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From: hkr4627@acf4.UUCP (Hedley K. J. Rainnie)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Miscellaneous Ramblings
Message-ID: <330004@acf4.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 21-Feb-85 15:25:00 EST
Article-I.D.: acf4.330004
Posted: Thu Feb 21 15:25:00 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 26-Feb-85 07:21:50 EST
Organization: New York University
Lines: 42

In the US vs Japan debate, you have to consider that the Japanese cars are
just about the ugliest cars made anywhere (with the possible exception of
Hondas).  A great deal of this is not their fault.  There are laws in Japan
governing an automobiles dimensions (hence Japanese cars are all tall and
skinny whereas US cars may be low and wide).  The Japanese also seem to feel
that the ultimate car looks and operates like a Transformer and build their
cars accordingly.  I would, however, buy a Japanese car over a German car.

Random note: I seem to remember in one of Porsche's technical reports that
they put in Car&Driver or R&T, that they mention that the 944 has a "high
polar moment, making it resistant to crosswinds".  My physics isn't what it
used to be, but doesn't a high polar moment imply the car will not be suited
to lane changing and slaloms, all the things a sportscar is supposed to do?
The car will be very stable, like a Caddy, but will slalom about as well as
one too.

R&T mentioned that the Porsche 944 engine was set forward to gain legroom for
the driver and front seat passenger.  If i am not mistaken, it also has a
transaxle.  This means that most of the mess of the car is over both axles.
By contradiction, the 1963-1982 Corvette has its engine set back behind
the front axle, the transmission between the driver and passenger.  
The admittedly greater mass of the Vette is nevertheless better distributed.
Why the
Vette is low technology and the Porsche is high is beyond me.

I think a lot of automotive reporting is b.s.  I remember in 1978 R&T was
saying a lot of great things about the Porsche 924, but now, in 1985, they
admit what we knew all along: that the 924 was "rather mediocre."

Rei Shinozuka 
ihnp4!cmcl2!acf4!hkr4627

p.s. Why did Chevy break tradition and call the newset Vette a 1984? Corvettes
have normally been updated every 5 years from 1953:

1953 1st year
1958 New "big-car" look Quad headlamps
1963 Stingray body style, new suspension
1968 Mako Shark body style
1973 Soft bumpers
1978 Bubble Rear window
1983 (should have been) New body, new suspension