Future Stock

The light turns green and they're off. The smell of burning rubber is all that's left at the start line. The Corvette is in the lead. But wait: Here comes the Mustang GT and, yes, the Dodge Shelby Charger is closing in fast!

Shades of 1965? Close. It's been almost that long since gas was so plentiful and affordable. And as the muscle-car kids of yesterday become the affluent young professionals of today, the cry is unanimous: Fuel efficiency is one thing, but we want our high-performance cars back--now!

Detroit, ever mindful of the needs and desires of its customers, is delivering: multipoint fuel injection, turbo-charging, tubular headers, high-flow exhausts, roller lifters, five-speed transmissions, heavy-duty suspensions and huge wheels and tires to put all that power to the ground.

But this new performance battle of the Eighties is very different from the simple-minded brute-horsepower war of 20 years ago. Automotive performance has come to mean more sophisticated and more socially responsible all-round performance. Today's cars are smaller, lighter, leaner and far more versatile.

And this time around, there's some serious competition from abroad. With relatively affordable Nissan 300-ZX Turbos and Maserati Biturbos turning 0--60s in the low sevens, with Mitsubishi Starion Turbos and 16-valve Toyota MR 2s not far behind and with from abroad. With relatively affordable Nissan 300-ZX Turbos and Maserati Biturbos turning 0--60s in the low sevens, with Mitsubishi Starion Turbos and 16-valve Toyota MR 2s not far behind and with six-second Porsches and exotic Ferraris on the higher end of the price scale, America's domestic makers can't afford to ignore the performance-minded market.

Also, this renewed horsepower war is being fought under a new and challenging set of rules. No car may be sold in the U.S. without first meeting extremely stringent exhaust-emissions standards. And every company selling here must meet a fuel-economy bogie of 27.5 miles per gallon on the average for its entire "fleet" of cars or be liable for substantial cash penalties.

In fact, emissions and fuel-economy standards, not performance, are the major reasons for most of this sophisticated and expensive new hardware. It's pretty tough to meet those laws and still maintain good drivability and acceptable performance with a simple old carburetor. Then, once the Feds are satisfied, if you've managed to work some extra tire-frying horsepower into the engine equation, too . . . well, that's more power for the people!

American Cars

General Motors has met the triple challenges of performance, economy and squeaky-clean exhaust by going to sophisticated multipoint electronic fuel injection (M.F.I.) on just about all of its V8 and V6 engines. Pontiac's 150-hp 1.8-liter turbo four (found in Pontiac Sunbird turbo and Buick Skyhawk T Type turbo models) also boasts M.F.I., while other G.M. fours get by with throttle-bopdy injection (T.B.I.), plus the new roller lifters.

What's the difference? Both types are computer-controlled, but T.B.I. squirts fuel into the incoming air at just one central point (like a carburetor but more precise), while M.F.I. feeds each cylinder individually. Although M.F.I. is more complex and expensive, it gives better and more exact mixing of fuel and air for complete combustion. The bottom line is better economy, better drivability (no sag or surge when you mash the (continued on page 148) Future Stock (continued from page 139) gas), cleaner exhaust and more power.

When Chevy engineers put M.F.I., along with "tuned" intake ports (an old racers' trick) and friction-reducing roller hydraulic valve lifters, into the Corvette's already impressive 5.7-liter V8, they came up with 12 percent better fuel economy to please the Feds, plus 25 more horses to please everyone else.

Chevy put a similar system into the Z28 Camaro's 5.0-liter V8 and got an identical 25-hp boost over last year's 190-horse carbureted version. This 215-hp M.F.I. motor can be had in either the regular Z28 or the new, ultimate IROC-Z, but only with four-speed automatic transmission.

Chevy's versatile 2.8-liter V6 also gets M.F.I. and some new applications for '85. Rated at 130 hp, it's an option in the midsize Chevy Celebrity and Pontiac 6000 and standard in the performance-oriented 6000 STE. In 125-hp form, it's available to liven up the otherwise underpowered Chevy Cavalier, Olds Firenza and Cadillac Cimarron compacts. And a muscular 140-hp version motivates the SE and balls-out GT versions of Pontiac's fine Fiero sports car, lowering the mid-engine two-seater's 0-60 performance to about eight seconds.

