1997 BMW Sport Hatch

1997 BMW sport hatch: A hot 2+2 hatch reportedly will be pulled forth from the Z10 roadster platform. Built in South Carolina, it will likely be powered by the 318's 1.8-liter/140-horse four, with BMW's 2.8-liter/190-horse inline-six offered as an upgrade...Buick Park Avenue: An all-new Park gets spun from the Aurora/Riviera G-Platform...Ford four-door full-size SUV: Intended to counter GM's four-door Tahoe/Yukon models, this will be based on the F-Series chassis and will offer a new alternative to the two-door Bronco...Honda ULEV Accord: Certified by the California Air Resources Board as the first ultra-low-emissions vehicle, this Honda will beat the state's 2000 mandate by two years. The ULEV Accord uses the 2.2-liter four-cylinder from the Accord EX and adds Honda's VTEC technology, a fast warm-up catalytic converter, and a newly developed, extremely precise air/fuel management system. It offers the same horsepower, torque, and fuel economy as the stock engine, yet reduces emissions by approximately 90 percent...Hyundai minivan: Hyundai has been eyeing a minivan for a few years, and it could be a reality for the '97 model year. Look for a choice of normal or extended bodies and front- or all-wheel drive. An SUV may also be in the works for a later release...Jeep Wrangler: This perennial off-roader will adopt softer angles, yet keep its aggressive look, with styling cues coming from the Jeep ECCO show vehicle...Kia G-car: This front-drive, midsize sedan will be Kia's third entry in the U.S. market. It could feature Kia's new line of 2.0- and 2.5-liter engines, developed with the Rover Group...Lexus coupe: Rumor has it that a coupe based on the Japanese-market Crown will be coming our way, perhaps as a replacement for the SC 400...Mercedes-Benz all-activity vehicle: This mystery four-wheel-drive Mercedes will be the company's first rollout from its new plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Mercedes promises the AAV will offer "benchmark" safety, technology, comfort, and on-road performance, as well as the same go-anywhere, all-terrain capabilities as its rugged Gelandewagen sold in Europe. The seven-passenger AAV will have unibody construction with suspension components mounted to front and rear subframes for isolation. Base engine will be a 3.2-liter/200-horsepower V-6, with a 4.2-liter V-8 coming about a year later...Mitsubishi 3000GT/Dodge Stealth: If Mitsubishi keeps to its expected cycle, this hi-po pair will be replaced with all-new versions...Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera replacement: This will be based on GM's new compact P-90 platform, along with the Chevy Corsica and Buick Regal...Plymouth Prowler: As of this writing, Chrysler still hadn't made a final decision whether or not to produce this radical rear-drive roadster, but if it gets the go-ahead, the earliest release likely would be in '97. In concept form, it was powered by a 3.5-liter/24-horsepower 24-valve LH V-6...Toyota 435T: This is the code name for a front-drive, compact luxury sedan that could either arrive as a high-end Toyota or a low-end Lexus...Toyota Previa: This new version will be based on the new Camry's platform and will be powered by a 3.0-liter V-6. The current midmounted engine design will likely be abandoned for a more conventional placement...Volkswagen Golf: Unlike its predecessors, the fourth-generation Golf will offer styling and sheetmetal designed specifically for the U.S. market and different from the European version. It will continue to be built in Mexico.