European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 16, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday january 16. 1986 the stars and stripes p8be 13 imports enjoyed another big year on . Market in last week s car Corner we no cd that combined car truck sales during i9h5 set a record and thai the Detroit Industry ii so enjoyed an extremely Good year where sales of american made cars were concerned. Bui while holing that optimistic fuel us we head into the 1986 Auto motive year in should also be stressed thai import sales continue to move steadily up  years ago imparts from Japan and Europe accounted for 17.5 percent of sales on the american Market but in 1985, the japanese share alone stood at 11.8 percent. The european share was 5,6percent, putting the total import figure for 1985 at 27.4 percent Well Over the one Quarter Market . Both japanese and european imports continue to Muse big worries far general motors Ford and Chrysler and not just because of the 27.4 percent  s dig three worries about Japan because of the import volume of japanese cars and about Europe because of the europeans ability to hit Detroit s pocketbook in the High profit luxury and sports Sedan categories. The europeans mainly Mercedes and Bow Shine in these two car categories. And the British Jaguar is doing Well there  japanese meanwhile arc due to lift their voluntary restraints on exports to the uni cd slates and if the restraints Are lifted. Japanese sales will increase in Abig Way. There is some talk however that the japanese will extend their restraints which Are scheduled to expire March 30. Best seller honors for top car sales in the United stoics during 1985 were won by pm s sub compact Chevrolet Cavalier see Phot with 431,031 units sold the Cavalier beat ing out Ford s  s Chevrolet division says lilt Cava Lier scored a 14.1 percent sales gain Over 1984 and in was the first time that soles for this car Well Over 400,000,Chevrolet reported that its no. 1 position in trucks sales plus Strong sales of the Cav Alier gave it an it percent Gam Over 1984 and in Best Overall performance since  said its sales for 1985 totalled 2.9 million cars and trucks. For 1985, meanwhile. General motors sales were up 0.4 percent Ford 3.7 percent and Chrysler 5.5 percent. The share of the Domestic car Market in 1985 Brake Down this Way general motors  percent Ford 25.0 percent Chrysler 14.0 percent american Honda motor to. Inc., 1.8 percent american motors corp.,1.5 percent Volkswagen of american inc. 0.9 percent Nissan motor corp. Usa 0.5 percent. Range rovers for . The British firm of land Rover Ltd will soon launch its four wheel drive Range Rover in the United Stales the move Mark ing the firm s re entry into the . Market after an absence of More than 15 years. Designed and built in Solihull Ertrand the Range Rover models will be sold in America Ihra ugh a new company Kanoc Rover of North America inc. .=.the parcel company in England says u is Starling the process of identifying dealer ships across the United slates aiming Par i or. I i -.-,. ,.t�ar1u 51111 in Rier cedes Jaguar and Bow. The decision to go ahead with the project follow the most extensive Market research program in land Rover s history the i says with investigations Ato hading to a detailed engineering program to develop the Range Rover to meet the special needs of american luxury vehicle purchasers. The Range Rover four wheel drive vehicles Are sold in More than 80 markets worldwide. Land Rover says and sales arc running at record Levels in Continental Europe Australia and the United kingdom. 4-Cylindr motors taps if one had predicted 15 few years ago that four Cylinder engines would eventually be the Way logo in the uni cd Stales the person making that prediction would have been considered an excellent candidate for the Looney bin. To support this statement we looked through a 1971 copy of the famous world car catalogue and found that practically every car made in America at thai time was powered by either a v-8 engine or an inline 6. The Only Nice Lions being the 4 Cylinder Ford Mio. Chevrolet Vega Andamo jeep and even the Vega and Teji Hod Sivey Linder options for More horse Power. The catalyst prompting our research came in the form of a recent item in the newsletter Ward s automotive reports that said four Cylinder engines arc now the most popular Power plants in America. The Ilam said that such engines were installed in More than half the ears built in the uni cd Stales during 1985, the percentage being 52 percent. That Snail tithe first time Ever that four Cylinder engines were installed in More than half the cars Buill in America the item no cd. The trend toward smaller and lighter front wheel drive cars sparked the move with the four Cylinder units installed in More than 4.32 million cars during ihe1985 Model year or 51 percent of Overall production Ward s said adding thai nearly 400,000 More four Cylinder motors were installed in the 1985 Model run than Dur ing the previous year with much of the gain due to . Production of japanese vehicles. Declining the most was the Sis Cylinder engine Ward s said which fell to 1.7 Mii the jeep Cj-7 in renegade styling los Angeles dealer launches crusade of keep the jeep los Angeles a a keep the jeep crusade by a local car dealer has shifted into overdrive with salesmen push ins petitions aimed at saving the 46-year old Kin to the world War ii  motors corp. Has said it will end production of the jeep cd civilian jeep at the end of the month but dealer John Walker is stepping up pressure to Rescue what he Calls an american ins Litu  Trie american Public can save Clas sic Coke maybe we can save the jeep said Walker. He sent petitions nationwide to jeep dealers Insl  motive is to save the jeep Walker said. But 1 really Don t expos Ameri can motors to reverse themselves inheres enough enthusiasm though they might be influenced by this  motors executives reeling from last year s first Quarter losses of j29million, decided 10 end production of jeep Cj-5 and Cj-7 models. Robert Williams Western regional Man Ager for american motors said the Auto motive Dies or holds for the jeep arc being stored and production cannot be re started. But Walker in t giving up yet. " i be come to t he conclusion that if there is enough feedback something can still Bedone he said. Maybe someone else could take the Dies and make jeep  replace the 58,000 cd models american motors is pushing the wrangler Yaj Bui the hybrid four wheel or while it looks the same Falls Short of inc rugged cd Appeal Walker says the doors Don i Cone off. Ifs a unitized body and can Al u imagine in has built in running boards. That really misses Trie  lion units in Model year l�b5 from almost 2.4 million unit in 1984. Much of the drop was due to a shortage rather than a Luck of demand the newsletter said. The v-8 was also in Short Supply during last year s Model run but stayed about level from the year before. Nearly 2.3 million cars were built with the Large Power plans and is were still the most popular engines found to pm and Ford motor co. Curs fran Suid. Diesel engines played an insignificant role last year As pm and Ford virtually abandoned thai Market a Cpl for some foreign made motors available in some subcompact lines Ward s said. Randy Barnett Cavalier is . Sales Leader flier shown Here in pm to Long topped the 1985 Ute list to America Ellb 431,031 units sold. The Walier. Front Wirtl draw  ear is sold by Cho Roft in 13 Osif Creel onions