1996 Jaguar XJ Vanden Plas Test Drive

Posted on 23. May, 2013 by .

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Until very recently, Jaguar-envy was more or less justifiable, given the poor reputation for reliability that the cars from Coventry had established for themselves. Jaguars were certainly desirable at the outset, but they were nothing short of insufferable after a few months of cohabitation. The situation was slowly rectified when Ford took the helm with the intent of doing the impossible of capitalizing on an investment that very few analyst judged to be sound. There’s no doubt that the Jaguar didn’t have the perfection of a Lexus LS400, or the rigorous construction of the Mercedes Benz S420, but its appearance, its appeal and its sensuality gave it an unparalleled power of seduction.

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1997 Mercedes Benz SL500 Sport Test Drive

Posted on 22. May, 2013 by .

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Nothing can compare with an SL Series Mercedes-Benz convertible for complexity, refinement, prestige, and with the exception of Bentley’s and a few other eccentric types – selling price. Launched in 1989, these triumphs of German automotive engineering are sporting their first major changes this year.

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1996 Land Rover Range Rover 4.6 HSE Test Drive

Posted on 20. May, 2013 by .

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      The Range Rover had no trouble whatsoever proving its aristocratic lineage. An aluminum body, thick carpeting, rich leather, a V8 engine and a sophisticated all-wheel drive system are sound arguments in its favor. The only stumbling block was its price.

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1996 Nissan Pathfinder Test Drive

Posted on 19. May, 2013 by .

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      After several years in the same form, the Pathfinder finally decided to change its look. This SUV was having an increasingly difficult time fighting off a steadily more refined competition. So now Nissan updated the mechanical and aesthetic features of its sport utility. This model still fared well in terms of sales. [...]

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1996½ Mazda MX-5 Miata M-Edition Test Drive

Posted on 18. May, 2013 by .

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Small European convertibles so central to the glory days of sporty drives in search of open-air excitement left a lot of people nostalgic for a happy time that many believed to be gone forever. But they’d forgotten Mazda, which had the brilliant idea of reviving the concept with its Miata in 1989. Since then the [...]

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1983 Pontiac 6000 Promo

Posted on 18. May, 2013 by .

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Model offerings increased to five for 1983. High output 2.8 liter V6 added to engine lineup. OHV 2.5 liter 4-cylinder base powerplant for carry over models, with 2.8 liter V6 (112 hp) and 4.3 liter diesel V6 optional in standard sedans as well as LE versions. Limited production 6000 STE added to top Pontiac’s A-car [...]

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1996 Suzuki Esteem Test Drive

Posted on 17. May, 2013 by .

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Before 1996 Suzuki models had courted a clientele looking for cars that met the “nice, good, cheap” formula as closely as they could. With the exception of its fun little 4X4′s, this Japanese make was content with meeting the limited expectations of people looking for a basic means of transportation. With the Esteem, Suzuki took [...]

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1995 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Commercial

Posted on 16. May, 2013 by .

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Chevrolet hoped for better sales against Ford’s Taurus with a revamped 1995 Lumina a and Monte Carlo coupe. Both bowed in the fall of 1994.

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1996 Volkswagen Passat TDI Test Drive

Posted on 14. May, 2013 by .

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        If you didn’t worry much about performance, you could have safely chosen the turbo diesel four cylinder engine available on both the sedan and the wagon. For 95 the meager 75 horses were a serious handicap to passing other vehicles, but the fact the VW adopted internal injection for the1.9 liter [...]

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1996 Mercedes Benz E-Class Test Drive

Posted on 13. May, 2013 by .

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Selecting the Motor Trend Import Car of the Year is seldom easy, and this year’s competition proved to be a particularly spirited undertaking. When the debate finally ended, however, we agreed that the winner of our Golden Caliper award could be only one car: With its exceptional combination of contemporary styling, world-class engineering, first-rate handling, [...]

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