delivering its power with a surprisingly side pipes. 0-60 took four seconds and most road tester ran out of nerve at around 170 mp. So high was the gearing in sixth, 53.3 mph per 100 revs that the Viper was just loafing at 100 mph. As a straight line ground coverer, it was the perfect companion. When the hype slowed down, pundits began to notice that the car’s hood was unless, that the build quality had a kit car feel to it in places and that handling, despite quick (assisted) steering and great brakes, was a little ragged and unforgiving, especially on bumpy roads.

Other began to complain that the car was too wide, particularly outside of the United States, to be much use. None of that mattered. As an image booster for Chrysler around the world, the Viper was unbeatable. It was later to spawn its very fixed head version, the Viper GTS.

Posted February 21, 2010 Comments(0)

In 1990, Chrysler boss Bob Lutz was looking at the same situation that had greeted Lee lacocca just over a decade earlier. Even before the global slow down kicked in, the company’s sales had started to slide, and at one point Chrysler shares were almost worthless. Again the management’s answer was, according to Lutz, “to launch new top quality products in as short a time as possible.” The race to get new cars to market centered around a $16 billion investment. To try to boost confidence, Chrysler showed a number of its up and coming new cars; including the Vision and the replacement for the long running Voyager as thinly disguised concept cars. But this didn’t help, with Chrysler losing another $800 million in 1991. Chrysler must have been very relieved to see the family car codenamed LH finally appears in showrooms in mid 1992. Badged Eagle Vision in the USA, it was a large and very distinctive saloon that simply had to reel in serious profits. The Vision cost some $1.5 billion to develop, took three and quarter years from a clean sheet, and had 700 engineers working on it. Cynics in the automobile industry claimed LH was short for “Last Hope”. The Vision featured the crab forward styling theme developed by design boss Tom Gale, which stretched the windscreen and its pillars much further forward from the driver. It was perhaps, one of the first modern US styling jobs to lead the rest of the world.

One of the key aspects of the Vision and other new generation road cars that helped to keep the Chrysler Corporation alive in the 1990s was not the raw sales figures it achieved but the sheer profit that Chrysler realized on each car sold. The company managed to keep its bottom line very low without compromising too massively on the engineering.

Posted February 20, 2010 Comments(0)

To give it a presence in international rallying, Chrysler UK developed a high performance version of its hatchback Sunbean model in 1979. This move would eventually produced a car with plenty of character as well as speed. A deal was struck with Lotus to supply its twin cam four cylinder engine, but in slightly bigger 2.2 liter form to give improved low speed torque. This was matched to a five speed ZF transmission and a much stronger live rear axle. The shell, too, was modified for strength and sent down from the Linwood factory in Scotland, first to Lotus hethel, where the mechanicals were fitted and then it traveled across country to Coventry for checking and pre delivery inspection.Although announced as a Chrysler, by the time production had got into its stride all the company’s European businesses had been bought by Peugeot. Thus, all Sinbeams, Horizons, Avengers and Alpines were renamed Talbots, and this low volume homologation special became the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus. The engine is capable of 2174cc with Monocoque chassis. It has full equipped disc drum brakes, with five speed manual transmission. Suspension is fully independent in front and rear axle.

It was a fast car, with fun handling and an aggressive personality. Top driver Henri Toivonen gave the model same well deserved credibility, when he managed to win the World Rally Championship in a Sunbeam Lotus.It proved too expensive to sell in large numbers, however. Only something like half of the planned 4500 examples was built.

Posted February 19, 2010 Comments(0)