European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 6, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                , the Chrysler corp. Plans to it i expand its presence in the hot Selling sport Utility vehicle Market by adding a four wheel drive Dodge pickup. Chrysler chairman Robert Eaton said recently that the automaker sees a new Market for a Large sport Utility vehicle that would be built on the Dodge ram Chassis. Several other Domestic and foreign automakers also Plano build Large luxurious sport Utility vehicles. Chrysler officials said the vehicle would sell for about $35,000 but did not indicate where it would be built. A Toyota a exports of  cars plunged nearly 33 percent in april largely because of Competition from a car made in Taiwan the Auto giant says. Exports to Taiwan which has typically been the largest Market for  Toyota dropped by 1,600 in april Toyota spokesman Bob Wade  were nearly 50 percent below Export Levels a year ago Wade said. A a a a. Toyota will re evaluate marketing and pricing of its mid Range Toyota Corolla so demand for the Corona a taiwanese built car with similar size and features does not affect Toyota a  a exports dropped 32.9 percent to 3,227 cars in april and year to Date exports were Down 11.3 percent to 15,146 cars compared with the same period a year ago. However demand for  Toyota Rose in Japan Europe and the Middle East. All 1995 models of the new Ford contour and Mercury mystique will have air filtering systems designed to give Relief to allergy sufferers Ford motor co. Said. The feature was slated to be optional on the two mystique and three contour models but customer interest at Auto shows was so High that the company decided to make the filters Standard equipment Ford said. Ford said it is the . Automaker to offer the Micron air filtration system in its vehicles. Such systems Are installed in some european luxury cars. Micron air is capable of removing nearly 100 percent of All airborne particles larger than three microns. A human hair is 50 to 60 microns in diameter. The air inside a midsize car can contain As Many As 240 billion floating particles Ford said. An estimated 40 million to 50 million americans suffer from allergies asthma and Hay fever. A a a Japan marked during april its first increase in car exports to the United Stales in the past nine months but officials said that Overall exports for that month declined 16.2 percent from the same period the previous year. The Japan automobile manufacturers association said exports to the United states increased 11,4 percent for the month from a year earlier to 135,147 vehicles. Exports to Europe Sank by 24.5 percent to 83,456 units. Exports to. Asian nations plunged 43.7 percent to 44,519 units. A. Japan a Overall exports of Auto a vehicles including passenger ears trucks and buses dropped 16.2 percent to 367,230 in april compared with a year earlier marking its 13th straight month of declines the association said. The april figure was Dow n 13.6 percent from the previous month. A loom wire reports recycling takes a turn companies transform old vehicle parts into new car items Dearborn Mich. Apr just As More of everyday household garbage can be sorted for recycling so too can More of today scars. _ in general about 75 percent of the typical car can be reused. The United states big three Auto manufacturers working together through the vehicle recycling partnership Are trying to push that percentage higher. But that still leaves the question recycled into what Ford motor co. Is using casings from old batteries to make polypropylene splash Shields for 1994 Ford thunderbird Mercury cougars and Lincoln Continentals. A this program demonstrates the win win possibilities of automotive recycling a says Frank Macher general manager of Ford plastic amp trim products division. A not Only does the recycled plastic meet Ford s stringent standards for durability and performance its less expensive and lends itself to being recycled Many times  according to Ford research More than 94 percent of All a a junked vehicles go to a dismantling Center where More than 75 percent of the Content is recycled a including More than 89 percent of All batteries. The recycled plastic costs 20 percent less than Virgin polypropylene. Ford research shows that vehicle parts made from the material can be shredded Pelle sized and refolded into new parts up to a dozen times. There is a drawback albeit a minor one. The reprocessed polypropylene cannot absorb new color so its used for components such As underbody splash Shields which protect a vehicles Chassis from Road debris and mud. Ford expects to use More than 2.3 million pounds of recycled polypropylene a year equal to More than a million Battery casings being reborn As splash Shields for 325,000 Ford cars. The source of polypropylene for recycling is practically limitless because so much of it is used in a car. Fords climate control division for instance uses 25 million pounds a year in components for vehicle heating and Cooling systems. Ford has made other inroads into recycling including worldwide recycling guidelines that apply to its own engineers and suppliers. The  the use of recyclable materials and direct engineers to Combine them so that they Are easily separable. As part of that the guidelines encourage the use of fewer materials. One example is nylons Ford once specified 150 grades