Acura

New: The designed-in-California, built-in-Ohio 3.2TL near-luxury sedan. Its 3.2-liter V-6, based on the 3.0-liter power plant available in the Honda Accord, is rated at 225 horsepower, or 25 more than last year. The ’99 TL is slightly larger and, with a curvier contour and more aggressive stance, a lot sportier than last year’s model. Base price is $27,950. The only option available, the Acura Navigation System, adds $2,000 to the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.

Changes: The 3.5RL luxury sedan gets side air bags as standard equipment, minor modifications to the sheet metal and a posher suspension. Leather interior trim comes standard with the CL coupes.

Out: The Integra RS coupe is dropped.

The Rest: No changes worth noting for Acura’s base Integra, the two-seat NSX sports car or the SLX sport-utility vehicle (actually an Isuzu Trooper in Acura drag).

AM General

Changes: The company makes the civilian world’s biggest SUV, the Hummer, which is based on the military Humvee personnel carrier. The outside and mechanicals don’t change, but it gets a less military interior for ’99.

Aston Martin

Worth Noting: No major changes in styling or content for the ’99 DB7 coupe or convertible. But for drivers who think the Ford-owned British marque’s cars--made famous in the U.S. by the (fictional) intrepid and intriguing James Bond--aren’t quite sporty enough, there are a series of dealer-added options that beef up performance and handling and are priced from a mere $3,300 for the minimum to a whopping $28,000 for the full performance package.

(Although that sounds like a lot, we expect that Agent 007 wouldn’t have blinked at the chance to muscle up his Aston Martin for what amounts to a measly 21% rise over the base coupe’s $130,000 price tag.)

Audi

(The really important news: a price reduction and a new cup holder design!)

New: The A6 Avant near-luxury station wagon, introduced in June, and a more affordable turbocharged 1.8-liter, four-cylinder version of the A4 Avant mid-size station wagon that was introduced last year with a 2.8-liter V-6. The 1.8-liter A4 could come in about $4,000 less than its big brother with a price tag of about $27,000. The sporty wagons have all-wheel drive and manually shifted Tiptronic automatic transmissions--standard on the A6, options on the A4.

Audi is also putting first-aid kits in all its center consoles and says it has redesigned its cup holders, generally regarded as the worst in the auto industry.

Out: The Cabriolet convertible, which wasn’t available in California this year anyhow, and the front-wheel-drive version of the 2.8-liter A4 wagon.

In the Wings: The radically retro-styled two-door Audi TT coupe arrives next September, preceded in August by twin-turbo V-6 and normal-breathing V-8 options for the A6 sedan. A TT convertible is expected by early 2000.

The Rest: No changes for the A6 near-luxury sedan, which was completely redesigned for 1998. Also unchanged: the A4 compact sedan and the A8 luxury sedan.

Bentley

New: The Arnage, the four-door sedan addition to the Bentley lineup--the first all-new Bentley in 18 years. At $204,000, the four-seater is almost $100,000 less than the next step up in the line, the Continental R coupe. Although the sedan is as heavy and long as a Chevy Suburban, the Arnage’s twin-turbo V-8 engine (made by BMW) powers it from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.2 seconds. Bentley has also added a glass roof with removable panels to the Continental and is calling that model the Continental SC.

Out: Two models, the Turbo R RT--replaced by the Arnage--and the Brooklands.

The Rest: No significant changes to the Continental R, Azure convertible or Continental T coupe.

BMW

New: The unusually styled Z3 Coupe (which also comes as a high-performance M Coupe); the 5-series sport wagons; and the 3-series sedan, coupe and convertible, unveiled at major car shows earlier this year and launched this summer with the V-6 powered 323i and 328i sedans. The new 3s will sell side by side with the older-generation 3-series cars until the whole lineup is converted to the new platform, a process expected to take about two years. Styling is similar to that of the old 3-series, although corners aren’t as sharp and the overall shape is a bit more wind-tunnel-tuned.

“Similar” isn’t a word that can be used to describe the wild Z3 Coupe, based on the Z3 roadster but reportedly a much better road car: tighter, stickier and faster. Most people will either love or hate the coupe’s almost square-backed lines, which hark back to the days of the MGB GT coupe.

Out: The underpowered four-cylinder version of the Z3 roadster, which now comes with either a 2.5-liter or 2.8-liter inline-6. The M versions all have 3.2-liter inline-6s.

The Rest: The sedans of the 5- and 7-series get BMW’s head-protection system as standard equipment, plus a variety of option package modifications, including sport packages for the top-of-the-line models.

Buick

Changes: The Century gets traction control and better handling. The Regal gets stiffer suspension, and its base V-6 gets a five-horsepower boost to an even 200.

Out: Production of the Riviera will halt next month, and the personal luxury car will be dropped from Buick’s lineup pending design and development of a replacement.

The Rest: Minor cosmetic and convenience changes are all that are in store for the LeSabre, Park Avenue and Ultra.

Cadillac

(Check this out: Optional massaging front seats in several models!)

