European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 20, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday december 20, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 13 Quot few it Tyr Stirn Niy Road manners rate High Fly lib Row to a a.  i -1 it it i. My w y so vat by Jan a. Zverina Detroit up Oldsmobile has substantially redesigned its flagship ninety eight for 1991, coining up with a luxury Sedan that melds traditional american buyer tastes with european inspired Road manners. That in itself is not unprecedented. Nearly All american luxury sedans have been put on crash diets in recent years becoming leaner meaner and More responsive in Hopes of rivalling some european offerings. What is surprising is How different the new ninety eight is from the Buick Park Avenue its soul mate at general motors. Both cars have been joined at the hip for years in Basic design sharing the same platform running gear and Many styling cues. That caused pm major embarrassment during the mid-1980s, when one could no longer Tell a Buick from an Oldsmobile. Although these nameplates still share the same drivetrain and a fair amount of underpinnings their exteriors Are More diverse than Ever for 1991, putting an end to the a look alike Era. About the Only shared exterior part is the  the Park Avenue has a sleek handsome profile the ninety eight gets the More distinctive formal look. The Overall styling is highlighted by a sharply sloping Windshield and ribbed plastic cladding on it lower body. The new ninety eight is almost 10 inches longer than the previous version with most of that dedicated to added rear new the 1991 Oldsmobile ninety eight touring Sedan. Leg room and a trunk that is 23 percent larger. The car is also 280 pounds heavier than the 1990 version but fuel Economy is unchanged due to improved aerodynamics and engine performance. Two models Are offered for 1991. The ninety eight Regency elite starts at $23,695, replacing the 1990 Regency Model that started at $19,995. Most conveniences expected of any Lux Ury car Are Standard plus a Driver Side air bag adjustable he int shoulder belts Teves anti lock brakes am pm stereo cassette cruise control solar Glass and anti theft system. A the other Model the ninety eight touring Sedan begins at $28,595, up from $26,795. That makes the touring Sedan Oldsmobile a most expensive car Ever and the first one to break the $30,000-Mark if equipped with a few options. Amenities like a leather Interior with Walnut trim keyless entry system and steering wheel moan cd controls for the stereo and Van ligation Are Standard As Are larger tires on 16-Inch rims and tighter steering for crisper Road response. Few extras Are offered an electric Sun roof $1,230compact disc player $396 and heated seats $235. The Model evaluated had no options costing $29,175 after just the $580 destination charge was added. That Price May certainly raise a few Eye brows by t although a med at Domestic luxury competitors like the Lincoln Continental and Cadillac Seville the new Oldsmobile ninety eight touring Sedan comes closer than Ever to some pricey luxury sedans from Europe in terms of both ride and handling. It has More of a carved from get single ii acc feet than before thanks to a stiffer tidy Shell and under bracing. Much Road Lars mess and wind noise has been tuned out from its 110.8-Inch wheelbase while Road Quot Fer has been tuned Back in partly through a stiffer steering system. Drivers will find the Louring sedans hooded instrument panel another blend of american and european tastes. There is even a tachometer among its wide array of Needle Pointer gauges. But to the right arc no fewer than 49 buttons to operate the ventilation system stereo and trip computer. The ninety eights have pm s 3.8-liter �?o3800�?� v-6 engine that delivers 170 horsepower at 4,800 rpm. It is coupled to Gmys All new electronically controlled 4-speed4t60-e automatic transaxle. The engine has ample acceleration for a Sedan weighing nearly 3,700 pounds and its transaxle does indeed have nearly imperceptible shifts. Observed fuel Economy was 20.9 mpg after mostly Highway driving the ninety eight had a High level of fit and finish with no discernible flaws the Olds is backed by a three Ycar-50,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty for full details on the Oldsmobile ninety eight cars heir special military prices etc., prospective buyers May Contact general motors sales representatives at the cafes new car sales Points on the various bases in Europe Scott japanese car makers Are rapidly moving into the luxury automobile marketplace a not Only m America but in Europe As Well a and they Are scoring significant gains it started in the United states Only four years ago when Honda launched its Acura legend then Nissan and Toyota followed last year Nissan with the Infinity and Toyota with its lexus. And just last month Mitsubishi announced that it will be a