The Kokomo Tribune from Kokomo, Indiana • Page 39

F-150 nears automobile in comfort By Tom Strongman The Kansas City Star Pickup trucks are getting cushier, and Ford's revamped F- 150 for 1992 is closer than ever to being as comfortable as a car. It is more aerodynamic, has a revised dash and gets better seats. From behind the wheel the only time you would guess you are driving a truck is when the back- end bounces around over bumps. Otherwise, it could be a two-seat car. Now that's OK with me.

Trucks have their place, but I have never driven one daily. For some people out there pickup trucks are their office, their work. Almost a tool. But there also are many people out there who don't use their trucks for work, and they don't use them for hauling very often. Mostly they are daily transportation.

Ford's F-150, for example, is the best-selling vehicle in North America for the past nine years. Bar none. That's quite an accomplishment. How many of them are hauling plywood? In many ways trucks became the sports cars of the '80s, personal vehicles that are out of the mainstream. Yet there is a practical side to a truck.

Like plaid wool shirts and high-tech hiking shoes, pickups fit urbanites' desire to be practical yet stylish, in a functional sort of way. They're utilitarian, functional, and fun. For 1992, the F-150, which is made at Ford's Claycomo plant in Kansas City, is a much different The 1992 Ford F-Series is sporting a more contemporary look (Photo provided) truck. Its redesign is not as radical as Chevrolet's pickup. It still looks like a Ford, but a more modern one.

The hood slopes forward to the grille, and the headlights are placed on the rounded corners of the front fenders. The grille has Ford's characteristic aerodynamic style. Powerplant options range from the standard 4.9-liter, fuel-injected in-line six-cylinder to a 7.3-liter diesel V-8. In between are 5-liter, 5.8-liter and 7.5-liter fuel-injected gasoline V-8s. The test model had the 5.8-liter.

Coupled to the 200-horse engine was an electronic four-speed automatic transmission. A switch on the gearshift lever controls the electronic overdrive. In the cab a new dashboard is most notable. It sweeps across in front of the driver with an instrument cluster that looks like a car. At night, the gauge needles are light pink, and the numbers glow soft green.

Not very truck-like, but that is the color scheme Ford is using for all its gauges. Radio and knobs are round, dial type. The dash now blends into the door panels with a fluid look similar to that found in the Taurus sedan. In fact, many of the accessory buttons of the F-150 are from the Taurus. Standard in the F-150 is an extra cigarette-lighter outlet for powering equipment like CB radios and portable cellular phones.

Nestled at the base of the bench seat is a large cup holder, with a slot in the back for stashing papers. The test truck was the upscale XLT Lariat, decked out with chrome, styled-steel wheels, tape stripes and a deep, rich cabernet red paint job. It was the short wheelbase model with an overall length of 197.1 inches. The pickup is 70 inches wide at the top, and 50.8-inches wide between wheelhouses. During my time with this truck I drove it without a load in the bed, and while it was a trifle rough on bumpy roads, the basic ride is pretty smooth for a truck.

It compares favorably with other trucks I have driven. Kokomo Chrysler Plymouth proudly presents THE MODELS OF 1992 Over 70 to Choose From Advantage: Advantage: Plymouth Chrysler Finance Rates As Low As 4.9% or Cash Back Up To NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY! BIG Discounts HIGH Trade-Ins LOW Finance Rates Cash Back FANTASTIC See The Sales Professionals: John Cottrell, Jim Keltey, Randy Rogers, Jerry Pontius, Dave Mosier or Gregg Farris KOKOMO CHRYSLER-PLYMOUTH U.S. 31 Bypass Lincoln Rd. 459-8071 RRAD GREENTOWN I THE SERVICE BAY DIAGNOSTIC Customer satisfaction means a lot more than selling superior cars and trucks. It also means helping you, our customer, with efficient, complete vehicle service when needed service so good that you will always turn to us for help.

That is real peace of mind! To achieve our goal of outstanding service, we have purchased Ford's new Service Bay Diagnostic for short a service technology breakthrough. With a simple touch of a finger, our technicians access the full knowledge and diagnostic skills of Ford's best service engineers precisely when needed for servicing a particular Ford or Lincoln-Mercury vehicle. With in our shop, pur skilled technicians have technical support that puts them at the top of their profession when it comes to solving customer concerns even those frustrating, intermittent, and hard-to-find driveability problems. 628-3321 118 South Meridian, Greentown Auto update Sunday, Nov. 3, 1991 Kokomo (Ind.) Tribune 39 Cadillac plants DETROIT Beginning with the 1994 model year, General Motors Cadillac division will build all of its models except the Brougham at its Detroit-Hamtramck plant.

