New V6s and V8s andmore electronics con-tent may sound like adescription of the do-mestic new-car lines,but it’s also the story

on the ’99 imports. The import makesalways have been car-oriented (no punintended), and fitting into that pictureare such new models as the Acura TL,BMW 3-Series, Infiniti G20, MazdaProtegé and Miata, Mitsubishi Galant,Porsche 911, Toyota Solara, Volvo S80and VW New Beetle.

But the import makers also areworking their way deeper into thepickup truck, sport/ute and minivanmarkets. For those like Land Roverand Suzuki, it’s not a surprise. But thenew Discovery and Grand Vitara,along with the Toyota 4Runner, NissanQuest and now-larger Honda Odysseyminivan, indicate that import manufac-turers intend to compete in the entiremarket. An upcoming Toyota V8 pick-up will put an emphatic cap on thelineup.

Let’s take a look at the technical as-pects of the specific import lines beingoffered for 1999.

easing the flow into the cylinders. Athigher rpm, the flap at the far end ofthe siamese wall (in the intake mani-fold) also opens and this shortens theairflow path still further, for the quickestfill for the available time.

The system is called ACIS (forAcoustic Control Induction System)and is based on the sonic waves pro-duced by the opening and closing of theintake valves. During low rpm, thesewaves are most pronounced in theirram air effect.

•Variable valve timing. VVT alsogoes into the 3.0-liter V6 and it’s a newdesign—an aluminum vane in a housingon the back of the intake camshaft. Thisdesign is less expensive than the ma-chined steel housing of the system Toy-ota introduced last year, so it’s clear Toy-ota wants to make the system evenmore cost-effective and extend it to fu-ture Toyota-brand engines.

The VVT system not only improvesperformance but reduces emissions aswell. And because valve overlap can beincreased for internal EGR at partthrottle, VVT eliminates the less preciseEGR valve. The vane is fixed to the in-take cam and the housing has a gear

26 December 1998

1999 IMPORT1999 IMPORTBY PAUL WEISSLER

1999 Honda Odyssey LX

LexusWhen you’re as big as Toyota you don’tskip a market, and for ’99, the Lexus di-vision has the RX300, a carlike sport/utedesigned to compete with the Mer-cedes M-Class. Introduced last spring,it’s already a top seller in the Lexus line.But Toyota is more than models—thisyear it has a laundry list of tech servicechanges, the most important of whichwere made to the Lexus version of the3.0-liter V6 in the RX300 and ES300.Here are a few examples:

•Dual-throttle body with three-stage intake manifold. On this setup,the throttle body is siamesed—one borefor each bank and a throttle body/mani-fold assembly with two flaps controlledby vacuum diaphragm units. Whenboth flaps are closed, the siamese wall isintact—each half of the throttle body isseparate, and the intake airflow takes along “ram air” path that fills the cylin-ders. That takes extra time, so this is thelow-speed mode, and the result is goodlow-end torque. At the middle rpmrange, when there’s less time to fill thecylinders, a flap in the siamese wall justbehind the throttle valves opens. Thateffectively shortens the airflow path,

that meshes with the scissors gear onthe exhaust camshaft.

•Coil-on-plug ignition—plus. TheCOP ignition in the 3.0 V6 looks likeother systems from the outside, with acoil/igniter unit atop the plug boot. Butthe ignition coil is actually built into thelength of the boot, a design that pro-duces a larger, higher capacity coil for amore powerful spark.

•Air/fuel ratio sensor. Sounds like anew name for the oxygen sensor, andexternally it looks just like one. Howev-er, it’s a design you’ll see in increasingnumbers, as carmakers work to tightenemissions calibrations.

This sensor doesn’t produce oscilla-tions around the .5-volt mark, but avoltage that increases proportionallywith the air/fuel ratio (voltage higher asmixture leans out) in a line from 2.2 to4.2. Each reading permits the enginecomputer to make an instantaneous on-the-mark correction, rather than rapidlyswitching fuel corrections designed toproduce a close average. Early tests in-dicate that a scan tool, rather than avoltmeter, is an effective way to checkits performance on the Lexus.

•Active engine mount. The idea of

an electronically controlled enginemount to reduce idle vibration soundslike something you’ve heard before, andHonda has had a design of that type formany years. However, the fluid-filledfront mount on the 3.0 V6 is very differ-ent. The Honda design simply makes afixed change in the orifice/chamber ofits fluid-filled mount, typically duringa/c operation. The Lexus design uses aduty-cycle vacuum valve to create acounterpulsation by a diaphragm on thefluid in the mount. That duty cyclechanges according to engine speedwithin the 600- to 900-rpm range, sothe pulsation in the fluid can be tailoredto cancel the vibration transmitted.

