More race news: According to Autoweek (Sept. 27, 1999), cars sporting Goodyear tires have won only two of the last 32 CART races. For the first eight months of 1999, Lexus was number one in the luxury department. According to Advertising Age, GM was the big spender for the first part of 1999, with $1.39 billion in advertising. Coming in second was DaimlerChrysler, at $720 million. GM holds the title of the nation's leading media spender among all advertisers of that time period.
On The Road WithKia RetonaIsn't this completely cool? Nope, it's not the redesigned Wrangler-it's the Kia Retona, available only in Korea. The Retona is a military vehicle available to civilians (like the Hummer), but if a war breaks out, the military can borrow it back from the owners. In addition to a flat windshield, it has a 2.0L engine that puts out 136 hp at 6,000 rpm and 134 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm, and it's hooked to a five-speed manual transmission.
Other specs are a 92.9-inch wheelbase, a 72.2-inch height, a double-wishbone front and four-link coil-sprung rear suspension, and a claimed 19.8 miles to the gallon (it has a 15.8-gallon fuel tank). This one was spotted in the U.S., but Kia says it has no plans to intro it here. We suggest they re-think that.
Tractor Pull!Were you there? In August, it was the 33rd annual National Tractor Pulling Championships in Bowling Green, Ohio, and more than 200 contenders from the U.S. and Canada competed for $150,000 and then some in money and prizes. There were six classes-mini-rods, pro-stock, super-stock tractors, two-wheel- and four-wheel-drive trucks, and modified dragster tractors. The show also featured toy and trade shows, a fan interaction tent, a retired-tractor museum, and souvenirs galore.
To get your John Deere into the 2000 championship, contact 'em at Dept. 4WOR, P.O. Box 401, Bowling Green, OH 43402, 419/354-1434. You can also visit www.pulltown.com for more info.
Where Were We Now?"The word 'big' doesn't really cut it. When attempting to describe the Suburban, you start reaching.... You might search for a nickname, and Shamu comes to mind. You try to think of other vehicles to compare it to. You realize there are none.""BIG In Capital Letters," 4WOR, Sept. '89
New Ford EnginesCome 2003, FoMoCo will have even more powerplant offerings, including brand-new 4.5L V-6 and 6.0L V-8 diesels for the fullsize trucks. Automotive News reports that a new five-speed automatic transmission is also on the horizon and can handle up to 500 lb-ft of torque.
On the gas side, the 5.4L Triton V-8 will sport a new three-valve cylinder head in order to make more horsepower and torque but less emissions. Same goes for the 4.6L V8.
Before You Hit the Dealership, Hit EbayEbay, a site ever so popular for its person-to-person trading, has designed an automotive section for buying and selling online. There are subcategories for cars, trucks, motorcycles, RVs, and parts. There's even "The Showroom" for the collector-car enthusiast and "The Gallery" for items going on auction in picture form, rather than text. There's said to be more than 25,000 listings in the automotive area, and you can browse, chat, and post about everything car related. While you're in there, check out the calendar of events coming to your town.
Political & Environmental Beat*GM has sent a nastygram to the Environmental Protection Agency, opposing the new tailpipe-emissions standards. By law, the EPA has to consider the comments by GM, but it's doubtful things will change.
*The National Transportation Safety Board has released a report that does not see a need for seatbelts in existing school buses. However, it has requested that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration create new standards by 2001. Maybe then we'll see seatbelts.