European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 30, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 12 the stars and stripes automotive saturday january 30,1993 behind the Dearborn Mich. A Ford motor co. Said monday it is recalling 1,200 Taurus Sho models to replace automatic transmissions that May have t been damaged during production. The recall prompted by customer complaints of transmission slippage covers the first 1,200 super High output models with automatics built in Atlanta Between mid november and dec. 20, Ford spokesman John Ochs said. Ochs said the transmission defect which can cause third gear to be skipped occurred when a machine inserting a Seal folded or Tore the Seal in some transmissions creating the possibility of an Oil teak. Owners of the affected cars arc being notified by mail and will be. Asked to return the cars to dealers who will replace the transmission at no charge. Ford called the recall a service action because it does not involve a safety related Issue. A a a a. Detroit general motors corp. Says its exports Rose 4.6 percent in 1992, keeping the leading a automaker firmly in the top spot among Auto companies sending cars and trucks sent 133,650 vehicles worldwide last year compared with 127,660 in 1991. Quot despite weakened economics in Many parts of the world our sales cry Romance continued at Strong vels a Richard m. Lee executive in charge of pm North american Export sales said tuesday. Ford motor co. Said wednesday it exported 69,407 cars and trucks last year up 18.2 percent from 1991. Detroit a two weeks after its Taurus was pronounced 1992�?Ts bestselling car in America Ford motor co. Announced its first mid Model year Price increases in two years. They include increases of $104 to $111 on most Tau ruses. Analysts said that the move by the nations second largest automaker reflects its optimism in a strengthening new car Market and an Effort to recoup some of what it Cost to wrest the title of Best Selling car from the Honda Accord a As much As $2,500 per car in discounts. A Ford spokeswoman Carolyn Burke said that the increases were a to partially offset operating and product related costs.�?�. Detroit Oldsmobile has towered the stickers on two models the eighty eight rotate and the Achieva following a Sale surge prompted by Price cuts on two other models. Officials with the general motors division said it was chopping $3,000 off a popularly equipped version of the big eighty eight and $1,300 off a similarly equipped Achieva compact. The earlier Price slashing action affected the Cutlass supreme and Cutlass Ciera. Oldsmobile first introduced the one Price Slicker in december to halt a sales decline that accelerated in november on the heels of rumours pm was planning to kill the division. A from wire reports pretty potent Camaro 93 Model features improvements but z28�?Ts essence remains by Paul Dean los Angeles times in a poll More suggestive of hemp ropes and an old West Lynching a majority bloc of Auto week readers earlier this month trashed the new Chevrolet Ca Maro As ugly bloated and stump dumb. A minority of 46 percent stridently disagreed saying the Camaro is a technologically advanced car for which they would gladly give up their Mustangs corvettes Ted Nugent tapes and other addictions. A Lone Reader a a doubtless considering the one management change Chevrolet Hasni to attempted a thanked god for pm. Imagine reactions if these respondents had actually seen the vehicle driven it or been fed information a Little less subjective than one critics review of a muscle Hatchback that Wasny to even to be in showrooms until later in the month. So much for the vulnerability of Straw votes. Therein however sits a Good example of the passionate extremes stirred by the Camaro. Since its design in 1967 As a trans am race car and reconfiguration for somewhat less competitive highways the Camaro has spent the last Quarter Century launching a million Young fantasies and just As Many insurance cancellations. Few Drivers Are Neutral about the car especially when debating its hard charging High performance versions belching enough smoke and flame to cauterize their own mufflers. One school sees the Lusty Camaro z28 a and its clone Pontiac s firebird trans the new Chevrolet Camaro remains a car for those who enjoy the manual arts or driving against the push and tug of slightly reluctant gears. Amas a rough Riding crude handling chunk of Over styled flatulence. They deem it the vehicle of Choice among environmental morons who use ashtrays for tobacco juice and think Thunder Road should have won an Oscar. Disciples place the z28 alongside French Fries and Ketchup no hitters four years in the army and winning the person next door As essential to the development of. A vibrant and Clear eyed America. They wept two years ago when