The LS400 flagship gets ultrasonicmotors for its power tilt & telescopesteering wheel. This super-compact de-sign motor, used primarily for telephotocameras, has a piezoelectric ceramicring to create the ultrasonic wave. Inter-estingly, ultrasonic motors are high-fric-tion—they barely move. But that makesthem ideal for the limited range used tomeet the need to tilt or telescope andstop precisely. And they eliminate theneed for a gear train.

This is also the model year in which

Lexus vehicles get an evaporative emis-sions service port. Lift the hood andyou’ll find the green cap that covers theport. The installation was part of a cor-porate rollout, so you’ll also find it onToyota models.

ToyotaThe newest Toyota is the Solara, a sportycoupe built on the Camry platform, us-ing Camry mechanicals. It should be afamiliar package. California-spec mod-els with the 3.0-liter V6 get the air/fuelratio sensor used in national versions ofthe Lexus RX300 and ES300.

The 4Runner sport/ute gets a neededupgrade—a transfer case with a plane-tary-gearset center differential. There’sno clutch pack for proportional torquetransfer, but a choice of two-wheel/rear-wheel-drive (differential locked and frontaxle disconnected), and 4-High or 4-Low with fixed front-rear torque splits.

MitsubishiA completely restyled Galant is Mit-subishi’s major new offering for ’99. V6shave become a significant choice in theimport midsize class, and the newGalant joins the Camry, Accord and

27December 1998

New engines and electronics highlight this year’s vehicle offeringsfrom Europe and Asia. Here’s what you’ll need to know to servicethese vehicles when they finally make their way into your shop.

TECH REPORTTECH REPORT

1999 Mitsubishi Galant

Mazda 626. Its 3.0-liter V6 produces acompetitive 195 hp and is as good a fitin the powertrain compartment as any.A serpentine belt (with an automatictensioner) helps shorten engine length.

To help make the best use of space inthe engine bay, Mitsubishi split thebrake system, putting the ABS actuatorat the passenger’s side of the cowl andrunning a stack of lines across to themaster cylinder. There’s lots of roomalong the rear of the compartment, sothere’s good access to heater hose con-nections, the EGR valve and the oxygensensor at each exhaust manifold.

Not only is the battery located in thepowertrain compartment (middle left),but there’s actually a completely openspace between it and the driver’s side.Haven’t seen an open space like that ina powertrain compartment in years.And to simplify maintenance, the auto-matic transmission has a spin-on filteron top. Still, have some rags handy tocatch seepage.

SuzukiSuzuki invented the small sport/utilityvehicle, the Samurai. And with theGeo/Chevy Tracker version for GeneralMotors, it has managed to remain a ma-jor player, despite the entry of the Toy-ota RAV 4 and Honda CR-V.

The small SUVs were all four-cylin-der rigs—until now. Suzuki has the firstV6—a 155-hp, 2.5-liter all-aluminumengine—going into the Grand Vitara, aslick replacement for the comparatively

primitive Samurai. The 2.0-liter four re-mains in production, for a base modelthat’s called simply the Vitara and (in ’99anyway) in the GM-badged Tracker.

The V6 is a north-south installationand has a beefy crossbar connecting thefront strut towers. The bar goes overthe engine, but there’s just enoughclearance to remove the plastic beautycover for access to the fuel injectors.

There’s a close-coupled, fast-lightoffcatalytic converter at the end of eachbank’s exhaust manifold, and the mani-fold-end oxygen sensor just ahead of itis very accessible, as is the EGR tubeconnection on the passenger side.

Mercedes-BenzThere’s no major new Mercedes modelfor ’99 yet, but several existing modelsget new power. The 215-hp, 3.2-liter V6

introduced in the M-Class and CLKsport coupe last year has sired a 4.3-literV8, in what is typical these days of mod-ular engine design. The new V8, whichdevelops 275 hp, has the three-valve,two-spark-plugs-per-cylinder layout ofthe V6. You’ll see the V8 in the premi-um M-Class models, the CLK coupeand a limited-edition C-Class. A modi-fied version of the V8 will go into the E-Class late in the model year.