Besides the eagerly awaited V6 Fiero, Pontiac's biggest news is its small "sports specialty" Grand Am. Forget the old high-performance name; this is a smoothly trimmed, nicely turned-out front-drive sports coupe intended to take on the likes of Honda's popular Prelude, Toyota's Celica and Nissan's 200-SX. Available with four-cylinder or V6 power, it starts at a reasonable $8000 and can be optioned as a small luxury cruiser or (with Y99 performance suspension and big Eagle GT tires) a crisp-handling sports tourer.

Oldsmobile offers a Grand Am counterpart called Calais, styled and trimmed for a conservative buyer.

Buick Division, G.M.'s V6-engine-and-electronics specialist, offers a Euro-look, performance-oriented T Type version of nearly every model it makes. Topping the line is the luxurious, fine-handling Electra; at the bottom is the swift, turbocharged Skyhawk. In between are a surprisingly fast turbo-V6 rear-drive Regal T Type and a 3.8-liter M.F.I. V6-powered Century T Type sports sedan.

Cadillac's Cimarron is finally competitive in the tough luxury-sports-sedan market, thanks to its new optional M.F.I. V6 and a minor face lift that lengthens its nose (to accommodate the larger engine), classes up its tail and, in general, makes it now look more Caddy than Chevy.

Ford's 5.0-liter V8 engines get roller lifters to cut friction and wear, plus a host of other refinements ranging from racing-type tubular exhaust headers in the hottest models to multipoint electronic fuel injection in the pricier ones. For well under half the price of Chevy's Corvette, high-performance addicts can buy a 210-hp Mustang GT that's only about a second slower 0-60. For about the same money as the Corvette, luxury/performance seekers can have the impressive 180-hp Lincoln Continental Mark VII LSC, with advanced air-spring suspension and America's first four-wheel antilock braking system.

Ford's mid-size Tempo and Mercury Topaz get their adrenaline levels raised with a new sport option that includes a 100-hp H.O. engine and upgraded suspension that lifts their handling into true sports-sedan territory. The timeless Mustang convertible is back, and the turbocharged Mustang SVO--easily the best-handling and most sophisticated Mustang ever--is scheduled for a 30-hp boost (to 205) and stylish Euro-look flush head lamps along about midyear. The sexy Thunderbird Turbo Coupe and its Mercury counterpart, the Cougar XR-7, powered by a milder 155-hp version of the SVO Mustang's 2.3-liter turbo four, are smoother to drive, thanks to new hydraulic engine mounts and an upgraded shift linkage for their standard five-speed transmissions.

But Ford's biggest '85 new-model excitement arrives from across the Atlantic. Built by Ford of Germany and available from Lincoln-Mercury dealers, it's called Merkur XR4Ti and is a U.S. version of Ford's hot European Sierra XR4i sports coupe. Ford's U.S. engineers added a variation of the T-bird/Cougar/SVO 2.3-liter turbo four rated at a healthy 175 hp. The Merkur's suspension is fully independent and typically Teutonic in agility; its interior is quiet, comfortable and functional in the German tradition; and its performance is downright impressive at about 7.5 seconds 0--60.

Chrysler, too, has roller lifters and other improvements to squeeze a few more mpg out of its remaining rear-drive sedans. But most of Chrysler's modern front-drive fleet is powered by the company's excellent 2.2-liter four, with a two-barrel carb in everyday models, throttle-body fuel injection in upmarket and performance models and multipoint injection in turbo-boosted cars.

Chrysler's answer to the sports-sedan trend is a pair of very slick five-door hatchbacks called Dodge Lancer and Chrysler LeBaron GTS. These come with the 99-hp E.F.I. 2.2-liter, quick steering and surprisingly athletic handling.

