Cars Worth Noting - Chrsyler PT Cruiser, Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Cadillac STS - Brief Article

Automotive Industries, July, 2000

2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser

Built off the Neon platform and sharing that car's Toluca, Mexico, assembly plant, PT Cruiser convincingly buries the myth that platform/plant mates me doomed to look alike. And because it has tracked the lowest warranty rate in DaimlerChrysler history for the first month of availability, it also wreaks havoc with the notion that first-year cars me destined to be "troubled."

OK, I know that in a car review, I'm expected to go on and on about how the car's styling turns heads and how its tried-and-true mechanicals do yeoman service wrapped in "Cruiser" sheetmetal. But in all honestly, if you aren't already convinced of that after all we've written about this car, my endorsement isn't going to sway you.

The fact is, for me the takeaway isn't even about the fine job DC did of turning an economy car into a practical and affordable specialty car. It's about how smoothly they did it and what this car represents for the future.

DC's manufacturing gurus are proving that their virtual manufacturing efforts and common data model philosophy me not just hype. They were able to utilize the proven components of Neon, marry them to totally unique sheetmetal, design the PT to go down the same assembly line as the PL and then do a running launch with no lost volume.

Five years ago, this car would have brought DC's Toluca line to a sputtering halt. Incredibly, it launched earlier this year without a hiccup. PT Cruiser is great, but it's just the warning shot.

-- Gerry Kobe

2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

Typically when a test truck comes home, the household "jobs list" grows.

That didn't happen at first with the Explorer Sport Trac. The truck bed hung on the back of a four-door sport-utility didn't look big enough to be useful.

After a couple of days, though, the all-plastic bed became a factor.

It started small -- sporting equipment, wagons and coolers -- then graduated into a full load of playground stuff secured on board with a web of bungee cords strung among the bed's 10 tie-down hooks.

Ford's designers deserve credit for making the intersection of the Sport Trac's cabin and truck bed a stylish and eye-catching element. The bulbous fender flares and beefy grille add to the truck's appeal.

Inside, the Sport Trac is nearly stock-issue four-door Explorer, save a couple of exceptions. The floor is coated in a rubber-like material that can be washed clean. The other neat trick is the power window in the back glass, a blast from the 1960s. A twist knob in the center stack raises or lowers the window (with one-touch operation) or opens it as a vent. This is the model for all truck rear windows of the future.

The Sport Trac is a good compromise for families that want both a sport-utility and a pickup, but can afford only one of them.

-- Dale Jewett

2000 Cadillac STS

What can one say about the Cadillac STS? It's the staple of the luxury market. I liked the way it drove, it had excellent performance with power to spare, and the amenities were Cadillac all the way.

Exterior styling on this luxo-sedan is a little long in the tooth. It's clearly time for an update. The interior, on the other hand, is hard to beat. The car comes complete with all the bells and whistles so when you package it all in leather, you've got an exceptional driving experience.

My wheel-time in the STS could not have been a better follow up to Gerry Kobe's article, "Death by Distraction", in our May issue. The fact is, I was distracted by the navigation system. I loved it, but I found myself either watching my progress, checking the system's accuracy, or trying to outsmart it. Once I got over the novelty, I found it to be helpful and a worthwhile option. On several occasions I simply entered my destination and let the nice lady's voice tell me when and in what direction to turn.

In my humble opinion, Cadillac still defines the domestic luxury market. So, if I were GM would I mess with perfection? Yep, I would. I wouldn't go Euro. But I'd reset the mark for domestic luxury with a new package, enhanced ride characteristics, and an engine that screams "GO."

Dollar for dollar--that would be $54 thousand of `em--I think the car's worth it

-- Andrew Cummins