InfinitiThe new Infiniti G20 may seem to bebased on the Sentra, because it has thesame 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Butit’s really a larger car, based on the Pan-tera, a model sold in Europe. The chas-sis/suspension tuning is from the Euro-pean model, and the parts are specific,not “in-stock” pickups from the Sentra.

28 December 1998

1999 Import Tech Report

It looks like an ordinary coil-on-plug (COP) ignition, but the bootactually holds the primary and secondary windings of the igni-tion coil. This design, on the Lexus 3.0-liter V6, permits use of alarger coil for a stronger spark.

Ph

otos

: Pa

ul W

eiss

ler

An aluminum vane assembly (arrow) is the heart of the variablevalve timing unit on the rear of the intake camshaft of Lexus’3.0-liter V6. A computer-controlled solenoid valve regulates oilflow to adjust valve timing. The system increases horsepowerand torque while eliminating the need for an EGR valve.

The Suzuki Grand Vitara is the first small sport/utility vehicle to be equipped with a V6.The beefy bar across the engine compartment connects to the strut towers to bracethem against flexing, improving handling in the process.

However, that 2.0-liter engineshould make you feel comfortablewhen you lift the hood. It still has adistributor, driven off the back of thecamshaft. The ratings are 120 hp and132 ft-lb of torque, even if the chas-sis/suspension tuning makes the G20feel like a quicker car.

NissanThe Quest, a Nissan-engineered mini-van that’s a twin of the Mercury Villager(and built in a Ford plant), underwent amajor redesign for ’99, including instal-lation of the 3.3-liter V6 from thePathfinder. This raises horsepower byabout 20, to 170. Like the G20, theQuest also has a distributor.

Filling the cooling system rarely iseasy on Nissan products, but this one isan improvement over other Nissans. Itrequires disconnecting the overflowreservoir hose at its neck on the radia-tor, connecting a hose to that neck andto a special fill bottle you can make inthe shop. Then you hang the fill bottleabove the engine and follow a specialprocedure to top up the system.

Unlike other Nissan products, how-ever, the Quest has Ford heating anda/c system hardware, from under thehood to under the dash.

The Quest also gets a second slidingdoor (on the driver’s side). It went intoan area occupied by the rear HVAC,which had to be redesigned and moved.Basically, the rear system was shrunk toa/c-only, the front system was enlarged

to increase heated airflow and the heatducts to the rear were improved.

HondaThe little Honda minivan calledOdyssey is gone, replaced by a“stretch”-size model that now has thesame name. And when you’re the last toarrive, you have to be well-dressed. Thenew larger Odyssey certainly is, withdual electric sliding doors and justabout every creature feature you’ll findin the Chrysler minivan lineup, FordWindstar and GM models (save the Sil-houette’s rear TV).

The engine is pure Honda—a 3.5-liter multivalve V6 produced bystroking the 3.0 V6 from 86 to 93mm.Horsepower goes up 10, to 210, andtorque a hearty 34 ft-lb, to 229. It’s aVTEC engine—variable timing andlift—but done differently than before.The new design is simpler, and there-fore one that no doubt will be appliedto other Honda/Acura VTEC engines.Remember the long-used approach—three rockers, one for each intake valveand one in between. Only the primaryintake opens fully, and the port designpromotes swirl for good mixing withthe injected fuel at low rpm.

At higher rpm (over 3000), a com-puter-controlled solenoid valve opensso oil under pressure is fed to a pair ofpistons in-line, inside bores in the pri-mary and middle rockers. They moveand one piston slides from the primaryvalve rocker into the bore in the mid-

dle rocker, which pushes the secondpiston into the bore of the rocker ofthe secondary intake valve. That locksthe three rockers together. The middlerocker cam lobe is the highest, so thetwo valves now open according to thelift it provides.

In the new system, there’s just onerocker for each intake valve, but it’sbeen reshaped so the piston bore areasare adjacent. At low engine rpm, one in-take opens fully and the port designpromotes swirl for good mixing with theinjected fuel. The other opens justenough to prevent fuel puddling. Atabout 3300 revs, the pressurized oilpushes against a piston in the primaryintake valve rocker, then moves into thebore for the secondary intake valverocker. That locks the two rockers,which now both open according to thelift of the primary intake valve rocker.

Obviously, this doesn’t provide quiteas much flexibility as the more com-plex three-rocker system. However,Honda clearly determined that thethird valve lift schedule for high rpmdidn’t provide enough advantage forthe added hardware.

