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THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 1997
13?BAUT0 showcase
Chrysler,
Ford roll
out SUVs
By Brian S. Akre
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DETROIT - Chrysler Corp.
officials say their new Dodge
Durango sport utility vehicle
won’t compete for the same
customers who buy the
automaker’s popular Jeep
Grand Cherokee.
Chrysler unveiled the ‘98
Durango on Tuesday during
the media preview of the
North American International
Auto Show, which opens to the
public Saturday.
It is the first sport utility for
Dodge dealers since the
demise of the big Ram
Charger a few years ago.
But in deciding to produce
the midsize Durango, Chrysler
had to reassure its Jeep deal
ers who fear the new truck
will take away sales from the
popular but aging Jeep Grand
Cherokee, another midsize
model.
Chrysler insists the Dodge
will have a different image.
“It’s somewhat less affluent,
less genteel, less preppy, less
upmarket and less restrained
than the Jeep image,” Vice
Chairman Bob Lutz said. “It’s
more outgoing, more contro
versial, more in your face,
more mainstream America.”
Lutz also said the Durango
could be used as the “plat
form” to resurrect the upscale
Jeep Gremd Wagoneer name
plate, though he said there are
no plans to do so. He said Jeep
dealers are being told, “We
will keep you competitive.”
The four-door Durango is
larger than its direct competi
tion in the midsize SUV seg
ment, but smaller than the
highly populeir full-size mod
els like the Ford Expedition
and Chevrolet Suburban.
Chrysler expects to sell
100,000 to 110,000 Durangos
in the first year, and its
Newark, Del., plant eventual
ly will have the capacity to
build 200,000, seiid Bernard
Robertson, vice president of
Jeep Truck engineering.
The Durango is unmistak
ably a Dodge, with the Ram
pickup-style griU and muscu
lar fenders. No fake wood trim
or other styling affectations
here.
It is the only midsize SUV
with an optional third row of
seats, and Chrysler says it has
the highest towing capacity
and interior space in its class.
Scott F. Merhs, an industry
consultant in Westport, Conn.,
said the Durango should sell
well despite the number of
competitors in the increasing
ly crowded midsize SUV seg
ment.
“It’s a lot of vehicle for the
price, a lot of utility for the
price,” Merlis said. “The more
utility and space you get for
the dollar, the more it sells.”
No price has been set yet,
but the Durango is expected to
sell in the upper $20,000 to
lower $30,000 range, similar
to a Ford Explorer. The
Durango goes into production
in July and on sale by October.
Robertson said Chrysler
kept costs down on the
Durango by designing it to
share 79 percent of its parts
with other Chrysler vehicles,
mostly the Dodge Dakota pick
up, which shares the same
chassis. Owners of Chrysler
and Dodge minivans, for
example, may recognize the
Durango has the same tai-
lights.
Ford Motor Co., meanwhile,
unveiled the Lincoln-Mercuiy
division’s luxury version of the
Ford Expedition full-size sport
utility, called the Lincoln
Navigator.
The four-door Navigator is
aimed at the high end of the
market, with the emphasis on
urban creature comforts more
See SUV’s Page 14B
Test Drive
1997 Chevrolet Venture LS extended wheelbase minivan
Chevrolet’s Venture is a great new minivan
Winfred
B.
Cross
T ake a glance out your
window while driving
and you’ll see minivans
galore. They’ve been a popular
mode of transportation since
Chrysler put the first one on
the highway in the mid ‘80s.
And the company’s held the
sales lead since that introduc
tion, only challenged once by
Ford’s spiSy Windstar.
There’s a new kid on the
minivan horizon from a famil
iar company. General Motors
is making a strong attempt to
become king of the hill with a
new family of minivans that
are about as good as anything
else on the road.
Actually, the vans are the
redesigned versions of the
compands TranSport, Lumina
APV and Oldsmobile
Silhouette people haulers. The
Lumina is now called the
Venture, which was my test
vehicle. GM decided to rename
the vehicle because it’s all new
and not really based on the old
vehicle, which is a real good
thing. The Lumina APV was
OK, though the styling was
wacky. The nose was way too
long and there was an unusual
amount of space between the
dash and base of the wind
shield.
'That’s all gone, banished to
the bad design place in the sky.
The Venture is a handsome
vehicle, with a well-propor
tioned nose that has a big
chrome grill. I don’t really like
big chrome grills, but it works
well on this van. The middle
section of the van reminds me
of Chevy’s Blazer. The rear
quarters are very much like
those found on Ford’s
Windstar. In all, it’s a good
looking vehicle on the outside.
It’s not bad on the inside,
either. I will never get used to
GM’s use of injection-molded
dashes but it is better-looking
than the APV’s. The gauges
are bigger and arranged for
easy reading. The audio and
climate controls are bigger and
easier to use. 'They do have a
cheap feel, however.
'The seats are available in a
number of different configura
tions. My long wheelbase test
vehicle had captain’s chairs
and seats seven. The seats are
not as innovative as
Chrysler’s, which have wheels,
but they are light and very
easy to remove and store. The
fabric covering the seats was
bland, but comfortable.
'There are 27 storage areas
for little, big and medium
sized stuff. There’s even a
cargo net behind the last row
of seats to hold stuff in place.
'There are also 17 cupholders,
which would allow all passen
gers to have access to more
than two drinks apiece. Why?
You’ll have to ask the folks at
GM.
'There are plenty of standard
and available amenities to
make the Venture a very liv
able place. Dual sliding doors
makes it easy to enter and
exit, as does a low step-up
height. One of the doors can be
power operated. There’s a
clever radio option which
allows passengers up front to
listen to a separate source
than those in the rear. 'The dri
ver’s seat is height adjustable.
