Cars'82: All Systems are Go!

Remember when cars were fun? When gas was cheap and you couldn't wait till the new models came out? When you could still tell them apart? Before the spoilsports of the world told you they were unsafe and polluted the air and were the root of all evil? Maybe you liked to hop them up, or pull the chrome off and customize them, or just drive them from here to there on a warm summer's night. In the Fifties, a lucky few discovered the joys of light, agile European sports cars, and many more thrilled to the awesome power of Detroit-built muscle machines of the Sixties. And then, just at the height of American auto mania, the door was slammed shut.

Overreacting to very real needs to cut the highway death toll and to reduce the levels of dangerous grit in the air, the Federal Government begat the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the late Sixties to save us all from the automobile.

Pursuing noble ends, they buried the auto industry under mountains of rules and regulations and enormous piles of paperwork. They bombarded the consumer with anticar propaganda and imposed a sluggish 55-miles-per-hour national speed limit on superhighways built for 70--80 mph. In short, they took fun out of cars and driving and substituted social responsibility. It became nearly impossible to build an exciting automobile, and socially unacceptable to enjoy one.

Then came the Arab oil embargo and the resulting fuel panic of 1973--1974, and more overreaction. The public began by snapping up every dull econocar in sight and screaming for more. The manufacturers responded by stressing fuel economy over all other considerations. The Government bureaucracies got into the act by piling fuel-economy rules on top of safety and bumper and emissions rules.

When, in a matter of months, the shortage was over and fuel availability and prices stabilized, the American public quickly tired of boring little cars and began to shop for what they had always preferred--some for big, plush gas guzzlers, others for smaller, faster cars. But Detroit didn't make many fun cars anymore.

Granted, Pontiac had wisely retained its macho-look Firebird Trans Am, and sold every one it could build. And rival Chevrolet had looked over its shoulder and quickly revived its once-dead Camaro Z-28. Ford, Chrysler and American Motors had tried to cash in, too, with striped and spoilered Sixties-style performance cars. But it was primarily the Japanese and European importers, not (continued on page 170)Cars '82(continued from page 146) burdened by programs to meet Federal fuel-economy laws, who were able to move in quickly to fill the fun-car void with zippy, agile and economical sports cars, sports coupes and sport sedans.

When the Iranian revolution led to a second fuel scare early in 1979, the importers were ready with lots full of stylish, refined, economical and fun-to-drive small cars. Meanwhile, Detroit, complacent following the public's fast return to traditional buying habits in the mid-Seventies, once again was caught with its pants down.

Since then, the U. S. auto makers have scrambled to catch up and recover some part of the hallowed market they lost to imports. You know the rest: the near collapse of once-proud Chrysler; Ford, A.M.C. and even mighty G.M. hemorrhaging red ink; last year's expected recovery scuttled by the Federal Reserve's continued tight money policies; recession coupled with stubborn inflation.

Despite the gloom and doom, there's a fresh spirit in Detroit. Under the business-oriented Reagan Administration, the crushing regulatory burden is finally lifting. Automobiles are safer, cleaner, more economical and more socially responsible than ever, and people are more than ready to start enjoying them again. Our domestic makers, after more than a decade of almost single-minded pursuit of respectability, have finally sensed the shitting winds. They've doffed their pinstriped suit jackets and set about the business of once again designing and producing automobiles that are enjoyable as well as responsible.

The new fun car for the Eighties may be very different from the fun car of the Sixties, but it's no less enjoyable. Instead of a muscle-bound street fighter, it's an agile, sinewy gymnast. Instead of a zillion horsepower wedged into two tons of steel, it carries maybe 80 to 180 horsepower in a tightly wrapped package that weighs in at 2000--3000 pounds. It won't burn rubber for a block, but it will plant four tires on the road and corner better than the average race car of just a few years ago. It won't cover a quarter mile in less than ten seconds, but it will cover ground over America's most challenging highways with uncanny ease and stability--and all the while delivering 25, 35, even 45 miles per gallon, depending on what it is and how you drive it.

Now sit back and relax for a guided tour through the new, exciting, luxurious 1982 cars, Playboy's pick of the pack!

