Word: vega
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...battle of the automakers, this year's big weapon is the small car. Largely to combat the inroads made by the imports, which have lately captured more than 15% of the nation's auto market, American Motors has brought out the Gremlin, General Motors has introduced the Vega, and Ford the Pinto. In anxious counterattack, Germany's Volkswagen and Japan's Toyota are mounting an assault with new models at prices that remain equal to or lower than those of competitive U.S. cars...
...lower-priced imported autos. U.S. car sales are down this year partly because the U.S. public, hurt by both inflation and unemployment, is hesitant to invest in big-ticket purchases. To fight the price rise, Detroit is automating to the extent of using robot welders on G.M.'s Vega 2300 assembly line. Still, prices continue to climb...
...basic list price of the Vega 2300 is $1,950, which (with federal excise tax and dealer preparation) comes out to $2,091 for a two-door sedan, $2,197 for a "hatchback" coupe, and $2,329 for a station wagon. Frequently requested options-such as automatic transmission ($111), deluxe interior ($125.95) and power steering ($95)-can rapidly raise the Vega's price to more than $2,500. The Pinto, which comes in only one model, a two-door sedan, is priced at $1,944, including federal excise tax and dealer preparation charges. Volkswagen's 60-h.p. basic...
...main reason for the Vega's unexpectedly high cost is weight; it is 383 Ibs. heavier than a VW, 177 Ibs. heavier than the Pinto and 300 Ibs. heavier than G.M. originally intended. As the car evolved, its designers made myriad little changes intended to improve the car's appearance, road performance or safety. At 170 in., the Vega is 7 in. longer than the Pinto and has a 90-h.p. engine compared with Pinto's 75-h.p. power plant...
...secret for beating Volkswagen is quality," says Chevrolet General Manager John Z. DeLorean. Pinto and Vega offer newer styling and better handling characteristics than the Volkswagen. The cheaper Pinto reflects Ford's conviction that VW must also be met head-on in terms of price...