AcuraThere’s a new Acura TL for ’99, derivedfrom the same platform as the Accord3.0-liter V6. In this case, though, the en-gine is bored out to 3.2 liters. Sounds asif the vehicle should be familiar, but italso presents an electronics diagnosticchallenge, something import specialistshave not had to face before on modelsin the near-luxury range.

On the new TL, the optional naviga-tion system is built into a dash-mount-ed LCD touch screen, which also candisplay HVAC “buttons” for manualcontrol of the Automatic TemperatureControl system. If there’s an HVACproblem, however, you can access thesystem for trouble codes by pressingspecific actual buttons below thescreen in a particular sequence; thecodes will be shown on the tempera-ture digital display.

The navigation system is actually ahybrid, using a combination of globalpositioning and a hard drive with elec-tronic maps. If the system fails, an automechanic can diagnose it without theuse of sophisticated electronic test

29December 1998

The Nissan Quest minivan gets more power and torque for ’99, from the 3.3-literPathfinder engine, turned 90°. It still has a distributor.

equipment. Basically, you start bychecking the obvious (for a blown fuse),and if there’s no audio, you check to seeif the radio works (the system uses theradio speakers).

From there, you check the wiringand connections among the main com-ponents—navigation unit, audio unitand touch screen display unit, plus suchinputs as vehicle speed and the globalpositioning antenna. Sorry, but if all thechecks are good, it could come down to“test by substitution,” the last step insome diagnostic trees. But it seemsmore likely you’ll find a clear-cut hardfailure before then.

SubaruCan a single overhead-cam engine per-form better than a DOHC? Hondacertainly has indicated it can do a lotwith SOHC setups. Now Subaru hasdone it. For 1999, Subaru has devel-oped an SOHC version of its long-used2.5-liter horizontally opposed DOHCfour-cylinder “boxer” engine, while re-working the existing SOHC 2.2-literwith the same engineering approach.The performance increases aren’thuge—in fact, just 1 ft-lb of torque (to166) at the 4000-rpm peak on the 2.5.Was it worth the effort?

Yes, and here’s why: The single-camdesign—with rocker arms, of course—provides room for wider valve angles,which straightens the valve ports forimproved intake and exhaust gas flowwhile producing a “tumbling” effect onthe intake airflow (called “tumble port”

design) for better mixing with the fuelbeing injected. The straighter ports im-prove cylinder filling for better torquethroughout the range (more significantthan the 1 ft-lb of torque indicates),and help reduce hydrocarbon emis-sions to boot!

The 2.2-four was already an SOHCdesign, but didn’t have the wider valveangles. Its new cylinder head is basical-ly the same as on the 2.5 four, and sothe 2.2 is up 5 horses, to 142 and 7 ft-lbof torque, to 149.

The horsepower improvementcomes from new camshafts with greaterlift, and reduced engine friction fromsuch changes as roller rocker arms.

Both new cylinder heads havepressed-in spark plug sleeves. They’renot available as service parts, so be care-ful; if they’re damaged, you’ll have tobuy a new head. Rubber rings on theends of the plug sleeves seal against thevalve covers. These are replaceable andshould be changed if you R&R therocker covers.

The head and camshaft case are line-bored, so if you have to change the headfor any reason, you’ll be buying a newcam case, too.

Some modest changes were made tothe new SOHC engine block (movingthe thrust bearing, enlarging oil groovesand changing the bolt pattern to thetransmission). So the new SOHC blockand the blocks for the previous SOHCand carryover DOHC engines are notinterchangeable.

The ignition system also was re-

worked for ’99. The coil and igniterwere integrated into a single part. Andnew California-spec crankshaft andcamshaft reluctors are different from49-staters, as are other California-onlyfuel and ignition system calibrationparts, including air-assist fuel injectors.The Cal-spec reluctors are physically in-terchangeable with 49-state versions,but have a different number of teethand different computer software forbetter misfire detection. Put in thewrong reluctor and the engine won’tstart.

The SOHC 2.5-liter engine goes intoSubaru’s Forester and Impreza, themodels that are made in Japan. TheDOHC 2.5 remains in the U.S.-builtLegacy until Subaru gets around tochanging the production line here.

VolvoThe S80 is a new platform, with Volvo’sfirst-ever transversely mounted inlinesix-cylinder. It’s a 2.8-liter engine and, inturbo form with a charge cooler, devel-ops 272 hp. European versions of theS80 also offer the five-cylinder in a vari-ety of turbo and nonturbo configura-tions, but you won’t see them here.

