European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 17, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday marcni7, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 13 car Torner Nissan pm tops in 2 Auto categories 8 Randy Barnett Auto editor for the second year in a Row. Nissan of Japan leads in late Model car registrations in Usa eur while general motors is tops in Overall registrations the pm total including cars from All five of its divisions. The total number of operational care in Usa eur climbed to 189.606 units up by 1,926 units Over the1986 figure. This automotive information and a lot More comes from the annual statistical report which was released recently by the Usa eur Regis 1 of motor vehicles at Hocij Clerf for purposes of definition 1987 and 88 models Are termed late Model cars while total registration figures include All cars from prior 1969 to Jan 1,1988. It the total registration column general motors replaces Bow of Munich which led the list last year for the first Lime. Third ii Volkswagen this German firm once the perennial Leader during the 1970s and Early 80s when used beetles were in big Supply. For totals general motors leads with 21,016 cars registered 11.039 . 4.1 3 Pontiac 3,181 Odds mobiles 2,357 Bucks. And 326 Cadillac. Then comes Bow with 20,731, followed by Volkswagen with 19,232. Regarding the total registration figures cars from he i 97$ to 1980 Model years play a Strong role and this it where the bows show Best. On the other hand. Pm s totals arc strongest in the fairly recent Model years from 1982 through 1986. While car registrations for All makes and Model years were up Only slightly operational trucks showed a Strong gain 5,996 compared to last year s 5,049 for an increase of nearly 1.000meanwhile motorcycle registrations operational and non operational again declined 3,706 com pared to 4,236 in 1986, a drop of 530 units from the 1986 registration figure which was some 900 units below the 1985 Mark. Not surprisingly late Model registrations of German cars again fell sharply just As they did last year this due to he continuing decline of the Dollar against the Mark. Audi had Only 68 registrations for 1987 models As opposed to 60s for 1986 and 2,239 for 1985. Bow had Only 133 As compared to 308 for 1986 and 2,143 for 198$. Mercedes had 167 late Model can registered As opposed to 356 in 1986 and 864 in 19s5, late Model porsche registrations totalled 70 units compared to 99 last year. On the motorcycle front bows late Model Cycle registrations in 1986 totalled 19, and for 1987 in fell to just 12. The Usa eur report for i9bs listed 191 Bow cycles so it s obvious that German cars and cycles arc having a hard time and will continue to have difficulties on the american Market As Long As the Dollar remains weak against the Mark. Turning to late Model car registration totals in is necessary to Point out that the annual Usa eur registration figures cannot be used As an indication of total new car sales leadership. This is because cafes new car sales Points As Well As the off base car sales firms sell not Only for european delivery but also for . Delivery. Cafes car sales arc especially affected Here because the majority of american can arc sold for delivery in the United stain. Many owners also bring to licit late Model cars from the United states these registrations having nothing to do with sales in Europe. Regardless the totals obviously reflect the most popular choices among military buyers and the Japa Nese models Nissan and Toyota have been Domi Nant Here for More than five years. Nissan formerly Dat Sun with Many can still listed As Dat suns in the Usa eur statistical report has a total of 4,607 vehicle listed from the combined 1987 and 88 Model Yean. Toyota follows with 3,542, while Chrysler including Chrysler Dodge. Plymouth and the new jeep Eagle division was third with 2,960 late Model registrations. The Dodge division has 1,348 late Model cars registered Plymouth has 661, jeep Eagle formerly am has 559 and Chrysler 392 for a Strong showing no Only in the american car Market but Overall As Wei fourth is the swedish Saab with 1,448 it. Cars registered while Ford of the United Stales find. No Lincoln Mercury is fifth with 1,283 registrations. On the two sealer sport car list porsche leads easily with its 70 late Model curs noted earlier porsche s total registration reads 1,472. Among exotics and old cars the Usa eur Regis try lists 4 ferraris 6 morgans 4 Lotus cars 4 Rolls Royce cars 15 Days 3 do koreans 1 de Tomaso i Han mag 190 jaguars and 2 Masc Ralis. Overall the Usa eur report lists an operational combined total of 83,789 German cars 48.578 Ameri can cars 39,863 japanese can and 17,376 cars from other nations. It is interesting to note that most of the japanese cars Are from the 1981 Model year Onward. And that the japanese car registration total for 1987 shows a gain of 5,178 units. American cars mean while gained 2,693 in total registrations while German cars dropped by 3,022 units. In the motorcycle world meanwhile Honda leads in total registrations operational and non operational with 1,067 bikes followed by Kawasaki win 971, Yamaha