of Nylon now it recommends 20 a making them easier to separate and Recycle at the end of a vehicle s lifetime. The no. 2 automaker also is a the largest automotive user of recycled pet or polyethylene terephthalate soft drink bottles. Ford uses More than 50 million bottles a year in parts such As Grille opening reinforcement panels headliners and Luggage rack Side rails. A a using xenon bumpers from salvaged Taurus Sable Tempo Topaz Aerostat escort and tracer models to make taillight housings for selected Ford Tau ruses. The Pilot program started last year has been expanded into a production program this year. A turning waste products collected at Ford plants into plastic seat covers that protect vehicle seat backs As they travel from Ford Assembly plants to dealer showrooms where they Are Cut away. Each cover will contain at least 25 percent recycled plastic. The seat Back covers like the bump ers to taillight housings Are examples of closed Loop recycling in which a company finds a recycling use for its own waste. An automotive Industry forecast from the University of _ Michigan also., sees a growing future for automotive recycling. What the Industry has started according to the study will ultimately be driven by state and Federal regulation. That a especially True for components like tires which Are costly to Recycle. Ford aspire weighs in with value by Ann Marie Job for the associated press time was when Small cars weren to much More than soda cans on wheels. No More. Fords latest entrant in the subcompact Field is bigger heavier and better equipped than its predecessor and even has Standard front air bags. And the 1994 Ford aspires base Price is just $8,240. A the new entry will gain a Strong presence in the subcompact Market by offering More value than the competitors a predicts Ross h. Roberts Ford motor co. Vice president and general manager of Ford division. Looking to sell Between 35,000 and 40,000 aspires in 1994 and some 70,000 next year Ford is the first to put two Standard front amp at air bags into a subcompact. The Geo metro a a top contender in the segment with a base Price of $7,590 a gets dual air bags in the upcoming 1995. Model year. The Toyota Tercel base priced at $8,958, has a Standard Driver air bag. Chrysler a Neon base priced at $8,975 and equipped with two Standard front air bags is categorized As a compact. The aspire built outside Seoul South Korea by korean car maker Kia motors replaces Thuc korean built Ford festival for 1994. Sales of the festival which was introduced in a 1987 As a 1988 Model peaked around 70,000 in Calendar 1988 and 1989, a Ford spokeswoman said. Sales last year totalled 31,918, Down 5.6 percent from 1992. The aspire comes Only in Hatchback models a three and five door. Though some 300 pounds heavier than the festival the aspire retains the same Mazda 1.3-liter, single overhead cum in line four Cylinder engine. But refinements boost the aspires fuel Economy with the five Speed manual transmission by one mile a gallon a to 36 mpg in the City and 43 mpg on the Highway. The Geo metro Xei remains the High mileage Leader among subcompact rated at 53 and 58 mpg respectively. With 64 horsepower the Ford aspire Falls Between the 55 horses of the Metros 1-Liler, four Cylinder engine and the 82 horses of the 1.5-iter, four Cylinder in the lord aspire shown in the five door Model also comes in a three door version. The Toyota Tercel. The much Pepper Neon has a two liter four Cylinder providing a maximum 132 horsepower. The test car a five door aspire base priced at $8,855, was a bit slow on the pickup a torque is 74 Pound feet at 3,000 revolutions per minute. The sluggishness was especially noticeable when the $,825 optional air conditioning was on and compounded when i obeyed the Little annoying Amber Arrow that would illuminate on the dashboard to Tell me when to shift up. Ford reports a 0-to-60-Mph time of 13 seconds in a manual transmission aspire and 16.8 seconds in an aspire with three Speed automatic about a second better than top subcompact competitors but much slower than the Neon a Zippy eight plus seconds. A i he aspic eds five Speed manual Felt Mushy in the test car and there was considerable Road and engine noise. For improved ride tire 93.9-Inch-wheelbase aspire sits on 13-Inch wheels an Inch bigger than those on the festival and the 93.1-Mch-wheelbase metro. The 104-Meh-wheelbasc Neon and 93.7-Inch wheelbase Tercel also have Standard 13-Inch wheels. Macpherson struts up front and torsion beam in Back Are key suspension components in the aspire. There a considerable under steer and a definite lightweight feel As the car is thrown into turns. Riders also will notice wind buffeting in High wind areas outside the aspire s clean lines devoid of Chrome make for a pleasing rather sensible appearance. The aspire offers a Good amount of rear leg room 34.2 inches is. 32.6 in the metro and 31.9 in the Tercel. It s adequate with front bucket seats up a ways but my Knees hit the aspires front seat backs if the front seats Are Back on their tracks All the Way. Front seats sit up quite a bit from the floor so its easy for rear seat riders to tuck their toes underneath. The aspire Back seat is designed for two passengers. It splits 50-50 and folds Down so big items can fit in through the Hatchback area. Because the aspire is a new car consumer reports does not list owner trouble reports