A.M.C./Renault, America's Franco-American partnership, has added a very affordable (at $10,000) new Alliance convertible. This and the sports-oriented Encore GS hatchback come standard with a new 78-hp 1.7-liter engine, a major improvement over the regular 55-hp 1.4-liter four. And there's a lively new turbodiesel option for A.M.C.'s hot-selling downsized Jeep Cherokee and Wagoneer.

VW of America launches its all-new Rabbit replacement, called Golf, which looks like a slightly larger, more round-cornered Rabbit. Why the funny new name and the dated styling? What we've known as Rabbits always have been Golfs (from Golf Strom, German for Gulf Stream) everywhere but here. And the original Golf has been so successful and so widely copied throughout the world that VW's conservative German management decided that it didn't want to change its looks very much. So there! The new Golf's main claims to fame are significantly better performance, ride and handling, slicker aerodynamics, more usable room in the rear seat and cargo area and even a larger fuel tank for longer-range cruising.

Avanti Motor Corporation is alive and well and is turning out custom-built Avanti sports coupes from its ancient facility in South Bend, Indiana. Based on a still-sensuous 1963 Studebaker design, the Avanti was updated inside and out last year and gets further refinements for' 85. A convertible is a recent addition, and a higher-performance GT should follow.

Japanese Cars

While everyone else has been going turbocharger nuts these last few years, Toyota has been quietly developing its sophisticated four-valve-per-cylinder engines. Four small valves (two intake, two exhaust) give a more efficient flow of fuel/air mixture in, and exhaust out, than two larger ones can.

Toyota has been selling twin-cam 16-valve four-cylinder engines in Japan for years but only last fall brought one over here. This little mechanical beauty displaces only 1.6 liters but delivers a spirited 112 hp and an easy 6600 rpm in the sporty rear-drive Corolla GT-S coupe and liftback. As if that weren't enough, Toyota has just introduced a mid-engine, two-seat MR 2 sports car powered by the same twin-cam 16-valve 1.6, in this case mounted transversely behind the passenger compartment, as direct competition for Pontiac's Fiero. And Toyota's new entry in the growing sports-convertible class is a nicely executed factory-authorized conversion of the 112-hp, independ-ent-rear-suspension Celica GT-S.

The performance war between arch-rivals Nissan and Toyota is not just being fought with sports models. In addition to the 200-SX-vs.--Celica and 300-ZX--vs.--Supra battles, there's a skirmish heating up on the Japanese luxury-sedan front. Nissan's Maxima is all new and has been converted to space-saving front-wheel drive for '85, while Toyota's Cressida is reskinned and significantly improved but remains rear-drive. The former boasts a 152-hp E.F.I. V6 borrowed from the 300-ZX sports car, while the latter counters with a 156-hp Supra-derived twin-cam E.F.I. straight six. Both will scoot from 0-60 in about nine seconds.

Nipping at the heels of Toyota and Nissan are two small but progressive Japanese car makers, Honda and Mazda. Honda has upsized the engine in its high-economy Civic CRX two-seater (now called CRX HF) from 1.3 to 1.5 liters and still claims the best 49-state (excluding California) EPA ratings at 49 mpg city, 54 highway. All other Civics (except the basic hatchback) come with a 12-valve (two intakes, one exhaust per cylinder), dual-carb 1.5-liter that generates a lively 76 hp. The popular Prelude continues unchanged, while a new top-line luxury SE-i model, powered by a 101-hp 12-valve E.F.I. 1.8-liter engine, is added to the Accord sedan line. Mazda, meanwhile, carries over its subcompact GLC and slickly styled mid-size 626 lines unchanged for '85. And there are now four variations of the quick RX-7 sports car, all with Mazda's unique rotary Wankel engine, but only the top-line GSL-SE has the larger and more powerful 135-hp version.

For only the second time in memory, eccentric yet highly successful Subaru (the only U.S.-owned Japanese-car importer) has significantly redesigned its line. The '85 sedans and wagons and the sporty hardtop boast all-new, more contemporary and more attractive bodies and interiors, plus major engine improvements. The upgraded 1.8-liter Subaru engine, sort of a water-cooled version of VW's old H-shaped flat four, gets overhead cams with a carburetor in low-line models and fuel injection in pricier versions. Power is up as much as 29 percent (to 111 hp with optional turbo), while economy increases as much as eight percent compared with '84. All models offer a choice of front-wheel drive or optional on-demand four-wheel drive, and the 4-wd Turbo sedan has a dual-range five-speed gearbox and a clever height-adjustable air suspension that automatically elevates the car more than an inch for extra clearance when the 4wd mode is selected at less than 50 mph.

