The Return of the Sexy Car

Returns with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear, when cars were cars and men were men and boxes were something you put your groceries in. For a good while there, it was starting to look as if the days of our youth were gone forever—the happy days when cars offered good performance and great styling, the days when your car would impress your friends and maybe even lure the ladies. The days of the sexy car seemed lost to more practical concerns such as fuel efficiency and kids with long legs.

The auto industry started building cars that "made sense." That meant they didn't look too great on the open road, but they sure fit into the parking spaces at the supermarket. Sexy styling was put into the deepfreeze. Reality, the auto makers said. Boring, we thought. Then came high technology. While outside the song remained the same, things really started humming under the hood. Turbochargers, lightweight materials, aerodynamic styling, electronic fuel injection, electronic idle control, electronic everything. Under the skin of those high-tech machines, computers would monitor everything from exhaust content to how far your foot pushed the throttle. They would adjust the suspension, control the cockpit climate and optimize the signal strength of your favorite stereo station. The new technology would bring cars as close to mechanical perfection as (continued on page 168)The Sexy Car(continued from page 152) possible. And that meant the auto makers could finally turn their attention back to making cars exciting again.

It would start out slowly, with softer, more rounded lines all around. Then some small fireworks. New sports cars and convertibles. And then some bigger bombshells. Ford's new T-bird and Cougar. A brand-new Corvette. A new Nissan ZX. Chrysler's entry into the sports-car field. A Pontiac mid-engine two-seater priced for the masses. But enough of the headlines. It's time for you to lean back in your bucket seat, and read all about it.

American Cars

Surprise, surprise! General Motors has finally gotten its act in gear and has driven right off the middle of the road and into the fast lane. Perhaps spurred by the initial success of the new Corvette, G.M. has put a lot of punch and promotion behind Pontiac's new Fiero, a sexy, more affordable two-seater that promises to quicken the pulse of those who don't want to blow the ranch on the 'Vette.

At less than half the price of the Corvette, the plastic-bodied Fiero is America's first (and to date only) mid-engine car. Its 2.5-liter four-cylinder is mounted, race-car style, behind the seats, which allows room for an ultralow aerodynamic nose, which helps make for some uncommonly well-balanced handling. The car's snug-fitting plastic "skin," an easily removable set of corrosion-proof plastic panels, helps ward off the dings and dents. With a four-speed manual or optional three-speed automatic, the current Fiero offers moderate muscle, but there's more to come. Next year, Pontiac is planning to add an optional V6 version, which should turn this sporty little fuel saver into much more of a fire breather. Pontiac also has a hot new 150-hp turbocharged version of its 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine available in most models of its 2000 Sunbird series.

Not to be left in the dust in the high-tech sweepstakes, Chevrolet boasts a new-look front-wheel-drive (fwd) intermediate Celebrity, with a neat show-and-go Eurosport package on its coupe, sedan and new-for-'84 wagon. An optional 130-hp H.O. (high output) V6 gives the new Celebrity plenty of punch. Chevy's other superstrutter, the luxury Camaro Berlinetta, gets ultratech electronic instrumentation that makes the starship Enterprise look like an old Corvair.

Oldsmobile has also turned to some snazzy cosmetic surgery with Euro-look ES packages for its three-car fwd series (Cutlass Ciera, Omega and Firenza). And the top-line Toronado's changes speak for themselves through G.M.'s first talking dashboard.

Buick borrows a page (and a 1.8-liter turbo four) from Pontiac's book for its sporty fwd Skyhawk T Type. But that doesn't mean that Buick is without original thought. It has come up with two all-new V6 power plants. One, an option in the mid-size fwd Century T Type, uses multipoint fuel injection to develop 125 horsepower. The second, standard in both Riviera and Regal T Types, is turbo-charged and sequentially fuel-injected for an even more impressive 190 horses.

And if the return of the ragtop Cadillac (the first since '76) isn't enough, keep your eyes on the showrooms. Caddy will soon introduce an all-new fwd deVille, complete with a 135-hp aluminum V8. Also on the way from G.M. are new fwd Buick Electras and Olds 98s, both offering high-lux motoring with improved space and fuel efficiency.

Ford has finally given up on its barn-shaped Lincoln Continental Mark VI in favor of a sleeker Mark VII, which should shock the usually complacent large-luxury-car world. The radical new Mark is softly rounded and aerodynamically shaped. While there are still toned-down hints of the traditional Lincoln grille and Continental kit, the big styling news is the first domestic use of Euro-style flush head lamps. Under the prettier facings is a unique computer-controlled air-spring suspension that quickly compensates for changes in passenger and cargo load. The four air-bag springs make the new Mark (and its city cousin, the four-door Continental) ride and handle like no other big, plush luxury car. There's even a driver-oriented LSC (luxury sports coupe) version with stiffer suspension and high-performance black-wall tires on alloy wheels. Imagine that—a serious sporty Lincoln!

