For whatever reason, Australian consumers were treated to the Nissan S12 (Gazelle) and S14/15 (200SX) but not the S13. In the US, however, the S13 enjoyed considerable sales success despite the unavailability of the hi-po engines found in Japan. The Nissan S13 - which typically came powered by a CA18 or SR20 atmo or turbo engine - was offered with just the atmo KA24DE. The so-called 240SX's 'no go' image was further confirmed with the release of the convertible version. It seems S13 means "poser" in the US but "drift" in Japan and Australia!
While Ford Australia only recently decided to reintroduce the F-series pick-up, it goes without saying that they've been going strong in the US - urban trucks are big sellers, and it seems the bigger the better. Take a look at the '95 Dodge Ram 3500 Laramie SLT Dually Club Cab. With a 'Magnum' V10 under the lid - perhaps a relative of the Dodge Viper's V10 - the Laramie is just the thing to haul otherwise immovable objects. Here it is about to haul a 12,500-pound (5675kg) horse trailer. Monsta grunt!
While the RAM Laramie isn't everyone's thing, we doubt whether the 1992 Buick Roadmaster Estate could be anyone's thing. From its fussy chrome grille, to its ugly wheels, whitewall tyres and massive rear overhang this vehicle redefines ugly. The most, er, eye-catching part of the car, however, must be those wonderful wooden side panels. Other than make an ugly car even uglier, the only thing that wood is good for is making a campfire...
An engine's air intake - prior to the throttle - is a common area that car manufacturers focus on with the release of performance models. Surely one of the boldest measures to ensure a force-fed supply of cold induction air can be found on the WS6 Pontiac Trans Am (not surprisingly, otherwise known as the Trans Am 'Ram Air'). The Pontiac Ram Air system does away with the sealed over bonnet of the conventional TA in favour of a sculpted, muscular item incorporating large forward facing snouts. The location of the snouts - very close to the car's aerodynamic stagnation point - is said to provide positive airbox pressure at speed. Note that the Ram Air airbox is also revised with a series of open slats allowing airflow to the filter; the cross-sectional area of these slats is enough to ensure minimal restriction under load.
While the everyday Suzuki Alto was sold in Australia, performance enthusiasts - and Gran Turismo fans - will know a turbocharged AWD version was also released. Not many people would know about
this particular version, though - the Alto Slide Slim. Designed for disabled people, the 3-cylinder Slide Slim features slide-back driver's door for easy access and a clever driver's seat mechanism that allows the seat to be swung to the edge of the vehicle. The Alto Slide Slim is just one of the specialised vehicles for the disabled in Japan - even the luxurious Toyota Celsior was available with a similar arrangement (excluding the sliding door, of course!). Who'll be the first person in Australia to start importing such vehicles from Japan - surely this would be a great business opportunity.
Here's another pint sizer. Australian readers will recognise this body as the Suzuki Swift GTi - the 1.3-litre, DOHC, 16-valve, 74.3kW screamer that turned the hot hatch segment on its head in 1986. Take a closer look at this photo - notice the Chev logo on the grille and the Turbo sprint lettering down the side? What we have here is the US equivalent of the Suzi Swift GTi. Released with a Suzuki built 1.0-litre 3-cylinder, the Sprint Turbo sports a single turbocharger, an air-to-air intercooler and EFI to help generate 52kW at 5500 rpm and 109Nm. Zero to 100 km/h performance - at between 9.5 and 10.5-seconds - is virtually line-ball with the 1.3-litre atmo Suzuki Swift GTi.
The late '80s was a time for whiz-bang technology; both Honda and Mazda released their (slightly different) interpretations of an electronic controlled four-wheel steer arrangement. Of course, 4WS was a great abbreviation to add to the spec sheet of any vehicle, but it seemed the local car industry was unconvinced of the real-world advantages of the system. Yeah, sure, you could achieve a tighter turning circle and, in some instances, better high-speed lane change stability but everyone was asking "why" - Porsche doesn't need four-wheel steer, after all. These days 'proper' electronic 4WS has been virtually abandoned (though the 800M still uses it, for example), replaced by the more cost effective approach of 'passive' rear steering, where lateral cornering forces deflect the rear suspension bushes to create a toe angle change.
This American photo should irritate Australian motor heads - note the grilles in the front spoiler? You guessed it; the US market, in addition to the Japanese one, was lucky enough to enjoy the spectacular Nissan 300ZX twin-turbo. With its 3.0-litre twin turbo, twin intercooled V6 generating around 300 horses the ZedTT was - and remains - a highly sought after bit of gear. Tuning potential? Virtually unlimited.
Doing battle with the Nissan Zed twin-turbo (in the US market) was Toyota's Supra Turbo. Seen here in a 1992 brochure, the Supra had always been designed to please the US market; it's big brawny shape, immense torque and power and interior comfort ensured it was a big seller. These days, the Supra T has morphed into one of the most seriously tuned imports - the 7M-GTE has proven to respond well to a monster turbo, serious intercooling and plenty of boost. Durability is also very good; the Supra doesn't have the slightly fragile reputation of the twin-turbo Nissan.
Engine cut-aways are only ever found in brochures if the engine is something special; you don't see many manufacturers making hoo-ha about 2-valves per cylinder pushrod designs... Here are the insides of the Mazda developed F2 engine, which was used in the US Ford Probe. Locally, the F2 engine came fitted to the Mazda MX-6/626 turbo and the Ford Telstar Turbo. The F2 engine was a hit with those people searching for plenty of low-mid rpm grunt - with 3-valves per cylinder (reputedly to improve bottom-end torque), an air-to-air intercooler and a single IHI turbocharger the injected 2.2-litre four was something of a stump puller. Torque came on strong from low rpm, followed by strong mid-rage and a tapering top-end - the F2 was never a big revver. What ever happened to Mazda's brilliant selection of muscular turbo motors?
Here's an exception to the aforementioned cut-away rule - the guts of the LS1 Chev 5.7-litre V8. Flaunting its minimal number of valves and those long sticks between the (single) camshaft, this is still an engine to get excited over. In the US - after being proven in the 'Vette - the LS1 replaced the Camaro's aging LT1 350 (which peaked at 285hp in everyday spec) bringing with it an extra 20 horses and less weight. In Australia the LS1 replaced the last 179kW SS-spec Holden 5.0-litre V8, bringing an extra
41kW along to the party (even more in the newer, more powerful models). After only a few years of manufacture, the LS1 is already a milestone muscle engine - and hopefully not the last.
Contact/Thankyou
Thankyou to Craig Dean from Melbourne's Sports and Luxury Cars for making his massive collection of American and Japanese brochures available.
Sports and Luxury Cars
+61 3 9753 5799
www.sportsluxurycars.com.au
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