Mitsubishi's dealer network isn't nationwide yet, but three of its car lines (and its small trucks) can be found at Dodge and Chrysler-Plymouth dealerships. These are the turbocharged Conquest sports car, the Colt Vista van/ wagon and the new Colt subcompacts. The last have handsome and aerodynamic new bodies, more interior room, more comfort and features and a larger, more powerful (68-hp 1.5-liter) engine. An optional 102-hp 1.6-liter turbo four (with water-cooled turbocharger bearings), along with upgraded suspension and tires, turns these small wonders into serious pocket rockets.

Where brand-name Mitsubishi products are available, the Conquest is called Starion and the new Colts are Mirages. Other models (not sold through Chrysler) include the compact Tredia sedan and the Cordia hatchback (both available with water-cooled turbocharging), the 4wd Montero and an all-new luxury four-door called Galant (pronounced "gah-lawn"). Powered by a 101-hp E.F.I. 2.4-liter four with Mitsubishi's patented twin balance shafts to smooth its vibrations, the front-drive Galant is about the same size as Toyota's Camry and Mazda's 626 sedans but aspires to compete with the larger and more expensive six-cylinder Cressida and Maxima.

Isuzu, also not yet available nationwide, brings to market the same handsome Giugiaro-bodied Impulse sports coupe, the same rear-drive I-Mark subcompacts and the same small trucks it offered last year. Isuzu, as G.M.'s Japanese partner, also supplies the new front-drive Spectrum models being sold through East Coast Chevrolet dealers.

German Cars

As you may know, VW's German-built front-drive Jetta sedan is essentially an uplevel Rabbit (er, Golf) with a spacious trunk. So you'd be right to assume that the '85 Jetta is all new as well. But it has come out better in the styling department, looking more contemporary than the '84. In fact, the Jetta just may overshadow its less expensive sibling in style- and status-conscious America, and it may soon join the Golf in VW's Pennsylvania assembly plant. Three fuel-injected four-cylinders--an 85-hp 1.8-liter, a 52-hp 1.6-liter diesel and a 68-hp 1.6-liter turbodiesel--are available in regular and uplevel GL-model Jettas, while the higher-performance GLI version features a 100-hp 1.8-liter, sport suspension and sportier seats and interior trim.

Audi's mid-size 4000S, Coupe GT and 4000S Quattro (also imported by VW of America) get prettier and more aerodynamic new bodies and interior and power train improvements for '85. Euro-style flush head lamps, full-width tail lamps, integrated body-color bumpers, larger bodyside rub strips and more rounded corners give them a softer, more slippery look. A 102-hp 1.8-liter fuel-injected four and a 110-hp 2.2-liter injected five-cylinder power the front-drive 4000S and Coupe GT, respectively, while a 115-hp version of the five-banger motivates the nimble 4wd 4000S Quattro. Zero--60 times, in order, are 9.6, 9.3 and 9.5 seconds.

High-buck rivals BMW and Mercedes both offer computer-controlled antilock brakes. The German system, called ABS, is standard in both companies' larger models, optional in Mercedes' smaller ones. Mercedes gives a six percent horsepower boost (to 120) to its 190E "Baby Benz" sports sedan, turbodiesel-powered models are quicker off the line thanks to a revised automatic torque converter. More important, Mercedes' SRS (Supplemental Restraint System), which consists of a driver's-side air bag and front-seat auto-matic belt tensioners (which tighten up on impact for added crash protection) become standard in the top-line 500SEL and 500SEC and optional in most other models. Automatic belt tensioners also become standard for both front occupants in all but the 300CD diesel coupe.