Ford offers a stable of newly turbo-charged performance cars this year. They run from the handsome, quick and marvelously civilized 2.3-liter Thunderbird Turbo Coupe to the 1.6-liter versions of the little fwd Escort sedan and the EXP two-seater coupe. In between, sizewise, are a 145-hp turbo Mustang and a special new Mustang model called SVO. The latter, with a nearly grilleless aerodynamic nose, a two-tiered aero wing, a 175-hp turbo four and deeply contoured performance bucket seats, has the full treatment of Ford's Special Vehicle Operations racing department.

From Mercury (you remember Mercury), there's a new performance-model Cougar XR-7 with the T-bird Turbo's 145-hp motor and a choice of five-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission. Then there's a turbocharged Capri RS and, yes, a 120-hp Lynx RS turbo.

Say, have you noticed that Lee Iacocca has been getting more TV time than Bo Duke? Well, he does have a lot to brag about. His turnaround of the Chrysler Corporation is one of America's greatest cliff-hanger success stories. But there's more to Chrysler these days than just a black bottom line. Its long-suffering engineers have managed to design and develop the industry's best new engine, a tough-spirited 2.2-liter overhead-cam four, as well as some very nice fwd family sedans to put it in. In the past couple of years, the Chrysler line has expanded to include a couple of nifty convertibles and some low-buck pocket-rocket performance cars, including the Shelby Charger.

But all of that was just a warm-up for 1984, when Chrysler fires a double-barreled salvo at the competition. First comes a pair of sleek, sexy, fast and fine-handling sports cars called Chrysler Laser and Dodge Daytona. The former is a showcase for Chrysler electronics, with optional everything from digital/graphic instruments to systems monitoring, computer navigation and a more sophisticated version of Chrysler's famous talking dashboard. The Daytona Turbo Z is more all-out performance oriented, with functional racer-look aerodynamic spoilers and the best suspension yet on a front-wheel-drive car. Both the Daytona and the Laser offer an optional 142-hp turbocharged engine, the same 2.2-liter turbo that's now an option in the fwd Chrysler E Class luxury sedan and the sporty Dodge 600 ES.

Barrel number two banged big early this year with the introduction of America's first minisized vans, the Dodge Caravan and the Plymouth Voyager. These hold seven people and a fair amount of cargo and fit easily in any garage. The ruggedly handsome Caravan and Voyager drive more like cars than like trucks and can be fitted with almost any equipment available on your average modern auto.

Franco-American partners A.M.C. and Renault introduce a sportier hunchbacked hatchback version (called, appropriately, Encore) of their highly successful fwd Alliance, plus an all-new downsized and modernized four-wheel drive (4wd) Jeep Cherokee/Wagoneer series. Volkswagen of America has its Pennsylvania plant geared up for production of the quick, agile and affordable Rabbit GTI, as well as an inexpensive new diesel Rabbit called Sparmeister. Watch for all-new Rabbits to hop into the showrooms later this year. Honda of America cranks up assembly of its U.S.-built Accord sedan while preparing to add the hatchback model to its Marysville, Ohio, production line. And little Avanti of South Bend, Indiana, celebrating its first full year under new ownership and management, face-lifts and upgrades its custom-built Avanti sports car with nicely integrated new bumpers, a redesigned interior, a new 190-hp Chevrolet V8 engine and substantial ride and handling refinements.

Japanese Cars

The Japanese are not as enamored with fuel injection and turbocharging as are our domestic car makers, at least for their U.S. models. That's probably because they tend to design new engines regularly instead of adding new technology to old ones. But the Japanese manufacturers are big on electronics and keep trying to one-up one another in gimmickry and gadgetry.

This year, Toyota, the General Motors of Japan, splits its popular Corolla series into two entirely different lines. The first is a sporty redesign of the existing rear-drive Corolla, available in both coupe and liftback styles and dubbed (what else?) Corolla Sport. The second is an all-new and considerably roomier fwd series (four-door sedan and five-door liftback) with styling lifted from the larger fwd Camry and some chassis pieces derived from the smaller fwd Tercel. Toyota's other all-new model for '84 is a spacy-looking Van Wagon powered by a midship-mounted 2.0-liter fuel-injected push-rod four. Its most interesting features are a highly aerodynamic (for a van) body and the world's first factory auto drink cooler and ice maker. Why didn't Detroit think of that?

