THE 1997 CAR GUIDE
 
Manufacturers A-D
 
AC AC Cars Ltd, Vikers Drive, Brooklands Industrial Park, 
Weybridge, Surrey KT13 0YU, UK		 no links
Cobra * Ace
AC, one of England's oldest car companies, still builds cars based on the legendary Cobra, plus an all-new model, called the Ace. AC, however, is in big financial trouble.

Acura  ---> Honda

 
Alfa Romeo 
(Fiat)		 Fiat Auto S.p.A., Corso Marconi 10, 10125 Torino, Italy no links
145 * 146 * 155 * 164 * GTV * Spider
Alfa Romeo is one of the famous Italian sports cars makers, though compared to the likes of
Ferrari and Lamborghini the cars are somewhat affordable. In 1986 the formerly state
owned company was sold to the giant Italian company FIAT.

Alpine  ---> Renault

 
Aro Aro Muscel, 173 Vasile Roaita, 0425 Cimpulung Muscel, 
Arges, Romania		 no links
10.4 * 244
The economic problems in Romania didn't do to much harm to this company. The only two
cars produced are off-Roaders. The smaller one is powered by Volkswagen and Renault
engines, while a Peugeot diesel is used in the larger car.

 
Asia Motors 
(Kia)		 S Korea, address not known no links
Rocsta * Retona
Asia Motor was bought by KIA Motors in 1976 and builds busses, trucks, and off-roaders.

 
Aston Martin 
(Ford)		 Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd., Tickford St., Newport 
Pagnell, Bucks, MK169 9AN, UK		 no links
Virage * DB7 * Vantage
The legendary luxury car manufacturer Aston Martin builds several versions of the Virage,
including the world´s most expensive station wagon, priced at around US$ 300,000! After years of losses, 1995 has been a great year for the company, with more than 700 cars sold.

 
Audi 
(VAG/Volkswagen)		 Audi AG, Auto-Union-Straße, 85057 Ingolstadt, Germany Audi USA 
Volkswagen USA
A3 * A4 * Cabrio * A6 * A8
Audi is not only the luxury car division of the Volkswagen Group, but also the innovative
part of the company. Audi has been very successful recently, and the luxurious A8 sells well, too.

Autolatina  ---> VW/ Ford
Autolatina was a joint-venture formed by Volkswagen and Ford in South America. It does not exist any longer!

 
 
Beijing 
(Chrysler)		 Beijing Jeep Corp., Shuangjing, Chaoyangyu, 100021 
Beijing, China		 no links
BJ20208 * BJ 2021 Cherokee
This Chinese-American joint-venture builts to own off-roaders as well as a version of the
Jeep Cherokee which, however, is equipped with a Chinese engine.

 
Bentley 
(Rolls-Royce)		 Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd./ Bentley Cars Ltd., 
Crewe, Chesire CW11 3PL, UK		 no links
Brooklands * Turbo R * Continental R * Continental T * azure
The sporty and somewhat "cheap" division of Rolls Royce, with cheap meaning still a lot
more expensive than almost any other car company in the world.

 
BMW Bayerische Motorenwerke AG, Petuelring 130, 
80809 München (Munich), Germany		 BMW of North America
3-series * 5-series * 7-series * 8-series * Z3-series
BMW is one of the world´s leading high-tech car companies and builds some of the planet´s
finest sedans like its V12 powered BMW 750i. It is also one of the leading luxury car
manufacturers. BMW also owns part of a company that builds plane engines, which is
co-owned by Rolls-Royce.The American-made Z3 is a best-seller.

BMW Alpina
Bovensiepen GmbH, Alpenstraße 25, 86807 Buchloe, Germany
Probably the most sophisticated BMW tuner.

Bristol
Bristol Cars Ltd., 368-370 Kensington High St., London W14 8NL, UK
Bristol is one of the smallest and most unusual car manufacturers in the UK.

Bugatti
Bugatti Automobili S.p.A., Largo Ettore Bugatti 1, 41011 Campogalliano, Italy
(We have no new information on Bugatti)

 
Buick 
(GM)		 Buick Motor Division, Fint, Michigan 48550, USA no links
Skylark * Century * Regal * LeSabre * Park Avenue * Riviera
Buick builds more traditional luxurious American cars.

 
Cadillac 
(GM)		 Cadillac Motor Car Division, 2860 Clark Avenue, 
Detroit, Michigan 48232, USA		 Cadillac 
Cadillac Catera
Catera * De Ville * Seville * Eldorado
THE name in Northern American luxury sedans! Cadillacs aren't as big as they used to be, and the Seville has even some success on the European continent. The Catera is a Americanized version of the Opel Omega.