American cars

The biggest news from General Motors for the family-car set is the advent of front-wheel-drive A-car intermediate sedans in two-door and four-door forms. Known as the Chevrolet Celebrity, Pontiac 6000, Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera and Buick Century, these are really roomier, quieter, softer-riding, more stylish, more luxuriously appointed derivations of the popular X-cars that made their debut two years ago. They share the X-car's Pontiac-built 2.5-liter four-cylinder base engine, electronically fuel injected for 1982 for significantly better economy and performance. There is also a choice of optional V6 engines, the most interesting being a new, highly refined, Oldsmobile-built 4.3-liter diesel V6, which most drivers would be hard pressed to tell from the average gasoline engine. With automatic transmission as standard equipment, these cars can't be considered bags of fun, but they do provide G.M. buyers the best compromise yet between the old-school rear-drive sedan and the New Wave, fuel-efficient small car.

High on our excitement scale are the all-new Camaro and Firebird, known as F-cars in G.M. parlance. These retain rear-wheel drive and their aggressive, American sporty-car character but are considerably smaller and lighter than the models they replace. Beneath their aerodynamic new bodies lurk highly refined suspensions and a choice of engines ranging from the fuel-injected 2.5-liter four to a choice of carbureted or dualinjected 5.0-liter V8s. The aircraft-cockpit look of the interiors, multi-adjustable bucket seats and high-performance chassis options that make them the best-handling F-cars ever built are just a sampling of the features enhancing these pulse-quickening new G.M. fun cars.

G.M.'s already nice X-cars (Chevrolet Citation, Pontiac Phoenix, Oldsmobile Omega and Buick Skylark) benefit from addition of the injected four-cylinder as standard engine, from the wider availability of Chevy's high-performance 2.8-liter high-output V6 from last year's Citation X-l1 and from body and chassis improvements resulting from the A-car development program. The slightly smaller and newer J-cars (Chevrolet Cavalier, Pontiac J2000 and Cadillac Cimarron), introduced last spring, get much-needed performance improvements--but still need more horsepower and a good five-speed manual gearbox to classify as fun cars. Both Oldsmobile and Buick are readying high-line sedan versions of the J-car, the Firenza (formerly the Starfire) and the Skylark, for February introduction.

Chevrolet's Corvette, in its last year before a complete redesign, boasts a fuel-injected 5.7-liter V8 engine but (unfortunately) no manual transmission for 1982. There's also a commemorative Collector Edition with a swing-up rear hatch, special paint and trim, and other features. The economical rear-drive Chevette moves one step up on the fun scale with the addition of an optional five-speed transmission mated to either its gasoline or its surprisingly peppy new diesel four-cylinder engine.

Besides developing the 1982 fuel-injected four-cylinder engine, the Firebird and the 6000, Pontiac engineers have been perfecting a new overheadcam 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, coupled with a five-speed transmission. This package is intended to give Pontiac's J-cars just the performance and drivability boost they need. When the combination is ready for market--and it should be by spring--it promises to accelerate Pontiac's J2000 solidly into the fun-car realm. Similarly, Oldsmobile and Buick divisions have developed and improved their V6 diesel and V6 turbo gasoline engines for 1982 while grooming their own new A-car and J-car variations. Cadillac has an all-new electronically fuel-injected aluminum-block 4.1-liter V8 engine as standard in all models except limousines and the Cimarron J-car. It's also introducing a Euro-look, dechromed, black-walled, sport-suspensioned Eldorado Touring Coupe that's, well, almost fun, despite its hefty size, weight and price ($20,666).

Ford Motor Company, working hard to change its image from stodgy to youthful, is injecting adrenaline into its product line and especially into its small cars. Last year, the engineers strained and sweated to squeeze the last particle of EPA fuel economy from their new Escort 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. The result was indeed economical but less than pleasant to drive--a wheezing, weak-kneed sewing-machine motor hobbled by pitifully wide-ratioed transmissions.

One year later, it's a different story. Literally dozens of improvements have been made on the Escort and Lynx and their sporty two-seat derivatives (Ford EXP and Mercury LN7), not the least of which are an optional higher-performance version of the standard engine and a close-ratio four-speed manual gearbox. (continued on page 228)Cars '82(continued from page 170) The better gear ratios alone make a world of difference, as does the soupedup engine; but when the two are combined later this year, they will turn the once sluggish little front-drive Fords and Mercurys into real fun cars. There's also a much-improved suspension option and a practical new five-door hatchback Escort/Lynx for 1982. A five-speed-transmission option is expected for next fall.