BMW, meanwhile, escalates the German luxury/performance wars by dropping a muscular 182-hp 3.5-liter E.F.I. six into its top-line 7, 6 and 5 models. The resulting new models are designated 735i, 635CSi and 535i and with five-speed transmission will do 0--60 in 8.1, 7.7 and 7.4 seconds, respectively.

And Porsche has a new four-cam 32-valve (four valves per cylinder, eight cylinders) version of its aluminum V8 for the top-line 928S luxury sports car. Details weren't available at presstime, but we're projecting some 260 hp and sub-six-second 0--60 performance for this $50,000 flier. Porsche's classic 911 Carrera and Cabriolet and the wonderful four-cylinder 944 are unchanged for '85, but a 944 Turbo is due by fall.

Italian Cars

Except for a new Ferrari, there's not much cooking from the Italian makers this year. Alfa Romeo's sexy GTV6 2.5 coupe gets an improved shift linkage and a lower base price as leather seats, sun roof and air conditioning become optional. A new lower-priced Graduate version of the classic Spider Veloce may prove interesting to the just-out-of-college set. The other two reasonably affordable Italian sportsters, Bertone X1/9 and Pininfarina Spider, are back with detail changes only. Maserati's $25,900 Biturbo sports coupe, powered by a 185-hp twin-cam twin-turbocharged V6 and capable of 6.8-second 0--60s, returns. And so do Lamborghini's $105,000 V12-powered Countach and the more reasonably priced Jalpa sports car but only in limited quantities.

Wait a minute! Did we say "a new Ferrari"? Right. The superb 308GTBi and 308GTSi and the four-seat Mondial coupe and convertible return intact for '85, but there's a brand-new 12-cylinder Testarossa at the top of Ferrari's line, and it should make it across the Atlantic in only slightly detuned form. Details are sketchy at this writing, but the mid-mounted four-cam 48-valve 4.9-liter flat 12 should make about 380 hp and propel this blood-red rocket to 60 from rest in just under six seconds and to a top speed approaching 180 mph! The radiators are side-mounted (hence the huge "cheese-grater" vents), the body is aluminum (except for the steel doors and roof), and we'll bet the price will be well into six figures.

British, French and Swedish Cars

Jaguar's comeback continues with record sales in 1984 and a record start in '85. Why the renewed success? All the sexy V12-powered XJ-S coupe and the beautiful six-cylinder XJ6 sedan ever needed was better quality and reliability, and they have vastly improved in both since new management took over in 1980. Rolls-Royce and Bentley roll on unaltered, while the racerlike Lotus Esprit Turbo mid-engine sports car enters '85 an inch lower in front (thanks to antidive front suspension) and with new ventilated front-brake rotors. Its four-cam fuel-injected 16-valve turbocharged four cranks out an unbelievable 205 hp from 2.2 liters of displacement.

While France's Renault has dropped its turbocharged Fuego, rival Peugeot has added fuel-injected turbo power to a new performance version of its 505 luxury sedan. The resulting 142-hp 505 Turbo hits 60 from rest in a tick more than nine seconds and handles like a French BMW.

Sweden's Volvo also recently turbo-charged its most luxurious sedan, the oddly square-roofed (but very popular) 760 GLE. Like Volvo's smaller turbo models (coupe, sedan and wagon), this is a neat, intercooled and (of course) electronically fuel-injected installation--and surprisingly fast considering the car's size and weight. It generates 160 hp from 2.3 liters and does 0--60 in the nine-second range. A sportier and less expensive version (about $19,000 vs. $22,600) of this larger turbo-charged Volvo, called the 740 Turbo, is new for '85, as is a nonturbo four-cylinder 740 GLE. Saab's all-new, larger and more luxurious car is still several months away from U.S. introduction, but its high-tech 16-valve turbo engine is already here in the eccentric but lovable 900 Turbo. This one, too, is fuel-injected and intercooled, delivers 160 eager horses from 2.0 liters and does 0--60 in 8.7 seconds.

And that, perhaps, is the ultimate statement of high performance. When cars from little old neutral Sweden start to make major power plays, you know for sure we've driven into a bold new age.