Chang'an
Chang'an Machinery Factory, Chenjiaguan, Jiangbeiqu, 630023 Chongquing, Sichuan, China
The company used to produce weapons for the Chinese army. They produced their first car in
1982. Since 1990 the licenced version of the Suzuki Alto is also available.

 
Chevrolet 
(GM)		 Chevrolet Motor Division, 30007 Van Dyke Avenue, Warren, Michigan 48090, USA Chevrolet
Cavalier * Corsica * Beretta * Malibu * Lumina * Monte Carlo * Camaro * Corvette * Astro * Venture * Blazer * Tahoe * Suburban
Chevrolet is probably the best-known American car maker world-wide. The is the largest GM division in the USA, and produces reliable cars for the masses. The Corvette is one of the finest sports-cars available.

 
Chevrolet Brazil 
(Chevrolet/GM)		 General Motors do Brasil Ltda., Av. Goias, 1805 Sao Caetano do Sul, Brazil no links
Corsa * Kadett * Ipanema * Monza * Omega * Blazer * coming soon: Astra
Chevrolet's Brazilian models are mainly based on old Opels.

 
Chrysler Chrysler Motor Corporation, 12000 Chrysler Drive, Highland Park, Detroit, Michigan 48288-1919, USA Chrysler
Neon * Cirrus (=Stratus) * LHS * New Yorker * Sebring (=Stratus Convertible) * Concorde (=Vision) * Town & Counry * Voyager & Grand Voyager (=Dodge Caravan) /// European model names shown in bold letters.
Like the legendary phoenix Chrysler came back to life after the crisis of 1992/93. With new models and higher quality their sales rise and rise. Part of the success overseas comes from models not available in the USA, especially the diesel version of the Voyager.

 
Citroën 
(PSA)		 Automobiles Citroën SA, bv. Victor-Hugo, 92208 Neuilly-Sur-Seine, Cedex, France no links
AX * Saxo * ZX * XSara * Xantia * Evasion* XM// * Jumper * Berlingo
Citroën is definetely the world´s most "avantgardistique" car manufacturer, and certainly among the most technologically  advanced ones. They built the first car in the world with brakes on all four wheels, power brakes (1926), and even braking lights were an invention by Citroën. Further on, the first station wagon ever was a Citroën. In 1934 they built the first car with front wheel drive. In 1970 they were the first to built power steering that worked in accordance to the speed driven. In 1955 the  S19 had disc brakes, which had been used in planes only until that time. Also in the DS, they built their hydropneumatic suspension for the first time, a system that combines the safety of European high speed suspensions with American comfort, and which is still used in the company´s current middle and top class models, now even computer controlled. Citroën also produces the world's least fuel consuming car, the AX Eco. This little miracle goes 100km (62 miles) with less than a gallon of diesel fuel (3.4 liters on 100km).

 
Dacia Automobile Dacia SA, Colibasi 0401 Str. Uzinei No.1, Pitesti Arges, Romania no links
1310 * 1325 * 1410 * Nova
Dacia builds cars based on "ancient" Renaults since 1968, but an all-new model called Nova is now also available

 
Daewoo Daewoo Motor Co. Ltd., Mandaemun-No 5, Chung-Gu, Seoul, Korea no links
Nexia * Espero * Tico * Prince * Arcadia
Daewoo used to be a partner of GM, but the two companies "divorced" in 1993. Most Daewoos are based on old GM cars, especially on the Opel Kadett. The Tico, however, is a new and independent design.More new Daewoos that are not based on Opels will be available soon.

Daewoo-FSO ---> FSO

 
Daihatsu 
(Toyota)		 Daihatsu Kogyo Co. Ltd., 1, Ideda City, Osaka Pref. 563, Japan no links
Cuore * Charade * Applause * Feroza * Rocky * Mira 660 * Opti * Leeza * Social
A rather small division of Toyota, the giant Japanese car manufacturer. Daihatsu builds cars
in which Toyota can test things that would not fit into its normal car programme.

 
Dodge 
(Chrysler)		 Chrysler Motor Corp., 12000 Chrysler Dr, Highland Park, Detroit, Michigan 48288-1919, USA Dodge
Neon * Stratus (=Chrysler Stratus) * Intrepid * Avenger * Caravan (=Chrysler Voyager) * Stealth * Viper (Chrysler Viper)/// European model names shown in bold letters
This American Chrysler division builds all kinds of cars, including its super sports car, the Viper, which is one of the fastest mass produced sports cars in the world. Some Dodge models are sold as Chryslers in Europe.