And don't forget the hottest Mustang since muscle-car-madness days, a new high-output 5.0-liter V8 four-speed version that can rip from zero to 60 in seven-plus seconds. Equipped with the excellent TRX suspension/tire combo and aerodynamic spoilers front and rear, it's almost a street version of the Mustang (and Capri) race cars the company's Special Vehicle Operations group is helping build for independent competitors as part of the new-image program. Of course, there's a corresponding Capri 5.0-liter stablemate for Lincoln-Mercury dealers, who are also pushing their new Continental luxury car. Far from fun but well worthy of comment, the latter nicely combines Lincolnesque luxury, ride and features in a smaller and more fuel-efficient package, powered by your choice of a new 3.8-liter V6 or a 5.0-liter V8 engine.

Well on the road to recovery, Chrysler is expanding its efficient front-wheel-drive lines in two directions for 1982-- more luxury and more fun. On the upper end, now that the company's large rear-drive sedans have gone to their final rest, are some fine new K-car-based Chrysler LeBaron and Dodge 400 coupes and sedans. These share refined versions of the K-cars' body, chassis and drive train (including a choice of 2.2- or 2.6-liter four-cylinder engine) but are posher, quieter and softer-riding.

Chrysler plans to produce (in conjunction with an outside contractor) a limited number of LeBaron convertibles beginning this spring and may expand ragtop availability to the Dodge 400 as well, which could be the beginning of a serious American convertible comeback. Most fun for 1982, though, are the gutsy little Dodge 024 Charger 2.2 and Plymouth Turismo TC3 coupes, which deliver both spirited acceleration and a delightfully raucous exhaust note through the magic of shorter gearing and a better-breathing exhaust system.

Except for the commendable addition of optional five-speed transmissions across the board and electronic carburetion control for better fuel economy, there's little new from American Motors, as the smallest U.S. auto maker prepares to launch its jointly developed A.M.C./ Renault front-wheel-drive series for 1983. There's also little new about the 1982 domestically built Volkswagen Rabbit, save the usual evolutionary refinements and an innovative dashboard light that tells the driver when to shift for maximum fuel economy.

Among the better small-volume specialty builders, Indiana's Avanti has installed a G.M. four-speed automatic transmission in its unique Avanti II sport sedan, and Wisconsin's Excalibur recently added a stunning two-seat roadster to its Series IV line of classic Mercedes-inspired luxury vehicles. Aurora Cars of Richmond Hill, Ontario, has stepped up production of its gorgeous Ford-powered A.C. Cobra look-alike, the Aurora GRX sports car.

Japanese Cars

Number-one-importer Toyota's all-new Celica four-cylinder coupe and liftback take up where their highly successful predecessors left off, while the flagship Supra version explores new performance ground with superb handling and a new twin-cam six-cylinder engine. Despite a few incongruous details, the Celica's styling ranges from pleasing to sporty; but the flared-fendered, fat-tired Supra looks downright fast and mean. Its exotic engine could stand a little more horsepower to match the macho looks, but otherwise, this Oriental starship is as fine a performance coupe as we have driven. Its other fascinating features include a state-of-the-art driver's bucket that adjusts every which way but loose (it even has a unique air-bladder lumbar adjustment) and a digital/graphic dashboard in the luxury model that looks like a video game.

Archrival Datsun counters with what promises to be its most popular new model in years, the front-wheel-drive Stanza. Handsome and thoroughly contemporary in design, it comes in three-and five-door-hatchback and formal four-door-sedan versions. Replacing the old-school, rear-drive 510, the Stanza fits neatly between the front-wheel-drive 310 and the luxury 810 in Datsun's U. S. line-up. It's powered by a lightweight 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and, like most modern Japanese cars, offers a choice of manual five-speed or automatic three-speed transmission. Interestingly, the manufacturer, Nissan of Japan, wants to phase out its American-market Datsun name and model designations, so this car is officially called the Nissan Stanza everywhere it's sold. Along these same lines, the base-model 810 sedan and wagon are discontinued for 1982, leaving the more popular luxury Maxima versions (the 810 designation is dropped), in which a five-speed manual transmission becomes standard and there's an amazingly pleasant and thrifty six-cylinder diesel-engine option. In the fun-car category, Datsun's 200-SX sports coupe gets a minor face lift and a larger 2.2-liter engine; and the superquick 280-ZX Turbo will soon be available with a five-speed manual transmission.

