European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 07, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pago 12 the stars and stripes automotive saturday August 7,1993 Chrysler corp. Says the Price of its 1994 models will average about 1,8 percent More than the. Introduction Price of 1993 models. The increases match the average jump general motors corp. Previously announced for All but its Saturn Small car subsidiary. Saturn prices Are up 5.1 percent Over 1993  s 1994 increases amount to 1.2 percent or $244, above current prices. On a comparably equipped basis \ 1994 cars will behind the eel increase 1.8percent, or $341. Trucks will increase 6.9 percent or $193, when compared with 1993 models. All vehicles by Chian Ford motor co. Will have environmentally friendlier air conditioning systems that use a different refrigerant by january beating a Federal deadline by two years general motors corp. Said it will reusing the hew air conditioning refrigerant r-134a, in All vehicles by late next year when 1995 models Are scheduled to arrive. The moves Are to eliminate the Ozone depleting r-12 refrigerant. R 12, also sold As freon is a chlorofluorocarbon or Csc suspected of contributing to the destruction of the Earth s Ozone layer. That layer protects life from the Sun s ultraviolet rays. While friendlier to the atmosphere the r-134a systems Are less efficient than their predecessors and need More space in the engine and More Power to Cool As efficiently. Mercedes Benz of North America based in Montvale n.j., i recalling 128,000 cars because of a problem with a throttle Cable connector that could make acceleration impossible. The voluntary recall involves 300-class models from 1987 through 1992 with five and six Cylinder engines. The throttle Cable connector secures the car s throttle Cable to the engine. It can become deformed because of heat and Wear the company said. If the Cable Breaks the engine will return to Idle Speed preventing acceleration. The company said there were no reported accidents or injuries As a result of the problem. Owners of the recalled vehicles can have an improved connector installed at no charge at any Mercedes Benz dealer. Mercedes Benz also announce that it had installed Driver Side airbags that Don t comply with Federal safety standards in about 400 vehicles the 1993 a class 300-class and 190. The company said it would replace them with . Versions at no charge. The dig three . Automakers said thursday that they plan to cooperate on the development of High performance computer systems. General motors corp., Ford motor co. And Chrysler corp. Formed the supercomputer automotive applications partnership their 12th research group under the . Council for automotive research. One Challenge for the new group is developing portable software programs that can be easily set up and run on High performance parallel computers used by automotive design engineers. From wire reports Auto leasing catching on Many Drivers find it costs less than buying a new car Detroit a Mike Leahy lease the Mercedes Benz 300e he drives for his computer software business. He since has leased a Honda Accord for his son and the Dodge grand caravan his wife drives. Each time Leahy evaluated the pro Sand cons of leasing is. Buying leasing won. The reason is that it is Costin Leahy less. As far As we re concerned All the res of our cars will be leased said Leahy s wife Beth. Owning a car like owning a House used to be part of the american  like the Leaphys hundreds of thou Sands of Drivers Are becoming converts to Auto leasing. That is a big part of the Auto Industry s recovery in an otherwise stagnant Economy. For the first six months of the year,25.3 percent of All new cars and trucks were leased up from 17.5 percent in the same period last year. One reason is a trend toward Shorter lease terms said Art Spinella of cow marketing research a Bandon ore., 9.firm that tracks Auto leasing. Other cow evidence of leasing s explosive growth and its Impact on the Auto Industry of people who took delivery of a new car or truck so far this year 69 percent said they would have waited if leasing had been unavailable. In 1992, 1.1 million cars and trucks were leased to people who said it made difference Between getting the vehicle immediately is. Having to wait. Awareness of leasing has More than doubled from 24 percent in 1990 to 64 percent this year. But perhaps the biggest reason for leasing s surging popularity is the stagger ing Price of new cars and trucks. Despite some of the lowest interest rates in years monthly payments have skyrocketed. Even As automakers hold Many