Volvo may be a small company by to-day’s standards, but it’s maintaining abig safety-first and “green” image. TheS80 at some point next year will be thefirst vehicle with a “catalytic” radiator,which has an external coating to removeozone from the air passing through it. Itcan convert about 75% of the ozone(O3) to oxygen (O2).

30 December 1998

1999 Import Tech Report

The Acura TL’s touch screen does double-duty, displaying the op-tional navigation system screen and the manual controls for theAutomatic Temperature Control system.

Subaru is switching its 2.5-liter four-cylinder from a dual overhead-cam setup to an SOHC with wider valve angles, primarily to improveemissions performance. The change is being made on Japanese-built 2.5s (the U.S.-built Legacy is still a DOHC for now). The 2.2-four,which had been a narrow-angle SOHC, also gets the new head.

The coating is made by EngelhardCorp., U.S. maker of the catalyst for ex-haust converters. Ford experimentedwith a more sophisticated version of thecatalytic coating, but couldn’t justify theexpense of a new fan system (plus largerbattery and alternator) to pull airthrough when the vehicle was parked.Volvo kept it simple and even if the ef-fect isn’t spectacular, it’s a contribution.

The introduction date for the radia-tor is iffy, because Volvo is trying to sortout “where to produce it” issues withEngelhard. But when it comes (and itcould be as late as next fall), it’s likely tobe regarded legally as an emissions con-trol device. So if the front end of the caris hit and the radiator is damaged, youwouldn’t be able to replace it with aconventional radiator.

Land RoverThe Discovery sport/utility vehicle givesthe driver a “command” view of theroad, but it does raise the center ofgravity and make the vehicle potentiallytippy. A super-stiff sway bar would beone countermeasure, but ride/handlingwould be unacceptably harsh for theupscale customer of a Discovery. In-stead, the ’99 model is the first vehiclewith an electronically controlled antirollsystem that stiffens the suspension onthe appropriate side only when neces-sary to counteract roll.

Makers of all SUVs are working onsystems of this type, so what appearsfirst on the Discovery will be used inone form or another on just about allthe others within the next few years. Ofcourse, nothing can keep an SUV fromtipping over if it’s pushed too hard, butwhat Land Rover calls Active CorneringEnhancement (ACE) can keep the ve-hicle level through even moderately“enthusiastic” cornering.

The “operating arm” of the system isa hydraulic device that looks like a hy-draulic shock absorber with inlet andoutlet ports. There’s one at each cornerof the vehicle, replacing the front andrear sway bars. The devices are called“roll control assemblies,” and their portsare connected by tubing to a computer-controlled oil pump with a solenoid-valve body. Lateral accelerometers atthe top and bottom of the vehicle trans-mit the hard cornering signal to an elec-

tronic module. As the module sensesimpending roll, it opens a valve to theappropriate roll control assembly tostiffen the suspension on that side andthen discharges the hydraulic pressurewhen the episode is over. It’s roughlysimilar to an ABS control system, exceptthat the roll control device piston rodpushes on a linkage, to provide the ef-fect of an “instant sway bar.”

Keep in mind, though, that if failuresoccur, such as sensor wiring shorts oropens, the vehicle might suddenly ridelike a truck with heavy-duty shocks.And that’s just one of the possibilities.

BMWThe 1999 model year marks the intro-duction of newmodels in the 3-series, whichfeature an en-hanced versionof variable valvetiming. VVT hasbeen used onproduction carsfor the lastdecade, and for’99, the BMW 3-series inline six-cylinder has thenext break-through—infi-nite variability ofthe timing ofboth intake andexhaust cam-shafts.

BMW calls its system DoubleVANOS, and it uses separate computer-controlled hydraulic valve systems toregulate the spring-loaded gear hous-ings for the intake and exhaustcamshafts. For those who want to keeptheir technical German current, theterm is based on VAriable NOcken-wellen Steuerung, which means vari-able camshaft control.

The camshafts can change timingindependently, and/or in varying de-grees at the same time. The range is0° to 60° on the intake cam, 0° to 40°on the exhaust cam. The responsetime is 250 milliseconds to changethe timing the maximum number ofdegrees, thanks to high oil pressure

31December 1998

It may look like a shock absorber on the ’99 Land Rover Discovery, but it’s actually asophisticated hydraulic unit, to counter roll. Note the two ports, through which oilflows to extend and retract the hydraulic piston. When extended, it acts on a linkage toact as an “instant” sway bar. There are four of these units, one at each corner, andthey’re controlled by a computer, based on signals from lateral accelerometers. An oilpump provides pressurized oil to the appropriate units.

