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îÏK (înnnhmn §>UUcaman USAC COMPETITIVE RANK Part of the testing was performed at Mosport Park where the, new anti-lock braking system was demonstrated. demonstrated. Using a wet section of pavement and several traffic pylons, drivers were able to feel the incredible braking ability of the Corvette. No European European sports car even comes close to the Corvette in this area. You probably have seen the commercials recently where Corvette takes on the top European sports cars and wins. Of course, you can't believe everything you see on television, but this time it's true. At the invitation of General General Motors, we had the opportunity opportunity to compare the 1 1986 Corvette with such exotic exotic cars as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lamborghini, and Porsche. All of the cars were straight from the production line with no special adjustments, or biased conditions. Except that we were slightly more cautious when driving the $130,000 Lamborghini Countach. The only thing more expensive than this . car are the repairs for it! Naturally, when GM 1 Media Relations Manager Nick Hall invited us to participate participate in the Corvette Challenge, we jumped at the opportunity. With vi sions of Magnum P.I. ripping ripping through the streets of Bowmanville, we met at the Oshawa Holiday Inn for a ■ short briefing and audio T visual history of the Cor- 1 , vette. We also watched a tape showing United States Auto Club experts testing the cars under identical conditions. Naturally, GM was anxious to let us know about these findings. The U.S.A.C. statistics provided to us showed Corvette Corvette well in front of the competition in most categories. Still, we were skeptical. It was difficult to break the illusion created by years of racing domination domination by Porsche and Ferrari. Ferrari. After waivers were signed, we were given the green light by Mosport driving driving instructor John Powell. John emphasized that we were driving the fastest production production cars in the world and that on the streets we must be safety conscious and socially responsible. A few minutes later we felt that we should look up the true meaning of "socially responsible," as our speedometers edged past 130 m.p.h.! Each car was equipped with two-way radios so that we could compare the good and bad points of each machine. The first person driving the Lamborghini found that there is not much room for storage. He radioed to a Corvette to ask if' someone could take his camera case. The Ferrari was no better for room. In fact, when it was our turn to "try these cars, we could- not sit in either comfortably. Now we understand why Tom Sel- leck never has the roof on his Ferrari. : In our opinion, both the Lambo and the Ferrari were difficult to drive. Besides Besides the cramped nature of both, we couldn't see anything anything behind the Lambo. This must be in keeping with thé European racing idea that what is behind you doesn't matter. But, when • we discovered that the ; $130,000 car does not even have self-cancelling turn signals or power windows, we immediately scratched it from the comparison. Plus, it wouldn't hold too many newspapers for our delivery route on Wednesdays. Wednesdays. The instrumentation on the Ferrari was poorly designed. designed. From our position, we couldn't see three of the gauges because of the steering steering wheel. The console controls controls and stick shift did not •• impress us either. Nor did the $80,000 price tag. ■ The only car that came even close to the Corvette in performance was the. Cornetts 19BS Lamborghini Countach Porsche 944 Ferrari 308GTSI Lotus Esprit Turbo Porsche 928S Mal Pointa 21 18 14 11 11 9 Acciliratlon 0-60 (sac.) 4 (6.00) 6(5.33) 1 (7.95) 3(6.43) 5 (5.95) 2 (6.66) Braking 60-0 (It.) 6(129.2) 3(135.7) 4(135.2) 2(143.1) 1 (144.7) 5(135.1) Slalom (sac.) 6(6.13) 3(6.38) 5 (6.33) 4(6.36) 2(6.40) 1 (6.62) Lataral Acceleration (g'a) 5 (.91) 6 (.92) 4 (.86) 2 (.83) 3 (.85) 1 (-82) Price as Totted $26,703 $103,700 $26,121 $60,370 $50,384 $49,495 Scoring based on an Olympic system In which lirst place is awarded 6 points lor each emnl. USAC certified tests, January I9B5. All cars listed were latest models available lor sale in the US. at time ol testing and were equipped with various high-performance options. Corvette's Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Base Price for the 1985 Corvette was S24.89I including dealer prep. Tax, license, destination charges and optional equipment additional. Porsche 928. It runs a close second in design and comfort, comfort, but cannot touch the GM product in acceleration, steering, braking or price. Although, we wouldn't have believed it prior to the test, our pick is the Corvette. Corvette. Perhaps we may be slightly biased because of the familiarity With North American design, but we felt most cçmfortable with the new 4 + 3 manual overdrive overdrive transmission in the Corvette. The dash design was easily accessible, other than the unnecessary dual speedometer and tachome ter readouts. There is also a large padded area on the passenger side which appears appears to be a glove compartment, compartment, but isn't. Other than sporting the Corvette logo, it seemed unnecessary. This padded area could, however, save a passenger's forehead the first time the new anti-lock braking system system is applied. This has to be one of GM's greatest inventions inventions since theft autour tic transmission! to réa lize' the full effect of the system, we tested the car in a four whee the w skid situation. Under 3t conditions, the Cor vette slid aimlessly along the test track, stopping pretty well in the same manner