MotorWeek’s Retro Reviews is a few of the finest automobile content material on the web. The long-running automotive information journal has a treasure trove of exams after being on the air for over 40 years. Where else can you discover detailed instrumented testing of long-forgotten vehicles just like the 1995 Ford Contour or a 1991 Buick Regal Gran Sport?
MotorWeek’s latest Retro Review add is of the 1997 Chevy S-10 prolonged cab. The second technology of GM’s mid-size pickups, the Chevy S-10 and its GMC Sonoma sibling had been just lately redesigned in 1994 after going unchanged since their introduction in 1982. The greatest change got here in an prolonged cab, a three-door configuration that MotorWeek examined right here.
GM prolonged the cab, permitting for simply over 17 cubic toes of space for storing behind the rear seats. The draw back to this setup was the three-door configuration, with the additional door solely being on the driving force’s facet. This configuration additionally did away with one of many twin rear soar seats, one thing GM says was achieved within the identify of security.
The S-10’s monitor efficiency was stunning, however not in the best way you’d assume. This is under no circumstances a efficiency car; energy got here from Chevy’s 4.3-liter Vortec V6 with 180 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque routed by means of a four-speed automated transmission to the rear wheels. The shock got here when MotorWeek did their braking check.
Mind you, the S-10 carried out horribly in its braking check. The S-10 averaged 150 toes from 60 mph in three separate braking exams. The worst half got here after the third check. MotorWeek says the S-10’s four-wheel antilock braking system failed, ensuing within the disastrous GIF you see above. John Davis mentions that each the truck’s check driver and videographer had an “anxious” second. Luckily this was achieved in a managed setting, because it may have been harmful out on the open street. Strangely, Davis says the failure of the system by no means occurred once more through the truck’s two-week keep, even after a go to to vendor service.
Vehicle know-how and driver security techniques have come a great distance within the final 27 years because the check. This truck’s failure although is a stark reminder that at regardless of know-how, vehicles are nonetheless machines that may have any a part of them fail at any given time for no cause.
Source: jalopnik.com