New: The Escalade sport-utility vehicle, the luxury marque’s first truck in its 96-year history. It is a Caddy-fied GMC Denali, which in turn is an up-market version of the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon twins. Tires, grille, little holes in the leather seats, Cadillac name badges and an anticipated higher (but still undetermined) price are about all that sets the Escalade apart from the already loaded Denali.

In the Wings: A night-vision system that displays what’s ahead on a lower section of the driver’s-side windshield will be available on the Deville in the 2000 model year. “Star Wars” meets Body by Fisher.

The Rest: No changes worth noting except that the base, cloth-seat Catera is gone. And then there’s those massage seats: 20 rollers that move up and down in the lumbar region at the touch of a button. The seats are available in the Seville STS, Eldorado Touring Coupe and De Ville Concours and d’Elegance models.

Chevrolet

New: The 1999 Silverado pickup series, the Tracker sport-ute (see Suzuki Grand Vitara--the same vehicle) and the hardtop Corvette. The truck styling changes aren’t startling--nothing like Ford and Dodge did with their trucks--but it is Chevy’s first pickup redesign in 11 years and better than none at all. And the mechanicals, especially engines, brakes and frames, are much better than what came before.

Changes: The Astro van gets an all-wheel-drive version; the Blazer SUV gets upscale options; the Venture minivan gets eight-passenger seating and a leather option; the S-series mini-pickup line adds the Xtreme sport package for a lowered and streamlined street-rod look.

The Rest: At least the Camaro, though unchanged, wasn’t dropped for ’99 as many pundits had feared. As for the others, the Cavalier, Lumina, Malibu, Metro, Monte Carlo and Prizm passenger cars are basically unchanged, as are the Express full-size van, the C/K series of pickups, the Tahoe and Suburban sport-utilities and most of the S-series mini-pickup line.

Chrysler

New: The 300M luxury sports sedan and its sister, the 10-inch-longer and more demurely styled LHS luxury sedan. The cars continue Chrysler’s leadership in design with eye-popping good looks. Both are also crammed with features. Many reviewers, however, have dinged Chrysler for paying more attention to style than substance. Some of the interior materials are not on the same level as those used by competitors from Europe, Japan and even Detroit.

The Rest: No major changes for the Cirrus, Concord, Sebring coupe and convertible or Town & Country van.

Daewoo

(This is the South Korean car maker that is selling through company-owned stores and college campus representatives who work pretty much like a door-to-door sales force.)

New: The whole company is new to the U.S., having just launched sales of its cars here late last month. Daewoo, the third South Korean car maker to try to crack the North American market, comes to the game with three distinctly different cars.

The top-of-the-line Leganza is a mid-size four-door luxury sedan that competes, at least in size, with the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry but is priced in the $15,000-to-$19,000 range with lots of standard equipment. The compact Nubira, at $12,000 to $14,000, comes in three body styles--four-door sedan, five-door hatchback and station wagon. The subcompact Lanos, $9,000 to $12,000, is sold as a three-door hatchback and a four-door sedan.

The cars were designed with the help of Italy’s ItalDesign, and Daewoo lured a top Porsche stylist away from Germany to head its own design team, so the vehicles are attractive and contemporary, although they won’t stop traffic.

Most reviewers are giving Daewoo good marks for quality and mechanics, though as with the other Korean makers, its efforts are not rated as equal to Japan’s car makers.

Dodge

Changes: The Caravan gets a new front fascia; the Viper roadster and coupe get 18-inch wheels, new shift knobs and an additional exterior color--black, with or without silver racing stripes. The Durango sport-utility comes in a lower-priced two-wheel-drive version. A new inter-cooled turbocharged six-cylinder diesel engine is an option in the Ram pickup for more power and improved fuel economy.

The Rest: The Avenger sports coupe stays the same. There are minor improvements and visual changes to the rest of the line: Dakota mini-pickup, Intrepid and Stratus sedans and Neon coupe and sedan.

Eagle

(On the Way) Out: The last Eagle, the compact Talon, stops production at the end of the year, and the orphaned Chrysler brand becomes history.

Ferrari

Changes: The 456 gets an initial and becomes the 456M, for “modified,” to reflect a number of styling and mechanical changes to the famed marque’s top-of-the-line $230,000 touring car.

In the Wings: A 400-horsepower successor to the F355.

The Rest: There is only one more, the 550 Maranello, a two-seat, 480-horsepower flagship that isn’t being changed--and doesn’t need to be.

Ford

New: The Windstar van gets an all new skin, four doors, a sleeker nose and optional side air bags. The Mustang gets more power and a significant nip-and-tuck before introduction of an all-new “New Edge”-styled Mustang in 2000. The ’99 Mustang Cobra also gets new independent rear suspension and a supercharger.

Worth Noting: The big Expedition sport-utility now comes with a neat set of electronically adjustable brake and gas pedals that will move about three inches to accommodate tall (or short) drivers.

Out: The Splash version of the Ranger mini-pickup. And ’99 is the last year for the Taurus SHO.

In the Wings: A restyled Taurus, the all-new Mustang and the European Ford-developed Focus (replacing the Escort) are all on tap for the 2000 model year. And a retro-styled Thunderbird roadster and a really, really big sport-utility (bigger than the Chevy Suburban!) are in the pipeline for shortly after the turn of the century, end of the millennium, death of the decade (or whatever else you want to call the year of the triple-oughts).

