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April 30. 2008
Portland OL s e r v e r Aufo R e v ie w
News and reviews on new motor vehicles
2 0 0 8 Toyota Avalon
4-DR LTD Sedan
Uncomplicated
luxury and
driving pleasure
K athleen C arr
The A valon has been reclassi­
fied from a full-size sedan to midsize
in the prem ium class, even though
the exterior and interior dim ensions
are identical to last year’s model.
W ell know n for its com fortable,
sm ooth and quiet ride, the perfor­
m ance quality has been enhanced
with a new six-speed transm ission
and improved brakes. F or2008, there
are four models available: XL, Tour­
ing, XLS and Lim ited trim levels.
W hile there are som e cosm etic
changes for 2008, the sleek, uncom ­
plicated exterior remains. Adding
to a m ore contem porary look o f the
four-door sedan, the front bum per
has a new, edgier look; the radiator
grille and headlights have been
updated, and the new sm oke-col­
ored taillam ps add distinction.
O ur test m odel, the highest trim
level, the Limited, adds puddle lamps
and has turn signals in the side
by
m irrors — in the glass itself, not on
the housing. T he Lim ited model
also has ch ro m e o u tsid e d o o r
handles.
T op honors should be aw arded
to the designers, who have done an
outstanding jo b to provide all the
am enities a driver or passenger may
require in a pleasing, ergonom ic
environm ent.
For 2(X)8 all m odels get a leather
shifter, more chrome trim and a multi­
inform ation display. An eight-w ay
pow er driver's seat is standard, and
the Lim ited adds 10-way adjust­
ment. T he XLS and Lim ited have
new, darker simulated w(x,d trim for
2008.
Standard equipm ent includes a
tilt/telescoping steering w heel, a
sliding center arm rest and a six-CD
stereo with an M P3-player input
jack, w hich replaces a C D /cassette
unit. The three-passenger backseat
has reclining backrests.
The L im ited adds heated and
ventilated front seats with a cu sh ­
ion length adjustment for the driver,
as well as rain-sensing w ipers and
keyless start. T he acoustic w ind­
shield is designed to block noise.
Specifications: 3.5-Liter 24-valve 268-hp @ 248 Ib-ft. torque Dual WT-1 engine: 6-Speed ECT-i
automatic sequential shift transmission: 19-City, 28-Highway MPG: $39,547. MSRP
Bluetooth connectivity is now in­
cluded in the standard JB L pre­
m ium stereo, w hich is optional on
the T ouring and XLS. The Lim ited
can be fitted with adaptive cruise
control that m aintains a follow ing
distance to the car ahead and a
navigation system.
A v alo n ’s Sm art Key System
autom atically lights up the door
Hoops for Obama
(A P ) — C raig R obinson par­
ticipated i n hi s first cam paign event
for brother-in-law Barack O bam a
since becom ing O regon S tate’s
basketball coach — a three-on-
three "H oops for C hange” event at
S
e
l
f
E nhancem ent, Inc., the youth ed u ­
cational center in north Portland.
Robinson, hired by the B eavers
on A pril 7, refereed M o n d a y 's
gam e. P ortlandT rail Blazers Jam es
Jones and C hanning Frye served
as coaches and team analyst A nto­
nio H arvey provided the play-by-
play.
T he event w as designed to boost
voter registration.
R obinson is the o ld e r b ro th er
with puddle lamps, allow ing the
driver to open the door with a touch
on the handle and, once inside,
start the engine with a pushbutton.
This convenient safety system only
unlocks the driver’s side door, and
can also activate the trunk. A single-
b la d e ra in -se n sin g w in d sh ie ld
w iper is another sm art feature. Lat­
est in headlam p technology are
Candidate’s brother-in-law at SEI
o f O b a m a 's w ife, M ichelle. T he
D e m o c ra tic p r e s id e n tia l c o n ­
ten d er is a b asketball fan w ho
played on H aw aii’s state ch a m p i­
on sh ip team in 1979 an d plays
pickup gam es on the cam paign
trail.
Basketball was a logical vehicle
for a voter drive, R obinson said,
because it is a w ay to reach out to
younger people, w ho are histori­
cally less likely to vote.
“People older than m e have said
they h av en 't seen anything like
Oregon State's new basketball coach Craig Robinson, the
brother-in-law o f presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-lll.,
referees a basketball game at “Hoops for Change" event.
High Intensity D ischarge (HID)
headlamps, which provide brighter,
broad-range visibility.