with 585, Harley Davidson with s66, Suzuki with 260, and Bow with 188. Kawasaki is tops in combined 1987-88 new Cycle registrations operational and non operational with 243 followed by Barley Davidson 78 Yamaha 23 Bow and Honda 12 each and Suzuki 4. Total number if i Ehi Clel total figures from the Usa eur registry of motor vehicles Are As follows operational passenger vehicles 189,606 operational tracks f ,996 operational motorcycles Scouil n 1,954 operational trailers 893 operational total 198,45 non operational passenger vehicles 7,96 Norh tra tonal trucks 218 non operational motorcycles scooters 1,792 non operational trailer 73 non-operat1onaltotal 10.00-1 Tup id in total a i ii r it Iuni the of 10 makers of operational ears registered in Usa eur through Jan. 1,1988, Are general motors 21.016 Bow 20.731 Volkswagen 19,232 Toyota i4.s62 Mercedes 13,708 Nissan Dat Sun 13.617 Foro Lincoln Mercury . 13,3 6 Chrysler 11,170 Ford Germany 11,114 Ope 10,272 top id in Ulf int Ltd cs7-s8 a fit Milem Nissan Daluso 4,607 Toylon 3,542 Chrysler 2.960 Saab 1,448 Ford Lincoln Mercury . 1,283 Volkswagen 1.258 Volvo 1,249 general motors 1.044 Mitsubishi 944 Honda 37 Sharp styling is Ford probe s Strong Point  Ufi Auta writer Detroit yet another partnership Between an american and Jup anew automaker is about to Lake to the Road this sprint As Ford introduces a sporty coup called Lac probe. Although designed by Ford the probe is engineered by Mazda in which Ford has a 25 percent interest. The probe is being assembled at Mazda s new ss50 million Plant just Southwest of Detroit where a Ford casting Plant once stood. The front a Eccl drive probe billed As a 1989 Model is aimed right at the heart of the crowded  18,000 sports Coupe Market. The base go probe Model will Start at $10,459, while the pc her la Model is to begin at 111,443. A third version the sporty it ii powered by a Turbo engine and will Start at 113,593. A fully equipped it could easily hit $16,000 when options such As anti lock disc brakes air conditioning Sunroof and a compact disc player arc added the probe shares Many pans with Mazda s mx-6 sports Coupe which is built alongside in at the hat Rock Plant. Their engines come from Mazda in Japan although the Ford name appears in bold letters under the probe s Hood. Other drive train and underbody parts also come from the same bin but the probe s shocks Springs and tires Are All its own. The biggest difference of course is on the outside. Probe Sham Rainy puts with Mazda mx-6 sports Coupe while the Majda mx-6 is cleanly styled it melts into the crowd of look alike Toyota and Nissan battling for buyers in this class. But the probe is graced with fairly distinctive styling a big plus against the Well established import names. The probe has a smooth tailback body with massive Quarter windows that wrap into the rear Glass hiding the roof pillar similar to the Toyota celica. Its Side Mir ror housings seem to Start a the lip of the front fender and adds to the probe s wedge shaped profile. Its hidden head lamps and twin Hood bulges 10 fit the tall Shock Lowers keep the probe s Hood line Low. Inside the probe has a scalloped dash Board which wraps into the doors. It also has something not seen in any Domestic car an instrument pod that moves up or Down with the adjustable steering wheel. The dial Type speedometer tachometer and gauges sic All easily seen no Mailer to the thick rimmed wheel is angled. The front seats provide a Good driving position As Well As ample head and it Groom. Bui like most cars this size the rear seat is cramped at Best. When not in use the Leat Backlu fold Down to open up 41 cubic feet of cargo space. A fully equipped probe it was tested for this review. All it models Are pow ered by a 145-horsepower, 2.2-liter, 4 Cylinder engine with three valves per Cyl Inder and an Inie cooled Turbocharger. A 110-hp version minus the Turbo Charger Powers the less a pensive go and la models. A four Speed automatic is an option. The it which comes with a special five Speed manual to handle the stronger engine has an incredible Reserve of Power throughout All rpm. From stands till however in has trouble putting thai Power on inc Road even with its Sticky Goodyear Eagle gt4 radial. Anything stronger than the most sedate acceleration lends to Send inc car twisting 10 the right. But once underway the probe Lias a Good blend of ride and handling thanks 10 its Independent rear suspension sys tem and variable ratio Power steering which has a Light feel tit Low speeds but Lightens up As the car goes faster. The its adjustable suspension which stiffens or softens the Shock absorbers allows one to choose Between three types of ride with the flick of a twitch soft Normal or port a Rumor that in was to be the replace ment for Ford s venerable rear wheel drive Mustang hat proved false. Instead of replacing it the probe will comple ment the aging Mustang meaning added sales for Ford. The Mustang hat been enjoying Strong sales on borrowed Lime with us it ver Sion maybe one of the last a a pow. Ered muscle on Detroit will Ever make Bui the aptly named probe will Send Ford into the inner space of import sports copra