BMW’s Double VANOS is the first variable valve timing system thatcan control both intake and exhaust camshafts separately. It’s usedon the inline six of new 3-series models.

Exhaust Camshaft Intake Camshaft

SolenoidValves

Valve TimingController

Oil PressureRegulator Camshaft

Position Sensor

(60 psi) produced by a pump on theback end of the exhaust camshaft.

MazdaAlthough Mazda engineering is beingintegrated into Ford’s worldwide facili-ties, it has two new ’99 models that ap-parently are the last of its solo efforts.

One is the new Protegé. It has a fam-ily resemblance to the 626 and Millenia,and a 1.6-liter four-cylinder to replacethe previous 1.5-liter four. The 122-hp,1.8-liter four continues to be an option.After this new model runs its course, fu-ture Protegés will be derived from aFord subcompact chassis.

“Niche” cars like the Miata don’t sellin high volume, or they’d be main-stream models. But they keep sellingyear after year, and we certainly noticethem—they fill special needs, specialdesires.

The Miata convertible got a remakein the spring, and it continues to serveits audience remarkably well. The 1.8-liter DOHC engine is equipped withvariable valve timing and is up 7 horses,to 140.

VolkswagenThe old VW Beetle was air-cooled andhas long been out of production. The’99 New Beetle, introduced this pastspring, has lines reminiscent of the old,but the engine is water-cooled and infront. The chassis is a modified versionof the one in the new Golf and Jetta,and the engines are the familiar 2.0-litergasoline, a 1.9-liter direct-injectiondiesel and, this winter, a 1.8-liter tur-bocharged four-cylinder.

A ’99 option, the 1.8-turbo is the Au-di/VW Passat engine turned 90°. Stylingof the front end makes the powertraincompartment opening a bit narrow.And the modern interpretation of the“signature” lighting assemblies creates alarge cylindrical intrusion into the com-partment. So it’s a noticeably differentlayout from the Golf/Jetta.

The new Golf and Jetta, introducedlast month, are slightly larger than themodels they replace, use the same 2.0gas and 1.9 diesel, and—for perfor-mance models—the 2.8-liter VR-6 (thefamiliar narrow-bank V6). That VR-6 al-so is used in the EuroVan, the new VWminivan introduced last summer.

Didn’t notice the arrival of that one?It’s a long time since the VW Microbuswas the only minivan, and the marketnow is so competitive that VW won’t in-vest in marketing it. It will sell a fewthousand to buffs, particularly thosewho like the camper version (a trueniche vehicle), and that’s it.

SaabIf it’s a 1999 Saab, it’s a turbochargedSaab. The four-cylinder models havehistorically been turbo, and now thenew Saab 9-5 with the 3.0-liter V6 hasone. Yes, there’s just one, mounted tothe front cylinder bank of the transverseengine. The mounting means that onlythe exhaust gas flow from that bank isused, even though the compressed airfeeds all six cylinders. The turbo itself (aGarrett GT17) is a small unit with ultra-light moving parts for fast response. Wedrove the car and it feels like a V8—noperceptible lag.

The secret seems to be that boostpressure is low—only 3.6 psi—butenough to make the V6 really perform,without introducing uneven responsesand problems from trying to calibratefor very uneven backpressure from onebank to the other. The turbo has nowastegate; the electronic control systemautomatically modulates the pressures.

The turbo is integral with the exhaustmanifold, not a separate part. This hasobvious quality and packaging advan-tages, even if there would be a smallcost penalty if it had to be replaced.

PorscheFinally, we report on the demise of thelast air-cooled engine in mass produc-tion—in the Porsche 911. The 1999 911coupe and cabriolet are “reborn” andthe engine still is in the rear, but now it’sa 3.4-liter, 296-hp, water-cooled hori-zontally opposed six-cylinder. And likethe Porsche Boxster introduced lastyear, the 911 has two radiators, one ateach side in front, with its own electricfan. Progress? We’ll see.

32 December 1998

1999 Import Tech Report

For a free copy of this article, write to: Fulfillment Dept.,

MOTOR Magazine, 5600 CrooksRd., Troy, MI 48098. Additional

copies are $2 each. Send check or money order.

If the chartat right ismissing,please

circle #24on theProduct

InformationCard onpage 73.

If the chartat right ismissing,please

circle #24on theProduct

InformationCard onpage 73.