BMW 750 iL tops Auto Club ideal car list.

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 16, 1996--Nine import and three domestic cars come closest to the ideal passenger vehicle according to the Automobile Club of Southern California 1996 "Target Car Report."

Vehicle ratings are based on factors that Auto Club members say are important to buying a car. Due to point ties, twelve vehicles are included in the following top ten list:

1. BMW 750 iL 67.1 7. Ford Taurus LX Wagon 62.1 2. Mercedes Benz E320 67.0 8. Saab 9000 CS 61.2 3. Mercedes Benz E300 diesel 64.4 Lexus GS300 61.2 4. Lexus SC400 64.1 9. Subaru Legacy LSi 61.1 5. Lincoln Mark VIII LSC  63.6 Volvo 850 Wagon 61.1 6. Audi A4 62.4 10. Mercury Cougar XR7 60.5

"Over the past decade, `Target Car Report' results have shown that passenger vehicles are becoming safer and more crashworthy overall," said Steve Mazor, principal automotive engineer. "Consumers can use the report to get a scientific, impartial review of vehicles based on the factors most important to them."

For the second year, light duty pickup trucks are also part of the report, since about 40 percent of new vehicles purchased are trucks. About seven trucks are reviewed each year on average. The seven trucks reviewed in 1996 are ranked as follows:

1. Ford F150 Lariat 4x2 Styleside Supercab 78.3 2. Chevrolet S10 LS Extended Cab Sportside 76.2 3. Ford F150 XLT 4x2 Flareside 75.9 4. Chevrolet K1500 Extended Cab Fleetside 4WD 70.8 5. Isuzu Hombre XS 68.5 6. Dodge Dakota Sport 67.7 7. Nissan XE King Cab 4x4 58.9

The Auto Club annually evaluates a selection of currently manufactured car models to judge which cars come closest to the "target" -- a passenger vehicle that best meets twelve key driving factors desired by every-day Southern California drivers. Fifty-two models were evaluated in 1996. Through the Target Car test results, the Auto Club also seeks to influence government agencies, manufacturers and consumers to develop vehicles that balance these desirable characteristics.

A statistically valid sampling of the 4.3 million Auto Club members in southern California was conducted to determine what they thought were the most important factors in buying a new car. Auto Club automotive research experts developed scientific methods for evaluating the top factors used in this study based on this member input, which represents a broad cross section of motorists.

According to Auto Club members, the following factors, ranked in order of importance, are key considerations when buying a car: braking distance, crashworthiness, visibility, handling, ride quality, fuel economy, interior noise, acceleration, entry and exit, interior size, turning radius and luggage capacity.

The 1996 Target Car Report also contains supplements listing results of vehicles tested during the five previous years. A total of 177 cars and trucks are listed in the report.

Copies of the Target Car Report are available at any Auto Club office for $7.50 ($6.00 for Auto Club members). Also, copies of the report may be obtained by mailing a check and return address to: Target Car Report, Automobile Club of Southern California, Automotive Research Center H-213, 2601 South Figueroa Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007.

The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest affiliate of the American Automobile Association, has been serving members since 1900. Today, the Auto Club's 4.3 million members benefit by the organization's emergency road service, public safety programs, travel planning, highway and transportation safety programs, automotive testing and analysis, automobile and homeowners insurance and legislative advocacy.

CONTACT: The Automobile Club of Southern California

Layna J. Browdy

Jeffrey Spring

213/741-4410