And there is a pollen/ dust fil
ter for the chmate control sys
tem, something that’s usually
found on higher price vehicles.
Dual air bags and anti-lock
brakes me standard as well.
All passengers will be rela
tively comfortable. There’s
ample space for adults and
children. 'The 117-inch wheel
base and tidy packaging do the
trick. 'The vem is more narrow
than Chrysler or Ford models,
but it’s not that noticeable.
The storage area is larger than
the Windstar and on par with
the Grand
Voyager/Caravan/Town &
Country triplets.
The Venture’s engine is the
venerable 3400 V6. It makes
180 horsepower, more than in
any minivan. It’s a proven
engine but it’s also a bit coarse
sounding. It does make the
Venture feel quick, probably
quicker than any other mini-
van except maybe Toyota’s
departing supercharged
Previa.
As minivans go, the Venture
is close to the best in the road
manners department. It’s a
very capable vehicle on the
road, offering a smooth ride
and competent handhng. 'The
suspension soaks up bumps
very well and hardly ever gets
ruffled. There is a bit of engine
noise, otherwise, the ride is
nearly as quiet as it is smooth.
Any major complaints? Not
major, but I think GM could
have been a Uttle more adven-
See VENTURE Page 14B
Car makers expecting another
good sales year for cars, trucks
By Justin Hyde
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DETROIT - Barring a financial disaster, 1997 should be another
in a string of very good years for the auto industry, according to
several experts at the North American International Auto Show.
“Right now, we are in an economic fairyland,” said W. Van
Bussmann, a Chrysler economist. “If you Uked last year, you’ll Uke
this year.”
Economists for Ford and General Motors gave similar assess
ments Monday during a meeting of the Society of Auto Analysts.
All three said the domestic car business was fine, their customers
were doing well and only an unforeseen mishap, such as a spike in
gasoline prices or interest rates, would spoil a good year.
The U.S. auto industry sold about 15.5 milhon cars and light
trucks in 1996, and the industry expects to sell about the same
number in 1997. The experts also said trucks, including sport util
ity vehicles and minivans, would continue to lure buyers away from
passenger cars.
But there are a few trouble spots. While consumer demand is
good, many people have not bought a car because they already have
too much debt, said Diane Swonk, an analyst for First Chicago-
NBD Bank.
Consumers “are clearly more constrained then they have been in
the past few years,” she said. “They’re concentrating on their
incomes and high debts.”
Buyers have also come to expect incentives, even on highly popu
lar trucks, said Joseph Phillippi, an analyst for Lehman Brothers.
“'The car companies will do what it takes to move products off the
showroom floor,” Phillippi said. “If you make $9,000 on a (Ford)
Explorer, would you give up $500 to move it? Of course.”
Phillippi also cited a short list of companies - Chrysler, BMW,
Honda and Toyota - that he thinks are doing well. But he also
expressed concern about GM’s future, sa^ng it had spent a lot of
resoiu"ces on cars while its truck designs age.
“'They’ve thrown a tremendous number of cars on the market
place over the past year or two, and the competition is getting
intense,” he said.
As for the company economists, they said they were more con
cerned about the exchange rate with Japan. The yen has been weak
against the dollar lately, making American goods more expensive
while making imports cheaper.
G. Mustafa Mohatarem, an economist for GM, estimated that the
Bank of Japan had spent $120 bilhon to make the yen weaker.
“We really need to look at the Bank of Japan’s intentions to
explain why the yen has moved as it has,” Mohatarem said.
Auto show has enough for every age
1998 DODGE COPPERHEAD CONCEPT CAR
By B.J. Eeyes
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DETROIT - Young and old, men and women,
families and single people got their first look
at the glitz, glamour and gaudiness of one of
the world’s largest auto showrooms Saturday.
The 1997 North American International
Auto Show opened to the public with displays
that included everytliing from interactive and
touch-screen exhibits to strobe light, flood
light and blue spotlight enhancements.
It was the first auto show for Brian Paterson
of London, Ontario. An hour into into his visit,
he realized it wouldn’t be his last.
“I don’t think I’ve been through half of it,”
said Paterson, 43. “It’s an impressive display
of vehicles.”
Carole Strait, 26, of Birmingham said she
had been to the show for the past three years.
Browsing in the Chevrolet exhibit with an
armload of brochures and pamphlets, Strait
said she wasn’t in the market for a new car.
“1 just like to see what’s coming down the
road,” she said.
Subtlety was not a trait of most exhibits.
Music from a Cadillac commercial blared
whUe people examined the automaker’s new
Catera. The car was cut in half and placed on
a rotating platform to give a better look inside.
A few feet away, some people got down on all
fours for a better look at ffie underside of a
Hummer military-style sport utility vehicle
already propped up on artificial boulders.
Some sat in the cars while others, like Edward
Larkin, were more content to just look?
An admitted “truck man,” Larkin, 62, of
Detroit, couldn’t help but take a closer look at a
1997 Porsche 993 convertible.
“They catch my eye,” he said of the expensive
cars. 'The Porsche carried an $87,025 sticker
price. “But that’s all they do is catch my eye,'
because I can’t buy any of them.”
Kevin Mac, 26, of Canton said that because
his dad works for one of the Big 'Three automak
ers, he’s attended the auto shows since he was
.4. ■
As he exited a BMW 318i convertible ir he
liked a similar but roomier Mercedes model bet
ter - he recalled how the cars and the show
have changed over the years. ’ ,
“Overall, I think the image of Detroit has been
upgraded,” he said; “It used to be just- the
Detroit Auto Show, now it’s the North American
International Auto Show. I think it takes a more
national stage.” *