Latest Coronas

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33513, 19 April 1974, Page 5

Latest Coronas

New versions of the Toyota Corona have now been announced in New Zealand. Fourdoor saloons will be assembled in Christchurch. and limited numbers of built-up station waggons and coupes will be available.

The saloon will be sold in 1600 c.c. and 1800 c.c. versions. The smallercapacity car has a bench front seat and three-speed manual gearbox, and is expected to cost about $3985. The 1800 model has a fourspeed manual gearbox, individual front seats with reclining backrests, a pullup handbrake, and a price of about $4303. The 1800 model will also have a heated rear window as a standard fitting: a very worthwhile "extra.” The cars are much the same mechanically as the models they replace, with completely redesigned bodies and interiors. The result is an attractive and comfortable car with good visibility, excellent control design, and good handling and performance.

When the new models were shown to motoring writers last week, there was time only for a brief drive in each car, but it was enough to show that the vehicles are a considerable advance on the models they replace. It is unfortunate that the new design does not provide more leg-room for back passengers, and a three-speed manual gearbox

is still unsatisfactory for a 1600 c.c. car. It is also unfortunate that the cars were not made a little wider: by present European standards they are somewhat narrow for their length, and another three inches would make a world of difference. Under-bonnet accessibility is good, and the boot-space is generous. The four-speed gearbox on the 1800 c.c. car gives a delightfully slick change, and in all the vehicles the dash layout is first-class, with clear instruments and all the light and wiper controls on fingertip stalks.

The fresh-air ventilation is good, and the heater powerful and quiet, with simple and sensible controls.

There are some interesting road-holding differences from car to car. The saloons are light understeerers, but the station-waggon was rather "tail-happy” with only two persons and no luggage aboard. Its vast carrying capacity, however, would make it a very useful family vehicle. Perhaps the best-balanced of all was the 1800 coupe, which was also fitted with Toyota’s three-speed automatic transmission with floor selector. The transmission was delightfully smooth, and a perfect match for the engine. Most drivers would find the slight drop in performance more than compensated for by the excellence of the transmission —any prospective Corona buyer should try an automatic car before he makes his decision.

From a practical point of

view, the coupe’s bodv style restricted rear-seat room considerably, and the car is a two plus two rather than a full four-seater. An automatic saloon would be a much more useful proposition for most buvers.

the engines in both the 1800 and 1600 models were smooth and fairly quiet, and noise levels generally were average for the size of car. The waggon, as could be expected, was a little noisier than the saloons. The new Coronas are not exceptional in any one respect, but they do set high standards generally, and are very well-equipped, in the' usual Japanese tradition. The cars are not cheap, and face stern competition, but it is worth remarking that for $3OO or so extra, the 1800 is the best buy, unless you really must carry a child between two adults in the front seat—and it would; have to be a fairly small I child.

The emphasis of the new design is said to be on safety, and the 1800’s specification includes a collapsible steering column. The 1600 has a different and non-collapsible system. Both cars have servo-assisted brakes, with discs at the front. SPECIFICATIONS:

Engines.—l Boo model: 1808 c.c. overhead camshaft fourcylinder water-cooled engine, 88.5 mm by 73.5 mm, 8.5 to 1 compression, 113 b.h.p. at 5600 ; r.p.m. (84.26 kw); torque 117! lbs ft at 3800 r.p.m.; single two-barrel carburettor. 16001 model: 1587 c.c., overhead valve! four-cylinder, 80.5 mm by 78 mm, compression 8.5 to 1; 90 b.h.p. at 5400 r.p.m. (67.1 kw); torque 98 lbs ft at 3000 r.p.m,; single two-barrel carburettor.

Transmissions.— l Boo model: four-speed all syncromesh floorchange gearbox. Three speed automatic transmission avail-: able on some built-up models.! 1600 model: three-speed all-| syncromesh column change gearbox. Suspension.— Front: inde-l pendent by coil springs and' wishbones. Rear: Live axle and' leaf springs. Steering.— Recirculating ball. 32.8 fl turning circle. Variable! ratio with 1800. fixed ratio with 1.600. Collapsible column in 1800.

Brakes.— Front discs and rear drums, servo assisted. Tandem master cylinder.

Dimensions.— Length, 165.7 in (4210 nim>; width 63.4 in (1610 mm); height 54.7 in (1390 mm): ground clearance 6.5 in (165 mm).

(Test vehicles from Consolidated Motor Distributors. Ltd, Wellington.)