joining the party next Spring with a luxury Sedan called Diamante. The japanese luxury cars have earned High Marks in both the american and european automotive press and they Are doing especially Well on the american Market. The japanese timing could not have been better there because prices for Mercedes and Bow luxury ear imports have spiralled in America with the severe decline of the Dollar against the deutschmark. Honda entered the German Market three years ago with its v-6-powered legend sedans and coupes and Toyota followed in september of this year with its lexus v-8. Nissan and Mitsubishi will doubtlessly come next. In its recent Entrance onto the German luxury car Market Toyota appointed an american to direct its lexus program one that pits the sleek is 400 v-8 Sedan against such prestigious German models As the Mercedes a class the Bow 750 series and the new Audi v 8s,heading the lexus division in Germany is Jeffrey l. Scott who was formerly in charge of Toyota a nato sales program m Germany. A native of Long Beach calif., Scott came to Germany in 1975 As a Soldier serving with the army a 94th the lexus is 400 is now on european markets. Engineers in Darmstadt. After his discharge in 1979, he remained in Germany to study business and management at the University of Maryland night school in Frankfurt where he obtained three associate degrees and a a degree fluent in the German language he worked for the swedish Saab firms German division in Frankfurt before joining Toyota in january of 1987. He is married and has a son. For an american to climb the Cor borate ladder in Germany is rare and to Lead such a vital undertaking As the lexus program is even More so. On this Point Scott attributes his appointment to the Success he enjoyed As Section manager of the nato car sales division of Toyota and the sales results achieved on the . Military Market a they also happen to like me a he said with a Grin during an interview at his new office in Cologne Toyota a German corporate Headquarters. Discussing the lexus program in general Scott said a we aim to create a luxury car image of our own. To position lexus As a luxury car at the very top level. A car in tune to the customers needs and wants. We will hot personify  lexus buyer a age profession number of children and All that As so Many firms do. We will treat the lexus buyer strictly As an individual and look to his specific wants a we know we re in a Tough Market a Scott said a with Home country customer loyalty and All that. But the lexus has a Jot going for it practically everything is offered As Standard and about the Only option is a Telephone a �/., a we see three types of customers for the lexus Market. First Are the corporate executives. Second Are the people who use their cars As offices and third Are the people who need a car for representation or image purposes. We be already had buy ers seek out the lexus As a status Symbol and that makes us quite Happy the lexus has had very Good reviews in the German press and it recently won Germany a car of the year Golden steering wheel award and of course that All helps a sales started in september and Scott says 200 lexus is cars have been sold since then this number surpassing Early expectations. For 1991, Scott projects sales of 800 units and then 1,000 in 1992. Only the top heels 400 is being sold in Germany. There Are no plans to Market the sex 25q v-6 Model which is sold in the United states along with the is. Regarding the is 400 v-8 luxury Sedan Scott said the european version differs from the . Model in several ways a few differences include the use of a stiffer european design suspension an electronic headlight adjustment system and an adjustable Driver seat memory system that retains separate seating positions for two Drivers. Also used for european models Are High Speed tires rated for up to 155 Miles per hour tie lexus top Speed. The 4-liter, 34-valve v-8 engine turns a. Out 245 horsepower at 5,400 rpm and its coupled to a 4-Specd automatic transmission. Highly aerodynamic the lexus Sedan has a drag co efficient of Only 0.29, that figure lower for example than those found on the porsche 928 or Chevrolet Corvette sports cars in Germany prices for the is 400 v-8 Start at 89,430 Marks about $61,700 and run up to 94,000 about $64,800depend ing on the package. The German Market lexus has All of the luxury equipment associated with the . Version in the United states prices Are much lower starting at about $36,000. _ Scott said that Switzerland Britain France Holland Belgium Ireland and Finland Are also marketing the lexus with Sweden Norway and Austria to in 1991. T / in the United states lexus cars Are marketed under their own dealerships. In Germany however the cars Are sold through major Toyota dealerships with 22 dealers at the present time. Scott says 40 dealers Are projected by the end of 199j and 6q by the end of 1992, a Randy Barnetts amps Auto columnists