European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 6, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday april 6, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 13 a new founded Tail ran tributes to it Buick Riviera s new hoi for i9b9. The car also is 1 1 inches longer. Makes other style Chi Hes for 89  i note up Auto writer Jan  Rina Lisl Drill s vehicles for ubi nit one week Cnorr link 250 til 5 i Miles on h Ith Cut and Rural roads.  a. Xiv ski  unit a 1 Riss Inu Risati Zihal the 1989. Buick Riviera  solid proof thai conc nil motors is intent on re gaining its pre Eminence in the Lucra ivc Market for luxury coupes 1 he giant car maker has been fighting its Way Hack into this highly pro fable busing is since late 1985. After a critical misreading of fuel prices and a drive to Cut costs spawned a Trio of  1umiry coupes that looked and drove like other of cars cars that Cost  Cim had hut one Choice either Aldi local customers leave its show rooms or scramble to Ruskin the front wheel drive Cadillac Eldorado o is Moli Ilc Tornado and. Buick Riviera. Until their next major overhauls not due until the Early 1990s, -. Pm s latest Effort is seen of the Riv Iera  More than ii inches in it in and Civin a new rounded Tail for 1989 in Floris to revive the Riviera a decades Long reputation As Duick Comfort and styling flagship a new  a.  end appearance also sets this year s Riv to Rampart from the Post 985 models ". Sales gains of the new Riviera spurred by some lucrative dealer incentives Are up More than 65 percent from last year the strongest gain of any of Gas s luxury cars. Still Uick expects to sell Only about 20,000-.Riviera-.this Jear compared with sales totalling Al Mou 50,000 in 19ssr e a list a  the  show the Riviera s new Knuth is merely cosmetic with virtually no gains Maje in Rueh a coded rear Interior space or in its shallow trunk. It still rides atop the same 108-Inch when Blasc used since 1986. -. The. New rear end adds 63  the Riviera s curb weight to 3.423. Its 18.2-gallon fuel tank holds a half gallon less Itjin last year but Epa estimated fuel mileage is unchanged at19 Miles per gallon in the City and 29 on the Highway. Also unchanged is the Riviera s Only drive train offered a fuel injected 3.1-Lilcr v-6 that musters 1 6s horse Power Al 6,500 rpm Jeared through a four Speed automatic transaxle Wilh overdrive. Redesigned engine mount for reduced vibration Are new for 1989. The Riviera evaluated had a base Price of $22,540, but was loaded Wilh a list of extra Cost Opl ions that raised its inti Click to s25,-146,. Including a. $550 " the usual array of luxury item automatic air conditioning Power win Dows mirrors and door locks and am pm stereo cassette arc Standard Aswell As a Small computer screen Thal operates inc radio climate control another functions. More on that  options include leather and suede six Way Power seats 51,407 anti lock brakes $925a Remote key-., less entry system s26san upgraded. Stereo is 20 and a Gran touring package $49 which adds larger c2i5 fish Blackwall radials on is Inch Alloy wheels More responsive Power steer ing and a 2.97 1 final drive ratio while Quick now feels the smaller, and relative Lack of styling of i is .,1986-88 Kiy icarus Crea cd a sales slump others Trace the problem to inc cd Nice of the dashboard. Where a. 3-bj1-4-Incli touch sons iliac computer screen has sur i de in the 1989 models despite being labelled by critics is a Nightmare in automotive ergonomics. Called the graphic control Center it is used to adjust inc stereo and climate control systems and to Monitor engine functions. It also serves As a. Trip Corri ruler personal message Center and to Hicls Lii Agnoris system. High Lech huffs May love it bul try it on. A crowded freeway or bumpy Road. One cannot adjust the radio or inside temperature without taking his or he Reyes off the Road to. Poke a steady Finger at just the Rifle he spot on the  functions even require another display to first be called up by pressing a Button on the screen s Edge.  other complaints concern a digital dash display obstructed by the adjustable steering column in some instances no fewer than 10 buttons to operate the lights and wipers,1 Long doors which Are hard to pull shut once inside and Light space in inc rear seat v. Wiil the Riviera is blessed Wiik sup Pori ivc from scats that melt away inc Miles on Long trips. Us six Cylinder engine Lias adequate Power will no real Isicc Debra a  performed i flawlessly even when Stone cold. Observed fuel Economy however was Only 19,9 mpg despite mostly Highway driving. W Al equipped with the Gran sport pack age the Riviera has a controlled ride on twisty roads without being unduly harsh Over rough pavement. Repealed braking under severe conditions uncovered no fade in performance. Word is the com Pulcer screen is history after 1989, As Buick strives for More user Friendly interiors while accenting new. Body styling a key part of its plan to remain a viable nameplate into -. Tow Lull a Tilini i it new Buick  May Conul a Twat motor  cafes nb4bi Haipo Bftts w in Vioal Al the Afta few roof line and cleaner ton t end help to set the new Riviera a part toot other Post j9b5 models. Nissan expands in Smyrna los Angeles times Smyrna Tenn. Nissan has an Notin cd plans to dramatically expand . Car and Ruck manufacturing operations Here by 1992 and make its Tennes see Complex the largest Auto Plant under one roof in the United states. The expansion will create 2,000 jobs increasing employment at the Complex to 5,100 within , the japanese automaker said. The Plant s production capacity will jump to 440,000 cars an trucks a year up from the current annual rate of 240,000. Jerry Bench iced president of Nissan s . Manufacturing operations said the company will add a third car line Al the Plant but he refused to say which  analysis say it will be a Rede signed stanza compact Nissan now produces its Scnora sub compact car and All or its Light trucks on Smyrna s Assembly lines. Nissan Saiu it will invest s490 million to add 1.2 million Square feet of space tothe Smyrna facility which now has 3.4 million Square feet of space. Nissan s Smyrna couples will remain slightly smaller than Honda s rapidly expanding Ohio operations which will soon have the capacity to produce More than 500,000 units annually. But Honda s Assembly and components manufacturing operations arc spread out among several plants in Small towns in Central Ohio Honda is now building s second final Assembly Plant in East Liberty Ohio not far from its first Assembly Plant in Marysville the expansion will also allow Smyrna to produce major components the pro posed Nissan Ford venture to build minivan in a Ford plan in Ohio. Nissan s announcement comes at a time when Japan s second largest Auto maker seems poised for a recovery in the american Market where its sales have. Slumped in recent years. Chrysler offers 0.0% financing iffy Sarteur Chrysler corp has made its no inter est financing program available to people who buy its vehicles through cafes. New ear sales offices in Europe. Previously Chrysler s "0,0 percent Nancy no incentive was not available outside the Continental United slates p it is plier Edibal this is the very firs time a manufacturer has extended the benefits of a . Low in i Crest talc financing plan to cover soldiers in Europe said a spokesman for military car sales in Kronborg West Germany noting that Chrysler led in total new car registrations in Usa eur in 1988, he said the manufacturer is  to maintain its position by of Fering the no int Crest financing the Chrysler credit corp. Financing program is available for a limited Lime on selected Dodge and Plymouth cars Dodge trucks and jeeps. As in the United states it is generally available to qualified buyers on 24-month Loans with 10 percent Down payments also available is 5.9 percent financing Over 36 months 6.9 percent Over 48 months and 10,9 percent Over fio months All for qualified buyers with 10 percent Down payments