Nissan (it's going to be hard to stop saying Datsun, isn't it?) unveils a redesigned Z-car. The new 300-ZX looks much like its predecessor (the popular 280-ZX) except for a new, flat nose with partially covered head lamps. Its best feature by far is an all-new 3.0-liter fuel-injected overhead-cam V6 engine developing 160 lusty horsepower. With optional turbocharging, make that a lusty 200 horses and an equally lusty $18,200 price tag. Five-speed manual transmission is standard, with computer-controlled four-speed automatic optional. A stretched 2 + 2 body style remains available for those with small kids and/or dogs. Inside is an excellent eight-way adjustable driver's bucket (power-operated in the top-line GS model), three-way electronically adjustable suspension (available only with the turbo engine) and (with optional leather interior) the industry's best-yet digital/graphic instrumentation. Coming later this year from Nissan is an all-new, optionally turbocharged 200-SX.

Competent and calculating as ever, Honda follows its terrific new Prelude sporty coupe (introduced last spring) with a revolutionary all-new Civic series that's likely to send competing commuter-car makers back to their drawing boards. Four body styles are available: a squared-off two-door hatchback (which looks like a tiny wagon); a fairly conventional four-door; a bizzarro-back four-door wagon; and a neat little two-seat, two-door sports coupe called CRX. The base hatchback and a supereconomy version of the CRX (would you believe 51 mpg city and 67 highway EPA ratings? Neither do we) are powered by a 60-hp 1.3-liter engine, the rest by a much livelier but fuel-efficient 76-hp 1.5-liter unit. Best of all are the new Civics' prices: from less than $5300 for the base hatchback to about $7400 for the sedan with automatic transaxle.

Mazda has a hot new version of its unique, rotary-powered RX-7 sports car called GSL-SE. The heart of this high-performance rocket is a new 135-hp "13B" rotary engine that generates 0–60 acceleration in the very impressive 8.0-second range. All RX-7s for '84 get a new four-speed automatic transmission, variable-ratio power steering (both optional) and upgraded instrumentation. Subaru, the pioneer of affordable 4wd cars in this country, adds a new dimension of performance with a turbocharged version of its unique flat-four engine. Isuzu stands pat with its gorgeous Impulse sports coupe and practical I-Mark sedans.

Mitsubishi adds optional turbo power for its fwd Cordia coupe and Tredia sedan and neatens up the styling on its turbocharged Starion sports car. Long a supplier to Chrysler, Mitsubishi also provides excitement at Dodge and Chrysler-Plymouth dealers by turbo boosting its sprightly little fwd Colt coupe. A version of the Starion called Conquest also goes to Chrysler, as does an all-new tall-profile seven-passenger wagon (almost a minivan) called Vista. The Starion/Conquest is fast, fine-handling, feature-loaded and highly civilized. The fwd five-door Vista beats Chrysler's own larger, more vanlike Caravan and Voyager to the showrooms by several months and provides a snappy-looking, nice-riding alternative to conventional wagons for import-oriented buyers.

German Cars

Volkswagen adds the very peppy 90-hp Rabbit GTI engine (now standard in the Scirocco sports car as well) to two more of its German-built products, the funky, fashionable Rabbit convertible and the GLI, a new performance version of the Jetta sedan. VW also lowers base prices almost across the board to become more competitive with low-buck econocars from the U.S. and Japan. The Porsche Audi division, on the other hand, adds equipment, boosts prices on its best-selling sports cars and replaces the legendary Porsche rear-engine 911SC with a new 200-hp 911 Carrera version. There are also three fine new Audi products: a 140-hp turbocharged version of the aerodynamic 5000S sedan, a stylish new 5000 wagon and a Quattro version of the smaller 4000 sedan, with 115 hp and 4wd.

Mercedes-Benz adds a larger (5.0 liter vs. 3.8), more powerful (184 hp vs. 155) V8 engine for its big sedan and luxury-coupe models and introduces two all-new "Baby Mercedes" small sedans, called 190E and 190D. Considerably smaller in length and price than current U.S. models, both have four-cylinder engines. The D is a diesel. Both versions offer a choice of five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission and Mercedes' new 48-month or 50,000-mile warranty. You'd be hard pressed to tell these smaller sedans, with typically solid Mercedes comfort, ride and handling, from their larger brethren if you rode in one blindfolded—unless you rode in the much smaller rear seat.