Honda's popular Accord hatchback is redesigned for 1982 with a longer wheel-base, wider treads front and rear, new and more aerodynamic exterior sheet metal (which doesn't look much different from the old), a roomier interior and some new standard and optional features. There's also an ultra-economy Civic FE five-speed that delivers astounding 41-mpg city and 55-mpg highway EPA ratings.

The excellent Plymouth Sapporo and Dodge Challenger sports coupes (made by Mitsubishi of Japan), which were re-engineered a year ago, are little changed for 1982 but remain the strongest competitors to Datsun's (whoops, Nissan's) 200-SX and Toyota's new Celica. Also, the Mitsubishi front-wheel-drive Plymouth Champ and Dodge Colt lines add handy five-door hatchbacks for the new year, Playboy's other Japanese picks include Mazda's terrific rotary-engined RX-7 sports car and front-wheel-drive GLC series, Subaru's unique four-wheel-drive GL station wagon and newcomer Isuzu's thrifty I-Mark diesel coupe and sedan.

German cars

It's getting tougher and tougher to keep track of all the new Volkswagen, Porsche and Audi models these days, but here's the rundown as we see it for 1982. A late-1981 addition was the sleek, quick and agile Audi Coupe--essentially, a two-wheel-drive version of Audi's Quattro four-wheel-drive European rally car that is powered by the luxury 5000's nonturbo 2.2-liter five-cylinder engine and a five-speed transmission. The awesome Quattro itself, desmogged and with less horsepower, is expected to make its U. S. debut by spring. Audi's flagship 5000 Turbo continues as is, but a turbo-diesel variation of the smaller and less expensive 4000 is being prepared for midyear introduction.

The V8 Porsche 928 and both turbo and nonturbo four-cylinder 924 sports cars are little changed, but there's an exciting new 944 on the way with flared fenders and an all-new aluminum 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. On the European-built VW side are a redesigned Scirocco and a new Quantum--the latter replacing the old Dasher series--the Scirocco with rounder, more aerodynamic body over the existing engine and drive train. Like its cousin, the Audi 4000, the VW Quantum will offer a new turbo-diesel engine later this year. The Rabbit-based Jetta sedans, available in gas and diesel versions, and the ultrafun Rabbit convertible are essentially unchanged for 1982.

Mercedes-Benz's all new 380SEC luxury sports coupe has replaced the 380SLC at the top of the line. Mercedes' mid-sized 300D sedan and 300CD coupe are now powered by the company's surprisingly spirited 3.0-liter five-cylinder turbo-diesel engine.

Our favorite BMW still is the lovely 633CSi coupe. But new for 1982 is the most sophisticated BMW yet, the 528e sedan; it's roomier and more aerodynamic than the 528i it replaces and is powered by an electronically controlled and injected 2.7-liter six-cylinder engine.

Italian cars

There's something pulse-quickening about an Italian sporting machine, and easily the most exciting one we've driven lately is Alfa Romeo's GTV 6/2.5. A mating of Alfa's sexy sports-coupe body and 154-hp 2.5-liter overhead-cam V6 engine, this Latin jewel offers a thrill a minute for the serious driver on winding country lanes, as well as docile aroundtown performance for the less demanding. Unfortunately, the parent company doles out only a couple of thousand GTVs a year to its American importer, so prepare to wait in line.

Also high on fun but low on availability is Fiat's new turbocharged Spider. Prepared by an outside firm, the turbo 2.0-liter four provides plenty of zap, while the venerable ragtop roadster body still gets appreciative looks after all these years. Fiat's ever-improving mid-engined XI/9 also keeps going strong, while the lovely front-wheel-drive Lancia Zagato convertible remains our favorite from that Italian maker.

