FROM TH€ PUBLISHER by Winfred Cross 20 Jeep Jamboree Is Family Fun 22 Motorsports Report: Gaining Ground In Elite Industry T by Reg McGhee and Jacqueline Mitchell 28 Where’s The Crisis? by Warren Brown 32 Urban Pick; Full-Size SUVs Departments 6 Auto Briefs 10 411: Car Care & Letters 12 First Impressions 30 Diamante Four Season Review 36 Sebring Four Seasons Review Editor-In-Chief Randi Payton E ditoria l D irector Vivienne Samms Cover Photo Delane Rouse E xecutive E ditor Jacqueline Mitchell Reporters Frank Aukofer Adam J. Dixon Joe Elia Reg McGhee Azure Buni Rae Thompson Photographers Calvin Ferguson Kim Johnson Sue Mead Dot Ward Photo Editor Cassandra Bryant A F R IC A N A M E R IC A N S O N W H E E LS ‘Full-Size,’ 4-Door Sport-Utility Vehicles Make Model Avg. 0-60 Transact. Price base base engine trans. (liter/cyl) 1 horse­ power MPG (City) wheel- length/ Cargo Maximum base width Capacity/ Number (inches) (inches) (cu. feet) of passgrs. *AMG Hummer $61358 19.5 6.5D1/8 4A 170 1 3 ft 130 185/87 varies 4 Chevrolet Suburban C1500 $22239 9.4 5.7/8 4A 255 14 132 220/77 97 9 Chevrolet Tahoe $26072 8.8 5.7/8 4A 255 14 118 200/77 67 6 Ford Expedition XLT $24878 N/A 4.6/8 4A 215 14 119 205/79 63 9 GMC Suburban C1500 $22296 9.4 5.7/8 4A 255 14 132 220/77 67 9 GMC Yukon SLE Web Site Development Web Visions $26267 88 5.7/8 4A 255 14 118 200/77 67 6 •1999 GMC Yukon Denali $38192 N/A 5.7/8 4A 255 13 118 200/77 67 6 •Lexus LX470 $49534 9.9 4.7/8 4A 230 13 112 193/76 54 8 230 12 119 205/80 63 8 Lincoln Navigator $34780 9.9 5.4/8 4A •Range Rover 4.OSE AWD $52028 11.7 4.0/8 4A 190 13 108 186/74 31 5 •Toyota Land Cruiser $40664 9.9 4.7/8 4A 230 14 112 193/76 61 8 * Model has standard Four- or All-Wheel Drive t Diesel f t With optional 195 horsepower turbodiesel t With third seat folded into floor or removed, where available The average transaction price is determined using a formula which better reflects what a buyer actually pays, excluding options, destination charge, or applicable rebates. Data provided by Edmunds. Road & Track, Kiplingers. AutoSrte. and Car & Driver Compiled by Adam J. Dixon Publisher Randi Payton Business Manager Mike Epps Communications Kimatni D. Rawlins PRO A I R / Operations Gary V. Joseph Advertising Representative Christine Anderson Motor City Media 22 Cambridge Pleasant Ridge, Ml 48069 (248)544-8762 African Americans On Wheels 2034 National Press Building Washington, DC 20045 Tel.(202)588-9459 Fax(202)588-5136 Member of S toff Copy Editor Andrea Puchalsky URBAN PICKS CHART by Frank Aukofer his publication started out providing news and inform ation about the auto industry to its readers. As Parked in front of a black church is where you will most likely we expanded our coverage, we see the all-new 1998 Lincoln Town car Pictured in the background is the Metropolitan A ME.. the oldest black church began to dig up w orthy infor­ in Washington. D C. The sporty performing Town Car is m ation about black participa­ powered by a 4.6 liter V8 that produces 220 horsepower Base tion in the development o f the price ranges from $37.830 to $41.830. industry and our passion for au­ tomobiles. T h e last frontier, however, appears to be o u r love for senting a crisis. And we won’t let our read­ ers off the hook regarding seatbelt safety, motorsports. We can't seem to satisfy our readers' thirst for this sport. T he phones especially when it involves children. O u r won’t stop ringing and the flow o f e-mail contributing writer Reg M cGee reveals on the subject hasn't diminished. some startling statistics on the subject. Just what is it about motorsports? His­ We should all be concerned about the tory tells us that blacks have been racing environm ent. In this issue. Senior Edi­ since the sport first began. But why is it tor Paul Eisenstein provides the latest de­ still considered a rich, w hite sport? Are velopments of the electric vehicle and sponsors willing to support us? W hy aren’t the movement toward a cleaner car. th ere any black corporate sponsors? Finally, a word about the cover illus­ I his interest sparked us to start a regu­ tration of our Spring 1998 black history’ lar section on black involvem ent in edition. We can’t help but m ention the motorsports. And annually, we devote our am ount o f positive feedback we received. cover story to this subject. This time we go N atio n ally ren o w n ed a rtist B arbara "behind the scenes’’ to learn w hat blacks Higgins Bond colorfully conveyed the are doing in supporting roles. You will be historical interest and passion we have surprised by w hat we have found. As the for our automobiles. cover of this issue shows, blacks who aren’t T he cover embodied the spirit o f what drivers or owners are making strides in sup­ we attem pt to do each and every issue: porting roles as pit crew members, mar­ illustrate the deeply rooted and everlast­ keters, organizers, EV. producers and trans­ ing love affair between us and our cars. porters. O ther hot topics inside this issue in­ clude an analysis by Senior Editor Warren Brown on whether crashes between sport- utility vehicles and passenger cars are pre- S enior E ditors Warren Brown Winfred Cross Paul Eisenstein Rosville Embry Blair Walker Summer 1998 Volume 4, Issue 2 14 Lexus GS Series Review What is it about motorsports? A rt D irector Ed Towles CONTCNTS International Motor Press Association Washington Automotive Press Association National Association of Black Journalists Greater Detroit Chamber of Commerce National Press Club Aud at 1.800.939.9551 u u'u’.proair.com AFRICAN AM ERICANS O N « H EELS 35