European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 21, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday september 21. 1989 the stars and stripes Page 13 . Models popular of Frankfurt pm Chrysler attract show fans Tiik Frank i it Auto show under Way through sunday Al the Frankfurt Fairgrounds provided both general motors and Chrysler with big opportunities to Shim Oil their  and both firms took advantage of in. Tor the Ford motor co. However u was Ford of Germany that carried the Hall with its european lineup. Today Well Uke a look at both pm and Chrysler presentations with pm first pm could not have made a better Selec Tion in the three cars that it pm phase cd the new Corvette  roadster the i on Tiac trans sport is minivan and the Pon Tiac grand i Rix  Sedan. It was the euro Pean debut of the trans sports and the world premiere of the grand prix. The or i made its european debut earlier this year at the Geneva show. While the Corvette series has always been popular with european sports car enthusiasts in was the trans sport that Drew most of the attention on the Amstand. Although it looks like a prototype the plastic bodied trans sport is in production right now. Based on the trans sport concept vehicle of 1986, the seven sealer Van is powered by a fuel injected 3.1-liter v-6 engine of 120 horsepower. The trans sport will go on Sale in Germany next Spring and its space age appearance should produce a lot of or Ders if enthusiasm at the Frankfurt show can be used As a guide. Officials Al the military1 car sales a division in Kronberg West Germany say the trans sport to Cost about $14,000 on the military Market should be read for european delivery by March or april of next year Wilh orders Al pm outlets begin Ning on sept. 28. Regarding sales abroad pm officials said Al the show that pm is expanding its foreign marketing efforts and thai it expects to sell More than 100,000 units worldwide this year. The or i Corvette super car the lop version of the Corvette series is being produced in Bowling Green. By. And the $60,000 roadsters arc just Start ing to arrive on the Market. Two have been sold in the United Stales. Or i project Leader David r. Act Ellan said tuesday Al the German pc sensation in Kronberg where 10 or is were delivered to european dealers. Our air freight delivery of 10 or Shere today shows our commitment to the major attraction on the pm stand the i in Lac trans sport. New corp the or is for Europe on display at Kronkit Castle. European Market Mclellan said. We plan Only a limited production of these cars Wilh 3.000 planned the first year 1990 Modeland -1.000 annually from then  despite the $60.000 Price lag on the or i there Are More orders Al the moment than pm can fill. Mclellan said and a waiting list is the order of the Day. With this car Mclellan said we can Challenge porsche and Ferrari and move into the lop level of sports car excellence. Wilh this car we be achieved things Hal we could Only dream Aboul 10 or 20 years  the zr-1 is powered by a 32-valve v8 engine Hal turns Oul 385 lip. A converti ble Model is planned for inc Spring of 1992. Mclellan said. At Chrysler the big Viper rt7io sports car is the main All action and As we be already shown a holds of inc Viper in previous Aulo show articles both this week and last Well feature other cars on this Page  the Frankfurt show. Chrysler called a press conference starring us famous Boss acc Iacocca. Who said lha Chrysler s first two years on the German and european markets have been Good ones bul we Don t have Volkswagen frightened  said when i was Here two years ago we had Ero cars on the for eign markets. But in 1988. We had ship Ped .11.not units and this Var we will ship and sell More than 50.000 units. Behave 1.000 sales a month in Germany alone double Over last year and Well sell Aboul 15.000 Chrysler and jeep vehicles in Germany during 1990, Well sell 5.000 cars in France in 1990.and our Swiss sales have doubled Wilh 5.000 sales this  Iacocca said. Our sales have also doubled in Belgium so Youcan Sec that customers in Europe Are giving us a Chance. We started from scratch and gains have been study. There have been a lot of growing pains involved in our Velum to the european Market but in has All been worthily. It s been a Good year for us in Europe and Well crack the $2 billion Mark in ship ments. We re really proud of our  Iacocca said that Chrysler will resume manufacturing in Europe on a limited scale for inc first time in 11 years but said he could not give details at this Lime. Headed Hal Chris scr has Ioil ventures in inc works Wilh Fiat of Italy and Renault of France. He also revealed that Chrysler has plans for a mini jeep but he gave no  Wilh inc Viper rt/10 concept car Al the Frankfurt show Chrysler is featuring ils front wheel drive minivans. Inc new Saratoga Sedan and its lineup of jeep Lehi  Lul formerly chief of Ford of Europe and now president of Chrysler i pushing for regular production of the Viper sports car and he said "11 will happen. You can count on  the super sophistical cd new Ferrari 348 also on show which replaces inc 14-year-old 308/328 series the Viper is purposeful throwback to the 1960s Era of Hiu engines and blinding acceleration. Lulu. Who once raced cars retains disinterest in motor sport and if he says the Viper will happen then in probably will. Randy Barnet Auto columnist Mazda Miata mx-5 big hit in . And Europe the Mazda Miata mx-5 iwo Scalar sports car which arrived on the . Market this summer to a highly in Ihus Maslic audience is drawing big crowds to the Mazda stand at the Frank Furt Auto show. In inc United slates the car is so popu Lar that customers on wailing lists Are offer ing to pay thousands of dollars Over the $ 13.800 base Price. Some reports indicate Hal several owners have resold their. Mia Las Al More than double inc Price icy paid. The car is nol new in appearance by any Means and is in fact just the oppo site. It resembles a Lotus Elan of inc 1960s Era. And ils simple curving lines immediately evoke nostalgia for a by gone Era of British two seaters. Favourable comments about the Miala began spreading after its debut at the Chicago Auto show in february and when the Miala arrived on the american Maricl this summer customers were ready with their Cash. Although Mazda conceived the Miat with the . Market uppermost in mind the attention Given the car at the of a 1967 Lotus Elan no it s a new Mazda Miata mx-5. Frankfurt Auto show indicates that it should also do extremely Well in Europe. Mazda officials say the Miata should arrive on the German Market by Spring. The Auto Exchange firm in Kronberg which Sells .-specification Mazda cars on the military Market will have a limited Supply of inc Miala mx-5s by january officials there say. Surprisingly the Miata is nol the re sult of a japanese designer. The Low sleek styling is derived from a design Bymark Jordan of Mazda s design studio in Irvine Calif. Jordan s father Charles m. Jordan is vice president in charge of de sign for the general motors corp. The Miata uses rear wheel drive astound in traditional British sports cars the old mrs triumphs and Austin Cha lays for example and it shares virtually no major parts with other Mazda cars except the 1.6-liter, 4-Cylinder in line Block found in the 323  is lopped by a 16-Valvc head Wilh fuel inc Cimon and dual overhead camshafts to generate 116 horsepower at 6.500 rpm. The engine is coupled to a 5-Spccdmanual Gearbox. The whole affair is connected to inc rear differential by a Light weight truss alongside the driveshaft to reduce drivetrain  Miala has Independent suspension and disc brakes at each wheel. The undercarriage is covered by a softly rounded steel body Wilh retractable headlights aluminium Hood and flexible plastic bumpers Sec photo with this car Mazda says we have demonstrated that thoroughbred engines or exotic materials arc not absolutely necessary when in comes to designing cars that arc right in line with car Drivers