From: jnielsen@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (John F Nielsen)
Subject: Re: Are there any Luxary AWD?
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 17:56:25 GMT

I didn't have time to look up everything or copy entire articles, 
but at least tell me if this matches what you all experience:

BMW 535i

- Handeling was close to ideal, with quick smooth precise responses
and very little body lean in turns
- At high speeds the suspensions firm control kept the tires in
solid contact with the road surface in turns or over bumps, giving the
driver a high degree of confidence.
- The BMW responded crisply and quickly in our accident
avoidance-tests, attaining the fastest speed of the group
[BWM,Lexus,Infinity,Continental]
- Braking performance was superb
- The BWM has the classic German car ride: firm and tightly controlled..
- The BMW's designers emphasize sportiness over luxery. That's
demonstrated in the cars firm seats and tailored - almost Spartan-
appointments.

"The fact that it didn't score quite as high as the Lexus or
Infnity Q45 is more due to values built into our scoring scheme
than to any short comings in the car. While we stand in admiration
of a car that can stop from 60 mph in a record braking 125 feet, that
earns no more points that a 130 foot stop. . .  nor do we give extra
credit to a car that, like the BMW can travel a bumpy curvey road at
imprudently high speeds as if on a rail".

In a smilar theme with Mercedes:

"The Mer300E is by a small margin the best car we've ever tested, and
if we weighted our scores to accomodate Autobah driving . . . it's
margin of superiority over say, the Toyota Camry, would grow
considerably. . . . we imagine that law abiding citizens would take
great pleasure in the Mer300E even if they never took full advantage
of their superior engineering."

"We recommend the MErcedes 300E without reservation to all who
reguarly drive the Autobahn . . . The Mercedes impressive handeling, 
superb brakes, and air bag supp. res. system gives its divers a shot
at surviving very agressive driving habits"

-----
Their ratings of the Japenese cars do not follow this same TYPE of enthusiam
at all. Essentially what I gather is that German cars are for a
different type of Market, one with very different driving. And, CU
praises them ALOT even though they don't fit their ideal 55mph
family car market.

The Lexus rated higher than the BWM not because it was better than the
BWM but because it had the serenity of the American large cars with
the agressive habits of the European cars. Their drivers liked it
better subjectively and they don't hesitate to mention that prejudice.
"Our drivers prefer the quiet power of a Lexus to the BMW's throaty
assertion during hard aceleration"

They also often emphasize tin their ratings that a person should 
drive the cars
themselves not just rely on the ratings. Perhaps one person happens
to like the BWM agressiveness compared to the Lexi's serenity, but
another may like the Lexi's serenity compared to the BWM. Both
are great cars, which is better depends on personal preferance.

----

Yet another example of the prejudice on the net:

One person recently said that, CU only tests their cars for 30 days
or some similar value and that they need more time than that to
really rate the cars well. WELL, if you actually bothered checking
your information out rather than listening to your bias:

"Our monthly road-test reports on new cars don't always signal
the end of our evaluation. We continue to drive the cars for a minimum
of 2 months after formal tests are over. Often we keep cars much
longer."

I did not find any mention about the Mercedes auto. trans.
Don't know why they didn't mention it. Are you sure they
are identical?

For the Audi they said:
"The zigzag pattern of the auto. trans. is awkward, having to push
down on the shifter adds to the annoyance". 

This isn't what I would call a staggering flame against Audi. 
Isn't is possible that this could be awkward for some people,
especially since most people are not used to that arrangment. 

john

-- 
John Nielsen   MAGNUS Consultant            ______   ______   __  __	
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