Price increases below the inflation rate the average Price of a new car is nearly $17300. The automakers figure if they can get people to Trade their cars More often through Short term leases the cyclical Auto business will smooth out its historical peaks and valleys keeping factories running and sales and profits steady. Some analysts who follow the economics of the Auto Industry Aren t so sure. They think automakers in their Zeal to jump Start business May have lighted the fuse of a financial time bomb by inflating Trade in values and discounting interest rates on leases. Leasing experts say Consumers who hate monthly payments or who can afford to pay Cash for a new car probably should not lease. But for  to live with a monthly car payment leasing is attractive. Take for example a 1993 Cutlass supreme that Sells Tor $17,000. Purchase Dover three years it would Cost $553.07 a month assuming 7.5 percent interest and no Money Down. The same car on a three year lease would Cost $333.53 month at 6 percent interest. Offering lower interest rates on leases is called subverting. At the end of the three years the per son who bought the Oldsmobile would own it and could drive it free except for maintenance and repairs. The person who leased the Oldsmobile would Nave to decide whether to buy it for $8,124.85 probably by refinancing or turn in the keys and lease a new car. People who swore they a never lease Are now leasing strictly out of affordability said Dick Biggs who owns Bigg leasing automobile corp. In Atlanta. Biggs works for several Auto manufacturers in training their dealers on the partic ulars of leasing. Mazda s b22000 and b26001 pickups look like Ford products and with Good reason. They re built by the . Automaker. Mazda pickup has Ford connection by Tom Incantalupo new Day you la really have to know your pick  to identify the 94 Mazda a series at a glance. If you think it s a Ford you re excused. Due in dealerships next month thened series is built by Ford in Edison n.j., and is a close relative of the 94ford Ranger also due soon. Earlier b series trucks were made in Japan by Mazda. The new a series is the second truck Ford has built for Mazda the first was the Navajo a near clone of the Ford explorer. The a series represents an inter Esting role reversal Ford dealers sold Amanda built pickup called courier for a few years before the Ranger debuted in 1982. Beyond its historical significance this Ford Mazda Mazda Manord is state of the Art. The ride is civilize of even in 4x4 versions. Handling is on a Par wit the Best of the Competition and the four wheel drive system is engaged the mod Ern Way at the touch of a Button on the dash. The Interior is up to Date and very for like in the layout and feel of controls and in the plastics used. Sadly there s no air bag something that buyers Are com Mazda a series pickup engine 2.3-liter four Cylinder 98 horsepower transmission five Speed manual rear or four wheel drive safety manually operated belts rear anti lock brakes weight 2,918 pounds. Cargo Box 72.2 inches Long 51.2 inches wide base Price $9,240, including destination charge Epa mileage 22 mpg City 26 mpg Highway source new Day. Is ing to expect even in trucks. A Mazda spokesman says it s under consider  the a series is available with three engines the four Cylinder described in the data Box and the first v-6s Ever offered by Mazda in a pickup a 145-Horsepowcr 3-liter and a 160-Horsepowcr 4-liter. Our tester s 4-liter delivered acceleration Strong enough to chirp a tire from standing Start the optional four Speed automatic shifted smoothly. Bucket seats will be in limited Avail ability for the immediate future they come Only in mid level be models. But the 60-40 split Bench installed in most ver Sions offers acceptable Back support. There Are three equipment Levels two bed lengths 6-foot and 7-foot an regular and extended cabs. The latter has Center facing jump seats that As in competitors pickups Are cramped Bolt upright and Are Best used occasionally for Small children pets or adults you want never again to ask you for a ride. Our tester an extended cab Model i Topmost be equipment level listed for $20,755, including air conditioning $780alloy wheels $610 and a plastic bed liner $250. It s too soon to Tell about Quality of course but the Outlook seems promising . Power and associates says Mazda and Ford trucks in general and the ear Lier Ranger and a series in particular were Well above average in initial Quality and that. Ford and Mazda trucks and their dealers scored highly in Overall Cus Tomer satisfaction. Los Angeles times Washington Post news service