With the late-'83 introduction of its new small 318i model, BMW continues on the same conservative styling path it took with the redesigned economy-minded midrange 528e. Last year's good news was the later addition of an expensive but much faster 3.3-liter 533i version of the 5-series car. This year's bright note will be the midyear addition of a six-cylinder hot-rod 3-series called 325e. A new four-door 318i is also on the way for a late-'84 debut. Rest assured, however, that while more contemporary shapes don't seem to be in the cards at the moment, each new BMW boasts substantial engineering improvement over the car it replaces.

Italian Cars

When the U.S. branch of Italy's auto-making giant Fiat decided to quit importing sports cars last year, the void was filled by a new company called International Automobile Importers, headed by none other than former Subaru importer and Bricklin-sports-car maker Malcolm Bricklin. I.A.I. began shipping in improved versions of what used to be the Bertone Xl/9 and Spider 2000 convertible just last August. The former, a still-stylish little wedge of a mid-engine two-seater, is now called Bertone X/CEL. It gets 75 horses out of its injected 1.5-liter four and sells for a cool $16,000. The latter, a dated but still curvaceous convertible roadster by Pininfarina, is powered by a fuel-injected 2.0-liter four generating 102 hp and also goes for 16 grand. Both feature standard five-speed manual transmissions.

Ferrari began offering its new 230-hp Qualtrovalvole (four valves per cylinder) 3.0-liter V8 engine in its U.S.-market cars several months ago. Now there's an exciting new model to go with it. Joining the sensuous 308 GTSi Targa-top sports car and the four-seat Mondial is the Mondial Cabriolet, Ferrari's first full convertible since the 1969 Daytona Spider. Both mid-engine exotics were extensively refined a year ago, and Fiat North America (curiously) continues to import them.

Alfa Romeo offers a substantial list of improvements to its snappy GTV 6/2.5-liter sports coupe and the aging but still enjoyable 2000 Spider Veloce convertible. Addition of digital electronic ignition and shorter gearing to both cars increases performance and economy. The GTV 6 gets a new leather interior with very nice Recarolike seats, a standard sun roof, and transaxle synchronizer and shift-linkage improvements. Exoticar maker Maserati, meanwhile, finally begins importation of its 192-hp twin-turbo Biturbo sedan (a move forecast on these pages last year).

British Cars

A new company called Lotus Performance Cars has taken over importation of exotic English-built Lotus products, including the superfast 205-hp Esprit Turbo. This little wedge-shaped bullet, the latest version of the car that once sprouted fins and carried James Bond to a miraculous undersea escape, is turbocharged and capable of nearly 150 mph flat out. It's also much improved inside and accommodates tall, fat-footed American drivers better than earlier Esprits, thanks to increased headroom and rearrangement of the pedals and the foot-box area. Jaguar plans a March introduction for its hotly anticipated XJ-S Cabriolet convertible (which features a new six-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission) while enjoying record sales of its ultrarefined XJ6 sedan and V12-powered XJ-S coupe, the latter with a new standard trip computer for '84. Aston Martin continues importation of tiny quantities of its hyperexpensive hand-built cars, including the Volante convertible and the ultraexotic, wedge-shaped $150,000 Lagonda sedan, while Rolls-Royce has little new to offer this year save slightly lower prices due to the favorable dollar-to-pound currency relationship.

French Cars

Renault keeps its nice Sportwagon (formerly the 18i) and aerodynamic Fuego and Fuego Turbo sports coupes around for '84, but the only new car news from France this year is Peugeot's long-awaited 505 station wagon. Powered by a choice of 2.0-liter gas or 2.3-liter turbodiesel engine, this refined and roomy mid-size beauty holds 79 cubic feet or 1125 pounds of cargo, whichever comes first. Both volume and weight capacities are the highest of any imported wagon on the market. The excellent ride and handling qualities of the 505 sedan are retained in the wagon. And the interior is about as plush and comfortable as a European import gets.

Swedish Cars

All-new cars from Sweden come around about as often as tax cuts, but Saab boasts some 30 minor changes and improvements to its 900 and 900 Turbo lines, while rival Volvo adds an intercooler to its available turbocharged engine, as well as automatic transmission for its turbodiesel 760 model. The intercooler (also available as an after-market kit) boosts the horsepower of Volvo's 2.1-liter turbomotor from 131 to a tire-frying 162. And just over the horizon is a 157-hp 2.3-liter turbocharged four, also intercooled, for Volvo's luxury flagship, the 760 GLE.

And there you have it. This year's car crop promises to bring back excitement we haven't seen in years. The sexy, high-tech cars are finally here. We think you'll find them well worth the wait.