manner to which we are accustomed. accustomed. But, when the antilock antilock was applied, the 'Vette stopped in a third of the previous distance. Plus, steering was not affected by the braking. We were able to drive around pylons that had taken a beating earlier in the day. . Without a dqpbt, this feature feature alone puts Corvette far ahead of the Europeans. The system is so ^ood, that if you were to te driving with two wheels on the pavement and two on the gravel shoulder, the Corvette Corvette would stay straight when full brakes were applied. What makes the Corvette and its performance even more amazing is the price difference. The 1986 model sells for approximately $35,000, Canadian. The Porsche 944 is the only car even in the same price range, but not in the same performance category. ■ Congratulations General. Motors, this time you've taken on the European competition competition and won! VI j The town's newest community community centre was formally opened on. Saturday, November November 2, but not before long-time residents of the Baseline community paid a final visit the 77-year-old schoolhouse which the new building will replace. Close to 100 former students students and teachers at the SS #3 Darlington Township schoolhouse gathered Saturday afternoon at their alma matter to fondly remember remember the past. Led by MC Ross Metcalf, the group recalled the school's extensive history as a community focal point. Names of many families associated associated with the school were recalled as well as community events such as Christmas Concerts, Arbor Days, and Sunday Schools. The one-room schoolhouse was built in 1908 and remained as a school until 1962. Since that time, the building was used as a community centre be-. fore it was purchased by Ontario Ontario Hydro to make room for a row of hydro transmission transmission towers leading to the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station. It will be demolished in the spring or summer of next year. After meeting first at the old building, the group then made its way to the new Baseline Community Centre at the corner of Mar tin Rd. and Baseline Rd. Ron Metcalf, chairman of the Baseline Community Centre Board, explained that the new building has capacity for 186 at a banquet banquet and over 200 at a dance. It includes a cloak- \ room, meeting room, large ' auditorium, kitchen and washrooms. The two-acre site was provided provided by a development firm from lands which the developer is required to provide the municipality for parkland. Long-term plans call for the construction construction of playing fields behind behind the new building. Although the building's total cost (including equipment equipment and architectural W fees) is approximately $310,000, none of the money has come from municipal tax dollars. The construction of the community centre has been made possible by funds provided provided from Ontario Hydro when it purchased the site of the old building and by a provincial Community Centres grant. Interest charges accumulated by the funds over the past few years also helped provide build and equip the centre. The opening ceremonies included remarks by MP Allan Lawrence; Durham East MPP Sam Cureatz; Mayor Garnet Rickard; Jack Hale, a retired Hydro executive who worked with the Baseline Community Centre Board; and Sue Stic- ley, of Ontario Hydro. Keys to the building were presented by Joe Gerrits, of Gerr Construction and Architect Architect Grant Robinson to the Hall Chairman Ron Metcalf. Metcalf. This was followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony by four lifelong residents of the community who supported supported the Baseline school and community centre. Cutting Cutting the ribbon were: Lyra Metcalf, Myrtle Tink, Arthur Arthur Barnes, and Howard Cryderman. Lloyd Crago and Norman Metcalf were also invited to the ribboncutting ribboncutting ceremony but were unable to attend. The program concluded with the unveiling of a plaque, followed by the de- cication of the building by Rev. Mark Elliott. Refreshments inside the new community hall followed followed and guests were invited invited to view the new building building as well as some displays from the old SS # 3 Darlington Darlington school. Newcastle Mayor Garnet Rickard; Base Line Community Centre Chairman Ron Metcalf; and Sue Stickley, of Ontario Hydro unveiled the plaque which will be installed oh the wall of the municipality's newest community facility at the corner of Martin Rd. and Base Line Rd. The new centre was opened Saturday, November 2. sw'A'c rrsc -mv , - - si ISfi * ' Before attending the official opening of the new facilities, members of the Base Line community gathered at the old SS #3 Darlington school for an opportunity to reminisce. Here, Ross Metcalf leads some of the guests in a discussion of the history of the old schoolhouse. Many past students and teachers were in attendance. Organizers of the official opening of the new Base Line Community Centre called upon four lifelong supporters of the old Base Line school and community centre to cut the ribbon. From left are: Arthur Barnes, Lyra Metcalf, Myrtle Tink, and Howard Cryderman. Lloyd Crago and Norman Metcalf were also invited to participate in the ribbon-cutting ribbon-cutting but they were unable to attend. wsfSfe. . A . k-.j ^'4 pgsi % 0X&K Ms if •:] t k'j %Akj Lij fii i f I riS tt. *1\ *1,*: ? ill .. _ I -> i Section Two Wednesday, November 6,1985 Canadian Statesman test driver Rick James put these exotic cars through their paces last week to see if the 1986 Corvette can compete with the top European models. When the tests were finished, he found that the only thing Corvette was missing is a famous Italian name.