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CHRYSLER
PACIFICA

BASE PRICE: About $35,000

BEST FEATURE: First-class seating
for six.

hrvsler calls this combination of full-
size luxury station wagon, minivan
and SUN' a segment-buster and labels it a
"sports tourer." It displays nice curves
for such a utilitarian vehicle. It features
low step-in height, car-like handling,
hands-free communication and a power
liftgate. Inside, it sports second- and
third-row (optional) individual seats you
could settle into for an evening of TV-
watching, vet they fold flat to the floor.
Pacifica's 198.9-inch length beats many
of its competitors like BMW 15 and the
Buick Rendezvous. An all-wheel-drive
model will be followed by a front-wheel-
drive version. An impressive list of luxu-
ry accessories includes Sirius satellite
radio, power sunroof, and a six-disc in-
dash CD/DVD player. A 24-valve V-6
engine mates with a four-speed automat-
ic. Best fuel economy with all-wheel
drive is 17 mpg city, 22 highway. Pacifica
goes on sale in February 2003 as a 2004.

C

CHEVROLET
SSR

BASE PRICE: About $38,500

BEST FEATURE: A sporty hardtop
roadster and pickup combined.

SR stands for super sport roadster.
IaThe two-seater becomes a pickup
when its power-operated retractable
hardtop neatly tucks away, flush behind
the passenger compartment. Chevy calls
it "something in between" a car and a
truck. It combines the open-air feeling of
a convertible with the utility of a pickup.
Rear-wheel-drive pushed by a 5.3-liter
V8 engine achieves true sports car per-
formance and handling. The vehicle
sports five-spoke alloy wheels and per-
formance tires. It arrives about mid-year
as a 2003 model.

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JAN VARY 2003 • STYLE AT THF, JN

AUDI A8

BASE PRICE: About $64.000

BEST FEATURE: Combines sport with luxury.

w

hen the 2004 Audi
flagship AS arrives
with its four-ring badge in
June. Audi claims it will be
"the most sporty car in the
upper-luxury sector. - A
four-door, five-passenger
sedan on a lightweight alu-
minum body its long
wedge-shaped profile is
smooth and uncluttered. It
uses the Audi quattro sys-
tem of permanent four-
wheel drive and an air sus-
pension system that can be
set for super handling or
comfort, whichever you
prefer. A8 emphasizes acceleration with a six-speed automatic transmission and choice of two
V8 engines: 4.2 liter, 335 horsepower or 3.7 liter, 280 horsepower, both of which can reach
100 mph faster than an instant replay.

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