European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 19, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday february 19, 1987 the stars and stripes Page 13 r  Anjer j Nissan tops in late Model car registrations by Randy Bank Traudi i a fair Nissan of Japan a ads the part in Laic Model car Regis Ira Lions in Usa eur White Tola operational axiom while registrations fell by 10,540 units the first time in Man years that total Reg rations have been Down. Anil Volkswagen which had been the Overall Lead Erin total registrations since time immemorial finally lost Oul and fell to third place in that division. Talking Over was another German firm Bow of Munich with 21,037 registrations to general motors 20,98.3 All pm divisions and vows 20,960. When it comes 10 total registrations used cars Are he key and it s obvious that used and aging vow beetles Are finally beginning to disappear from the Markci. Bow s big listings involve 1976 to 1979 mod Els while vow shows up quite weak there. These and Many other items of automotive interest popped up last week when the Usa eur registry of motor vehicles at Heidelberg released its annual statistical report Laic Model  include All 1986 and 1987 models listed through feb. 12, 1987,closing Date of the report. Registry figures show a total of 187,680 operational ears or All makes and Model years from prior 1968 through feb. 12this figure comparing to last year s198,220. Operational trucks meanwhile showed a slight gain 5,049 compared to last year s 4,606 while motorcycle registrations operational and non opera Lional fell from last year s 5.151 figure to 4,236, drop of Mare than 900 bites. With the Sharp tall of the Dollar against the Deutsch Mark. German made care took a hard beating. Audi for instance with 2,239 late Model cars registered i last year s Usa eur statistical report fell to 608 in the current release. Faring even worse was Bow whose total late Model registrations in this year s re port reads 308 compared to 2, 43 last year. Mercedes meanwhile dropped to 356 after recording 864 late Model listings last year. Where motorcycles arc concerned bows Fate Model Cycle registration last year totalled 191 As Conn pared to Only 19 this year again a reflection on the Dollar s slide. Because cafes new Kisr sales Point Anil Oiler car sales firms located in Europe sell Many vehicles for delivery to be taken in the United states As Well As i Europe and because Many owners bring their Laic Model cars from the United Stales to Europe the an Nual Usa eur registration figures cannot be used As an indication of total new car sales. But the figures do reflect Model leadership to a great degree of accuracy. Nissan with the most late Model registrations on the Usa eur list has a total of 3,452 vehicles from the combined 1986 and 1987 Model years Toyota lops last year when it beat out Nissan by only139 units placed second in the late Model category this year with 2,141 vehicles of 19s6 and 87 registry. Third came Volkswagen Wilh 1,519 late Model vehicles. Fourth was Chrysler Alt division with 1,400 units while Saab of Sweden Wax fifth in late Model registrations with a total of 1,383. Where sports cars Are concerned porsche is easily tops there with 99 models from the 86 and "87 Model years. In total registration porsche scores quite High for the sports car category with 1,824 cars on the list 19 of hem models under the prior to 1968" heading. Among exotics and old tars the Usa eur Regis try lists nine ferraris seven Lotus cars seven Rolls Royce cars three morgans Brce Mase Ralis iwo Duclo reans two Aston Martins two opel bitters one do Tomaso and one Han mag. Automobiles from communist countries also Are on the list with 74 soviet built ladas and 41 czech made sodas. Overall the Usa eur report lists an operational total of 86,811 German made cars 45,883 american made cars 34,685 japanese made cars and 20,301 car from other nations. In the motorcycle world meanwhile Honda leads i total registrations operational and non operational with 1,299 bikes followed by Kawasaki Wilh 1,028,Yamaha with 660, Hurley Davidson with 591, Suzuki with 313, and Bow Wilh 282. Tops in combined 1986-87 new Cycle registrations operational and non operational is Kawasaki with 275 followed by Harley Davidson 200 Yamaha 54honda, 24 Bow 19 and Suzuki. 11. To Lii Nim bit of u in is total figures from the Usa eur registry of motor vehicles arc As follows operational passenger vehicles 187,680operational Rucks s,0 9 operational motorcycles scooters 2,476operational trailers 959 operational total 196,164 non operations passenger vehicle 6,785non-operational trucks 147 non operational motorcycles scooters 1,760non-operational trailers 55 non operational total 8.747 top 10 makers  a the lop 10 makers of Alt cars registered in usar eur through feb. 12. 1987, Are Bow 21,037general motors 20,983 Volkswagen 20,960mercedes 15,219 Toyota 12,592ford . 