We prefer the outlandishly gorgeous 308GTBi or the Targa-topped 308GTSi, but Ferrari's brand-new Mondial 8 gives 2+2 seating in a more civilized package for those with a kid or two and money to burn. Distinguished by enormous engine-cooling ducts in its flanks, the mid-engined Mondial 8 is powered by the 808's 205-hp overhead-cam 3.0-liter V8 and costs a mere $65,000. Finally, from Italy comes the lavish Maserati Quattroporte (four-door) luxury sedan--a bargain at just 5565,000.

British Cars

Every so often, a real fun car bites the dust, and we're sorry to report the demise of both the Triumph TR7 and the V8 TR8. Those were the only modern British sports cars on the U. S. market and, especially in V8 roadster form, they were almost immorally enjoyable. With the MG marque's discontinuation and Rover's abandonment of the U. S. market, Jaguar Rover Triumph is left with only Jaguars to import. Fortunately, the much-improved XJ-6 sedan is selling well and the flagship XJ-S gets a sophisticated and more economical new edition of its unique VI2 engine for 1982.

The 1982 Rolls-Royces have hit the beach, complete with new styling, suspension and other features designed to provide more of the hand-crafted luxury, blissful comfort and unexcelled snob appeal that the marque has been selling almost forever. Even if you had the tariff to order a Rolls-Royce, it would probably take forever to get it, since they're turned out at an agonizingly slow pace ("like gold bricks from an oven," in the words of one R-R spokesman). However, most dealers should have at least one $109,000 Silver Spirit in stock. The long-wheelbase, inexplicably vinyl-roofed Silver Spur brings $117,000 (you could buy a nice normal car for the $8000 difference), while the Bentley Mulsanne (identical to the Spirit except for its grille) is just $108,370.

Joining the Lotus exoticar ranks sometime this year is a new turbocharged version of the flying doorstop mid-engined Esprit, while the regular Esprit gets a boost in displacement to 2.2 liters. Also from Great Britain, the Irish-built, stainless-steel-bodied, rear-engined De Lorean sports car has finally spread its gull-wing doors at selected dealerships across the land. It, too, promises a high-horsepower turbo package later in the year.

French cars

New to America this spring will be Renault's answer to the Japanese Celica/200-SX threat, the 18i-based Fuego. Motivated by the 18i's frugal 1.6-liter aluminum four-cylinder engine, it features excellent French-style front-wheel-drive ride and handling, along with a unique and highly aerodynamic body style. There will also be a turbocharged version at Renault and A.M.C. dealers for those who crave a bit more performance. Following the mid-1981 addition of a five-door hatchback version, Renault's endearing little Le Car continues unchanged into 1982.

Meanwhile, rival French maker Peugeot has reintroduced its luxury 604 model, now turbo-diesel-powered, to U. S. buyers while continuing to refine and improve its handsome 505 sedan series. The 505 turbo-diesel, incidentally, with its standard five-speed transmission, ranks with the turbo-diesel Mercedes models among the world's very few fun-to-drive diesel sedans.

Siedish cars

There's very little new from Saab, maker of somewhat eccentric but excellent front-wheel-drive sports coupes and sedans, and only the happy proliferation of turbo GLT models in Volvo's rear-drive line to report for 1982. Saab dropped its five-door hatchback last year in favor of a more conservative notch-back four-door sedan, while rival Volvo is going the other direction with racy-looking and high-performing GLT Turbo versions of its formerly conservative four-door sedan and wagon. Both are looking for larger shares of the still-depressed American market and will probably find them. We like both turbo Swedes, especially in sporty coupe form, and rate them high on the fun scale.

If we've left out your favorite marque or model, don't despair. We've tried to concentrate on the newest and most interesting of the hundreds of 1982 autos available, but rest assured that virtually everything is improved or refined in some way or another. In today's intensely competitive, recession-ravaged market, no serious auto maker can afford to let a year slip by without enhancing its products' appeal.

And if you're in the mood to buy, shop carefully, compare the bottom line with features and value and negotiate the best possible deal. The open road awaits!

"There's a fresh spirit in Detroit. Under Reagan, the crushing regulatory burden is finally lifting."

"Chrysler plans to produce LeBaron convertibles and may expand raptop availability to the Dodge 400."