Production of the Cadillac DeVille and Fleetwood will move from Lake Orion, to the Detroit-Hamtramck plant after the 1993 model year is closed out. GM's Buick-Oldsmobile- Cadillac Group, which operates the Lake Orion plant, said production of the Oldsmobile Ninety Eight will remain at Lake Orion. The plant will also build GM's new G-car platform, which will debut in the 1994 model year and will yield the Oldsmobile Toronado and Buick Riviera. The Cadillac-operated Hamtramck plant will cease production of the Toronado and Riviera after the 1993 model year. Cadillac will continue to make the Brougham at it's Arlington, Texas, plant.

Saturn expands LAFAYETTE, Ind. General Motors Saturn division now has a third distributor in Indiana with the opening of Saturn of Lafayette. The dealership owned by Bob Rohrman joins Saturn of Fort Wayne, which opened in May, and Saturn of Indianapolis, which opened more than a year ago when the new car group debuted. The Lafayette dealership has opened at 801 S. Sagamore Parkway as part of the Bob Rohrman auto mall.

Money no object By The Associated Press If money to no object or perhaps if it is you could put it on a status car with a sure future as a collector's item. The new Bentley Continental sports coupe, for example, is priced at $261,800, and fewer than 100 will be built for sale in the North American market next year. According to Rolls-Royce, which makes the cars in England, this is the first Bentley in 40 years not to have the same body style as a Rolls. YOUR FAMILY DESERVES A BRAKE! Not all brake jobs are Ihe same. Some shops use parts lhat don'l measure up to factory specifications.

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First time buyer college graduate program cannot be used in conjunction with Military Program. Armed Services I.D. must be provided. To qualified buyers only thru GMAC. '91 GEO PRIZM 4-DR.

NOTCHBACK Slock H459. 1.6 Liter Engine, Five-Speed Transmission, Power Steering, Electronically Tuned Stereo Radio and Digital Clock, Full Wheel Coven, LH Remote, RH Manual Sport Mirrors, Electric Rear Window Defagger, Tires Stabilizer Bar, Blue Bucket Seatl, White. Under Coot, Vandal Alert, Pin Stripe Only 44 Per Week! after rebate class payroll deduct through GMAC. Excludes sales tax customer service fee. 260 payments at APR.

'91 BERETTA to 2-DOOR COUPE 8,575 82 Your Price Stock Gray Cloth Bucket Seats, 2.2 Liter Engine, Radial Tires, Medium Sapphire Blue Metallic, 5-Speed Manual Transmission. Only 41 Per Week! alter rebate class FTB to qualified buyers only payroll deduct through GMAC. Excludes sales tax 8 customer service fee payments at APR. ee 260 '91 GEO STORM COUPE Your Price Stock 1.6 Liter Engine, 5-Speed Manual Transmission, Steel Belt Tires, Bright Red, Gray Cloth Bucket Seats, Under Coat, Vandal Alert, Pin Stripe. Only 46 Per Weekl alter rebate class FTB to qualified buyers only, payroll deduct through GMAC.

Excludes sales tax customer service fee. 260 payments at APR. '91 CAVALIER VL 2-DOOR COUPE 7234 44 Stock Camel Cloth Bucket Seats, 2.2 Liter Engine Radial Tires, Light Gold Metallic, 5-Speed Manual Transmission. Only 35 Per Weekl after rebate class FTB to qualified buyers only payroll deduct through GMAC. Excludes sales tax customer service fee.

260 payments at APR. Ask for any of these fine ERIK'S Salesmen: Rick Kanable Dave Reynolds Jim Simmons Randy O'Conner Kevin Swain Hank Powell Steve Finley Scott Simmons Rusty Broadlick Byron Kosanke Paul Brantley Jim Roler Tim McKinley Mike Valadez Chuck Kern Mike Hinkle Tom Hammock Verlin Boees Randy Dague ff Lawless Steve Barnett Michael Cavalier Cliff Candler Todd Brittain 1800 South U.S. 31 Bypatt Kokomo, Indiana 457-8333.