The Avalon scores G ood in the
Insurance Institute for H ighway
Safety's frontal-offset and side-im ­
pact crash tests. All-disc antilock
brakes with electronic brake-force
distribution, side-im pact airbags
and a driver's knee airbag are stan­
dard. Side curtain airbags protect
front and rear occupants, and an
electronic stability system is op­
tional on all trim levels.
Standard in the Lim ited and all
Avalon models is a 3.5-liter 24-valve
DOHC engine with Variable Valve
T im ing w /intelligence (V V T-i),
which provides lower emissions and
higher fuel efficiency. This pow er­
ful V6 with 268 horsepower and 248
Ib.-ft o f torque makes highway driv­
ing a breeze. The Avalon will accel­
erate from 0-60 mph in about seven
seconds.
This year the A valon has a new
six-speed autom atic Electronically
Controlled T ransm ission with in­
telligence (ECT-i), w hich is d e­
signed to "provide a sequential
manual shift feature for a more in­
volved driving experience,” accord­
ing to Toyota. Braking is im proved
thanks to larger rear discs and alu­
minum rear calipers. Alum inum al­
loy 17-inch wheels and P215/55 R17
M ichelin Energy tires were d e­
signed for improved handling ex ­
clusively fo rth e Lim ited andT our-
ing class.
Driving the T oyota A valon is
enjoyable because o f its com bina­
tion o f handling, horsepow er and
torque. T im e spent b eh in d the
wheel is easygoing and non-tax­
ing, especially with its uncom pli­
cated level o f luxury.
this since K ennedy,” R obinson
said. "I'v e seen younger A m eri­
cans getting involved in politics
for the very first tim e. A nd I have
seen older A m ericans w ho felt
disenfranchised com ing back to
get involved.”
Contestants w ho brought in five
new voter registrations answ ered
O b am a trivia questions for the
right to com pete in the event. T he
first eight to answ er correctly w ere
selected for the gam e, including
tw o substitutes.
State Sen. M argaret C arter, a
Portland Democrat, rallied a crow d
o f about 75 at the event, w hich the
O bam a cam paign held in advance
o f the O regon prim ary election
May 20.
Jones and Frye w ere on their
first w eek o f sum m er vacation
after the B lazers’ season.
“ I’m excited to be involved in
som ething that’s going to change
the country,” Jones said. “ Barack
gives m e the im pression that he's
that guy.”
Allen Temple CME Church
I nvites Y ou to O ur P astor & W ife A ppreciation
H onoring
First Black Division I Coach Dies at 96
(A P) — W ill Robinson, the firs,
hlack basketball coach at a D ivi­
sion I school and a D etroit Pistons
scout who discovered Joe Dumars
and D ennis Rodm an, died M onday
at a D etroit hospital. He w as 96.
Robinson broke a racial barrier in
the 1970s w hen he coached Illinois
State. He joined the Pistons as a
scout in 1976, and the additions of
D um ars and Rodm an were keys to
Detroit’s 1989 and 1990 NBA cham ­
pionships.
“W ill Robinson w as truly a leg­
end and will be m issed dearly.”
D um ars said. "H e was a huge inspi­
ration for me and so many others.
He w as sim ply the best.”
Robinson scouted for the Pis­
tons for 28 years and scouted part-
tim e forthe N F L 's Detroit Lions for
22 years.
M idway through the 2003-04
season, en route to their third title,
the Pistons renam ed their locker
room the "W ill Robinson Locker
Room o f C ham pions.”
“ H e's som eone that’s going to
be m issed, not only by the Pistons
but by the City o f D etroit," Pistons
coach Flip Saunders said.
“ He was a civil-rights pioneer,”
said Pistons trainer Mike Ahdenour,
hired hy the franchise in the mid-
1970s. "H e d idn’t let the color o f his
skin deter him from his dreams.
“ I think it's really ironic that the
N A A C P had a big event here last
night and W ill passed aw ay the
next day," he said. The N A A C P's
annual Fight for Freedom Fund
D inner was Sunday in Detroit.
Will Robinson
Reverend Dr. LeRoy Haynes, Jr. & First Lady, Cynthia Haynes
Theme "The Shepherd's C i / / ? ” — M atthew 20:22-23 John 10:11-14
Friday. May 2, 2008
Celebration Service @7:00 pm
Sunday, May 4. 2008
Evening Service @ 4:00 pin
Guest Speaker: Bishop C. T. Wells
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