pm said it might exorcise All Samaros from the lineup because demand for such Rois Crous cars clearly was fading. But pm did t press the kill switch. A certain Lack of logic prevailed. So a new and fourth generation Camaro was developed at a Cost of $600 million. And this prettiest most potent version adds a new dimension to an already sturdy history the 1993 z28 is a $17,500 Corvette with practically All the exhilaration and Rush that famed two seater offers. It also is easier to enter and exit. Although a Complete Modem remake a from its cab Forward Ford Probish exterior to All the technological niceties of anti lock brakes and dual air bags a the essence of the z28 has survived. It remains a car for those who enjoy the manual arts of driving against the push and tug of slightly reluctant gears. Among such persons silent movement and sophisticated mechanical Are for Milquetoast. Not for them Wood trim traction controls Load levellers and other devices that done to leave the driving to us. Let the other Guy Trade off performance for fuel Economy. Real Guys and purity and a Best buddy in noisy cars that Are raw inside rough around the edges and a but Don t spread it around much tougher and More capable than their driven. That a the Way it was with the cobra Charger Road Rungier and Barracuda. That a the Way it continues with the Mustang it Chevrolet Corvette Dodge Viper and Camaro z28. Plymouth Dodge to offer Neon by Alan l. Adler t a Auto writer Detroit a in Detroit a first such move in recent memory Chrysler corp. Wilt sell identical versions of a domestically built car under different nameplates. Chrysler plans to Start Selling its new Neon subcompact at Plymouth and Dodge dealerships Early next year. Traditionally a big Litree automaker will use different dealerships to peddle models that Are similar but with noticeable cosmetic differences and distinct names. At a time when the automakers Are struggling to Cut costs the savings of Chrysler a scheme can be considerable. Besides cutting advertising and marketing expenses manufacturing one Model can Cost far less than two models that require the building of new tools to make minor changes in things like headlights bumpers and steering wheels. "1 think for a Small car it makes terrific sense a said Maryann Keller an Auto Industry analyst with Furman Selz inc. In new York. A a you a be amazed at How expensive the cosmetic items the profit margins on subcompact Are much Slimmer than on larger vehicles. Few automakers have a profitable subcompact which usually is necessary to round out Model offerings and to help balance fuel Economy standards skewed by better Selling but Gas thirsty big cars. Chrysler a decision on the Neon also appears to reflect continuing uncertainty Over the Plymouth Brand name. But com. Pany officials after casting doubt on Plymouth a future for More than a year said recently the Brand would be reinvigorated with new products. Chrysler corp. Will sell identical versions or the Neon at Plymouth and Dodge dealerships in a move that is expected to Cut advertising and marketing expenses. A i done to think that this strategy on this particular car says anything about what Plymouth a future is Quot Keller said. A recent financial turnaround at Chrysler a it Likely will be the Only Domestic automaker to show an operating profit for All of 1992 May have led to a new lease on life for Plymouth. _ financially struggling general motors corp. Has used a More traditional method to Cut costs a outright eliminations including such recently announced discontinued models As Oldsmobile Tornado and Cadillac Allante. There were even rumours that the Oldsmobile Brand name will be killed but pm flatly denies this. Keller said Selling the same Model in different dealerships is easier for Chrysler because there is less distinction Between Plymouth and Dodge than Between divisions at other Auto companies. If you re going to sell something As a Pontiac and a Chevrolet do you really think that they Are serving the same customers i suspect not Quot she said. A the poo Tiac version would have to have More per the Neon is Chrysler a first All new subcompact since the Plymouth horizon and Dodge Omni were introduced in the late 1970s. It will feature a cab Forward design that increases Interior r0011 1 also has Standard Driver Side and front passenger air bags like the new Chrysler midsize cars a Chrysler concorde Dodge intrepid and Eagle vision. John Damoose Chrysler vice president of marketing said in a Telephone interview that Chrysler Hopes to sell 250, to 350,000 units a year. Production beat in november in Belvidere 111. Cars will arrive at dealerships next Jan Saiy with an official february launch coi Riding with the Winter olympics. Chry it in is a major to advertiser for the games. No prices for the Neon were announce a
