European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 31, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday August 31. 1989 the stars and stripes Page 13 car Corner ahwbmmil4lilllill a we i i " they re exempt from some Federal soon words minivan safety concerns growing by  Hinds new York not minivans have been replacing the family station Wagon in recent years. The vehicles which sell in the "$13.000 to $20,000 Range ride and handle like cars but Are More comfortable and Roomy. This year when sales Are expected to top the one million Mark there is growing Public and congressional concern about their safety. But Many Consumers Are unaware that minivans Are classified As Light trucks and multipurpose vehicles meaning they Are exempt from some of the 40 Federal safety standards that apply to passenger cars. Among other things these vehicles do not have to have Center mounted rear Brake lamps head restraints on scat crash resistant roofs doors and bumpers automatic scat belts or air bags in fronts cats and Lap belts with shoulder har Nesses in rear scats. But now that 2.7 million minivans have been sold since they were introduced in 1983 and manufacturers classify one of every three vehicles they sell As a Light truck or multipurpose Carrier pressure is growing on the National Highway traffic safety administration to extend its passenger car regulations. Early this month the Senate passed legislation that would require the Agency to reconsider the exemptions. It no goes to the House of representatives. Written 25 years ago. The exemption were based on the idea that Light trucks primarily carry cargo that truck designs change slowly and that a Long Lead time is needed to incorporate new safety Fea Tures. But Auto makers have changed de signs annually for years and promoted the multipurpose vehicles for family use. Nineteen senators including the Pri Mary sponsors of the Bill sen. John c. Danforth a to. And sen. Ernest f. Hollings , wrote the Highway safety Agency this Spring. They implored it to take action on the single most important highway1 safety Issue confronting us today the Lack of Basic safety features minivans Are becoming Ever More popular. Shown Here is the Dodge grand caravan. In Small trucks minivans and sport Utility  support for eliminating the exemptions comes from the american Auto Mobile association the coalition for consumer health and safety a Washington based organization of 27 consumer group insurance companies and health organizations. But Federal regulators say that improving minivan safety has not been a priority because the vehicles have a Bill or Ihan average safety record which they attribute in part to the cautiousness of parents who make up 90 percent of the minivans buyers. Nevertheless the Agency says it is Tak ing Steps to reclassify vehicles and extend four of the passenger safety Stan Dards head restraints rear scat belts safer roofs and safer doors to Light trucks and multipurpose vehicles in the next few years. But automatic seat belts Are not Likely to appear in minivans be fore 1995. Some Consumers like Dale t. Fanzo a Bethel Park pa., Candy Salesman find out about the exemptions the hard Way. To Tell you the truth when 1 bought my Plymouth voyager sports edition in 1985.1 just assumed that it met All safety standards for passenger  Fanzo said. I just assumed that the head rests were  they weren to though they have been required on passenger cars for 30 years. The restraints Are designed to prevent the kind of whiplash neck injury that fan of sustained on feb. 11, 1986. When a tractor trailer rammed into the rear of his Van at a traffic Light. The injury impaired his ability to turn his head an prompted him to petition the govern ment to require the restraints in vans. We Don t make any special attempt to inform Consumers about safely said Albertj Sluch tar a spokesman for Chrysler corp., which makes the voyager and dominates the minivan  has been offering head restraints As a luxury " option but will offer them As Standard equipment on 1990 models. Most minivan manufacturers say their vehicles meet some of the National safety standards. Two Nissan motor corp. An Mitsubishi motor sales of America say their minivans comply with All Passen Ger car safety standards. Thomas j. Carr a spokesman for the motor vehicle manufacturers association a Trade group said we oppose mandatory standards because it would impose some Cost in  Jeffrey r. Miller the Highway safely Agency s acting administrator said Light trucks and multipurpose vehicles have posed a relatively minor safely problem. Some of the concern has been Brownout of  he said. We be looked at the safety performance of Light trucks Nick up Tri its. Minivans and util ily vehicles Ami we found that Overall their safety record ii about the same As that of passenger cars and that minis by themselves do belter than passenger  but Congress remains concerned about these vehicles As Many of ils members have been since 1978, when the general accounting office its auditing Arm  report. Unwarranted de lays by the department of transportation to improve Light truck  the Senate Commerce committee has asked the Oao to update that report. Corsica Hatchback beef with v-6 engine option  Cox news service they Are whal Chevrolet s Adver Tising Calls the heartbeat of America As important to the country s Economy As they arc to the people who buy them. General motors High volume front wheel drive compacts then cars and a cars include the Chevrolet Corsica and bar Cotta Pontiac grand am Olds Mobile Cutlass Calais and Buick Skylark. They offer different bodies on top of the pm 103.4-Inch front wheel drive Chassis. Standard engines arc the a tech in 2.5-Liler four or the ll8 2-liter four. All have v-6s or jazzed up fours As optional equipment. For the most part these Are Nice driving reasonably priced automobiles with of course various Levels of luxury padding depending on the length of your Dollar. One representative of the current stale of evolution is inc Chevrolet Corsica it Hatchback. The Blue Corsica Hatchback 1 drove was equipped with More optional toys than most Corsica and so it had a relatively High Price of $13,000. Some options would be of questionable value to Price conscious shoppers but the test Corsica had one popular Choice the 2.8-liter six Cylinder engine option for $660 extra. The engine was coupled with a five Speed manual transmission. The Chevrolet Corsica in 5-door Hatchback design for the extra Cost the 2.8-Litcr v-6 provides a noticeable displacement an performance advantage Over the Stan Dard 2-Lilcr four which labors and moans when the Corsica is loaded with passengers. The optional v-6 has been incrementally refined into a relatively smooth and reliable pow Plant. Since 1 first test drove the Corsica shortly before its 1987 introduction the five Speed transmission shift action also has been refined to require less Effort and offer More positive gear engagement. The test Corsica suspension was too soft and bouncy to offer Good control and it would be a Good idea to specify one of the upgraded suspension options. Steering precision and braking arc just adequate but Overall handling is relatively Good because the Chassis is Funda mentally Well designed. In fact the Cor Sica seems a better car than the sum of its pans. As someone who recognizes the added Utility of five door cars i was impressed with the Large cargo area when the Corsica Hatchback s rear scat was folded Down. The mild styling redesign necessitated by the Hatchback does not detract from the Corsica s fluid lines. The front seats arc comfortable for Long drives and thereat Bench scats provide adequate hip. Headroom and legroom for two adults. In general the gauge packages were adequate and easy to read but the controls were Clumsy to operate. The base Price for the 1989 Chevrolet Corsica it 5-door Hatchback is $10,375, and options on a lest car came to $2,113.options included custom seats Power locks Power windows air conditioning tinted Glass intermittent wipers cruise control floor Mats heavy duty Battery cruise control console gauge package and v-6 engine for full details on the Chevrolet Corsi Ca Hatchback and other Corsica models their special military prices etc., prospective buyers May Contact general motors sales representative at the cafes new car sales Points on bases in Europe