12,546 Nissan 12,084ford of Germany 11,771 opel 10,487chrysler 9,902 via of in1" cars leading matters of new cars 86 and 87 models registered in Usa eur through feb. 12, 1987, arc Mil str total Nissan Toyota Volkswagen Chrysler Saab Volvo general motors Ford . American motor saudi Mitsubishi Mercedes 3,4522,141 1,5191,400 1,3831.072 1,036949 75260b 446356 at Home on the Range or the autobahn Toyota land Cruiser can cruise9 Over anything Toyota s four wheel drive land Cruiser is already a legendary name among off Road fans acid the new ver Sion is certain to Advance the Cruiser s reputation. It is More powerful than the previous Model it drives right and it looks Lough. And for that matter it is Tough. With the Transfer gear engaged in l4 4-Lowit bounces Over roots and logs like a tank and in h-4 4-Highit pounds through Sand mud and water at full Speed  simply put the land Cruiser can do almost anything out in the bionics. But once removed from the four wheel drive Mode it becomes fully civilized cruising along the highways at 75to 85 Mph its stereo tape deck system fit for a big Cadillac or Mercedes. In the past 10 years four wheel drive off Road vehicles have come a Long Way in both Overall performance and Interior luxury and Toyota s land Cruiser is one of Many examples Toyota has had plenty of experience manufacturing around i million land Cruiser models since the Firstone came of the line in 1951. We had the new land Cruiser a Turbo diesel for a few Days recently Courtesy of Toyota of Germany and we enjoyed our time Wilh it especially on the one Rainy Day we visited a Rocky bumpy and mud clogged area we know of along the Rhine River an area hat always offers some off Road driving fun. Slithering along in 4-low.and in some of the deepest muddies ruts we be Ever encountered the Cruiser would jog hard tothe right and left but it Hung in then Wilh no problems. Later on in 4-hign, we tried the same mire at higher speeds but tried to keep out of the ruts not always , the Cruiser slowed through without major dramas. On Sand along the River in the new Toyota land Cruiser la Turbo diesel was a Case of zipping along As easily As you pleased. During heavy going and to keep one from worrying about tipping Over on Mountain paths the Cruiser is equipped with an inclinometer and Roll indicator that is mounted atop the dashboard a altimeter is also included. Borrowing from the aircraft Industry the instruments show degree of climb and degree of Roll the cars Silhouette is depicted with the limit set at 30 degrees. Over thai you can Start 10 worry. Under in no problems. There s also a written message that warns do not exceed 30  the inclinometer has been around for a while now and serves a Good purpose i providing an honest safety margin. For Complete accuracy the car must be standing still for its Reading. The test car was powered by a smooth running and fairly silent four Cylinder Virbo diesel engine that features a Quick Start setup eliminating even a Brief Wail after turning he ignition key. On the cold est morning the preheat Light would go Oul within thae seconds and the Engin would fire up immediately. The 2.4-Liicr Turbo it excl is of overhead Cam four Cylinder design and in puts out 86 horsepower Ai 4,000 revs. A 2.3-Lilcr gasoline engine of110 he also is available. But Wilh the Turbo diesel engine the4,600-Pound Cruiser gels about 18 Miles per gallon and has a Range of nearly 450miles from its 24-Eallon Lank so it s More than worthwhile considering going the diesel route. On the dash which includes a Green Light to indicate when the Turbo is work intone engages he 4-h switch for four wheel drive High and another Green Light comes on indicating 4-Whccl drive is in effect. To gel 4-l, one uses a floor mounted manual gear lever and the same goes for Normal two wheel drive. Before using four wheel drive one must lock the front hubs going from free to lock a Job that takes Only a few seconds. The Toyota land Cruiser has a relatively Long who base 91 inches but the Short body Overman Gand the correspondingly High Angle of Elevation guarantees Olimb climb ing capacity. Ground clearance also allow the Cruiser to splash through water measuring More than 2.2-feet deep. The land Cruiser is is9.8 inches Long 66.5 inches wide and 74 inches High and it his easily into a european size garage. Brakes Are disc front and Drums rear and the tires arc big 205 radials mounted on 16-Inch rims. Lit the land Cruiser the Driver sits High up and looks Down on the traffic and wond around him. The ride is comfortable an the Only thing acting is a foot rest. The Cruiser scats five and the rear setback May be folded Forward or re moved altogether for additional  pulling capacity is 6,100 pounds. In the United Stales the Price sin the 118,000 Range for a fully loaded land Cruiser while in Germany Price Start at 33,480 Marks including lax for the Turbo i Csc and 30,440 Marks for he gasoline a Nijiu Model.