its handling and peppy performance that front-wheel drive cars have been
but in mid-1992 the engine will be successful in rallies and races
upgraded to a more potent twin-cam featuring smaller capacity classes.
V-8.
The Maserati Spyder ($50,735) is
Chevrolet Corvette ($32,455 for a roadster that has the only twin-
the three-door hatchback, $38,770 for turbocharging system currently avail-
the two-door convertible) is a revered able in the U.S., according to its Italian
sports car with a fiberglass body and makers.
The Spyder is powered by a 2.5-liter,
leading automotive technology.
The Corvette's 5.7-liter V-8 comes 185-horsepower V-6 combined with
with a six-speed manual or four- a Maserati-Sensitorque non-slip
speed automatic, driver's side air bag, differential and four-wheel disc
anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes and brakes. Interior luxuries include Italian
other nice things like Goodyear Eagle glove leather and an ultrasuede-lined
GT tires. The ZR-1 ($64,138) comes top, and briarwood dash panels.
with pricey performance and han-
We'll take Mazda Miata ($14,300)
dling packages that make it the for the best all-around sportiness for
hottest and speediest of all Corvettes. the money. Road and Track magazine
A prototype Dodge Viper debuted calls it one of the five "world's best
at this year's Indianapolis 500. The cars." The Japanese-built vehicle also
high performance sports car goes was named the "most trouble-free"
into production soon with a special sports car in a 1990 study by J.D.
edition run of 200 to 500 vehicles. Power and Associates, a California-
With assistance from Chrysler's based auto survey firm.
The Miata's sassy roadster chassis
Lamborghini Engineering subsidiary,
the Viper version of the all-new is powered by a 1.6-liter, 16-valve four-
Chrysler V-10 engine will be cast from cylinder engine. Its precise five-speed
aluminum and should generate more manual has gained acclaim and
than 400 horsepower. Chrysler calls there's an optional four-speed
it a back-to-basics "sports car overdrive automatic.
"There's nothing like a rotary
enveloped in a sensuous shape
recalling the mid-Sixties golden age engine:' says Jim McCraw of Popular
of roadsters." Price will be announced Science. He and many other auto
writers pick Mazda RX 7 ($20,000) as
later.
The Geo Metro LSi convertible one of their favorite sports cars be-
cause of its responsive powerhouse
($9740) is hot because it's a popular,
low-cost solution to the demand for and great handling. It's the only high-
classy looking two-seaters. But a hot, volume car with a rotary engine,
sporty engine it's not. The three- which also will power an all-new RX-7
slated to arrive in 1992. RX-7, from
cylinder, 1.0-liter plant is rated at 55
horsepower and gets 43 highway Japan, now comes in coupe,
miles per gallon. It's built for convertible and turbo models.
Mercedes Benz 300SL ($77,500)
Chevrolet by Suzuki in Kosai, Japan.
Honda CRX ($9325 to $11,330) and 500SL ($89,300) are identically
accelerates and handles with ease. It glamorous luxury sports cars from
comes from Japan in three trim levels Germany. The difference is a 3.0-liter
and four packages — all three-door inline six cylinder engine in the 300
and a 5.8-liter V8 in the 500.
hatchbacks.
Both cars have fully automatic soft-
The CRX is a front-drive two-seater
with minimal sportiness but fuel tops. They are available with the
economy of 45 to 50 mpg from its Mercedes adaptive damping
which
system,
1.5-liter eight-valve engine. The top suspension
CRX Si has a 108-horsepower, 1.6-liter automatically changes shock
engine; it comes with a five-speed, absorber settings according to road
standard power sunroof, and sport surface and driving style.
suspension.
The first hot performing sports car
The first front-wheel drive Lotus is from Japan was the Nissan Z car, tra-
the Elan ($39,040). This sporty ditionally a 2+2 (two seats in front,
looking British roadster hits a top two in back). The Nissan 300ZX
speed of 150 miles per hour with its (about $27,000) now comes in two-
four-cylinder seater models, one with a T-bar roof
1.6-liter,
Isuzu
turbocharged engine. Lotus claims and one without.
The Nissan two-seater impressed
the American Automobile Associa-
tion's AutoTest evaluators for strong
low-end acceleration and spirited
passing response. It's a three-door
hatchback powered by a 222-horse-
power, 3.0-liter 24-valve V-6 engine.
Our favorite car to drive is the
Porsche. The German engineering is
superb, and gear shifting is so smooth
it's fun. The 944 S2 comes in a two-
seater Cabriolet ($51,357), a
convertible with a power top, but the
model is being replaced this fall by
the 968.
Porsche has Tiptronic, a system that
brings four-speed manual and four-
speed automatic into the same floor
console. Tiptronic lets drivers shift
into automatic when they hit rush
hour traffic. The current model's
-
3-liter, 16-valve four-cylinder engine
produces a 208-horsepower rating.
An all-new Toyota MR2 ($15,448)
arrived from Japan as a 1991 model.
With a 2.2-liter, four-valve-per-cylinder
mid-engine, the new model offers
more horsepower and torque than its
predecessor. The stylish coupe is
available with an optional glass T-bar
roof or pop-up/removable glass sun-
roof. A vroom-vroom turbo version
delivers 200 horsepower.
We've omitted the $100,000 and up
models. But in case you're in the
mood to splurge, there's the
Lamborghini Diablo, the Ferrari F40
and Testarossa. You may have to get
on a waiting list to buy one.
(Once you get beyond $100,000, be-
lieves auto writer Don Sherman, "a
car isn't for transportation. It's for
FALL '91 49