The Rest: Ford has restyled almost all its products since 1996 and hasn’t felt compelled to spend billions doing it again. So unchanged, except for minor tweaks, for 1999 are the Contour, Crown Victoria, Escort, Expedition, Explorer, F-series pickups, Ranger mini-pickup and Taurus lines.

GMC

New: The Sierra 1500 pickup--GMC’s version of the redesigned Chevy Silverado.

The Rest: If you didn’t already know it, now’s the time to learn that all of General Motors’ truck division’s products are upgraded versions of models offered by Chevrolet. And if it wasn’t changed as a Chevy, it wasn’t changed as a GMC either. Minor mechanical and cosmetic tweaks are all GM has in store for the ’99 Jimmy (same as the Chevy Blazer); Safari and Savana vans (Chevy’s Astro and Express); Sierra Classic pickup (same as the Chevy C/K series); Sonoma mini-pickup (Chevy S-10); and Suburban and Yukon (Chevy Tahoe) and Yukon Denali sport-utes.

Honda

New: The Odyssey minivan, the largest vehicle ever built by Honda, is all new for ’99. It comes with twin sliding doors (they’re power-operated in the top-of-the-line EX model), a 210-horsepower V-6 engine and a host of other features that minivan shoppers have come to expect (including nine cup holders). The second-row captain’s seats in the EX can be pushed together to form a single bench seat.

Changes: The Civic gets new front and rear bumpers, revamped taillights and new headlight and grille treatments. The CR-V mini-ute gets 20 more horsepower.

In the Wings: A new Honda-built sport-utility, possibly as a year 2000 model, to replace the Isuzu-built Passport. And then there’s that snappy Honda roadster, the SSM, which will go on sale here by the middle of next year. The roadster will compete with the BMW Z3, not the Mazda Miata.

The Rest: The Accord, EV-Plus electric van, Passport sport-ute and Prelude get little more than minor tweaks.

Hyundai

(The big news for Hyundai in the U.S. may be that reviewers are finally giving the company some respect. Its Excel-fueled reputation for poor quality seems to be fading, albeit slowly, as Hyundais with second- and third-generation engineering, styling and quality control hit the streets.)

New: South Korea’s No. 1 car maker brings an all-new mid-size Sonata sedan to the party with two new engines--an inline-4 and a V-6--and two new transmissions.

Changes: The Elantra compact gets a mild face lift and adds a bigger, 2.0-liter engine.

In the Wings: A new Accent as a year 2000 model and a minivan and a mini-ute (like the Toyota RAV4) in 2000, though probably as 2001 models. Also being talked about is a near-luxury full-size sedan like the Grandeur that Hyundai sells back home.

The Rest: The Accent econo-car and the Tiburon sports coupe are basically unchanged.

Infiniti

New: Nissan’s luxury division brings back the entry-level G20 sedan (if $21,000 is your idea of entry level). The car has the same 2.0-liter, 140-horsepower engine as its predecessor, which was discontinued in 1996, but is outfitted with new sheet metal and interior pieces.

Changes: The top-of-the-line Q45 gets plastic surgery on its nose and tail, plus a nice collection of comfort and convenience tweaks that include the return of the analog clock mounted in the center of the dash, an electrically powered rear sunshade and variable shock absorbers that can be set from the driver’s seat.

The Rest: The only other Infinitis, the I30 sedan and the QX4 sport-utility (see Nissan Pathfinder), are largely unchanged from 1998, although traction control is now optional on the I30 (as on its Nissan twin, the Maxima).

Isuzu

New: The wildly styled VehiCROSS, a concept car just a few seasons ago, is expected to make it to the U.S. as a late-1999 model in the spring. The spacey-looking three-door sport-utility offers a 215-horsepower V-6 with four-speed automatic and on-demand four-wheel drive; it’s likely to be priced in the low $30,000s.

Changes: The Amigo gets a hardtop version.

The Rest: Unchanged from last year are the Hombre pickup (a Chevy S-10 with fewer options), the Oasis minivan (last year’s Honda Odyssey) and the Trooper sport-utility, also sold by Acura dealers as the SLX.

Jaguar

In the Wings: The big news comes next season, when the Ford-owned British touring-car maker introduces the new S Type--which shares its underpinnings with Lincoln’s new LS but is expected to carry on Jaguar’s tradition of luscious styling, something the Lincoln could have used. Also on tap for next year is the XKR, a supercharged V-8 coupe with 400 horses and more acceleration than a Porsche 911. Jaguar officials have also received corporate approval to go ahead with a new small car, code-named the X400, that will compete with BMW’s 3-series and the like, with production scheduled for 2001.

The Rest: Except for adding some engine management system tweaks, a couple of new colors and an optional beige top for its XK8 convertible, Jaguar leaves its ’99 line--the four XJ sedans and the XK8s (coupe and convertible)--alone.

Jeep

New: The Grand Cherokee, with a subtly restyled body, new mechanicals, new 235-horsepower, 4.7-liter V-8 and unanimous rave reviews from the critics.

The Rest: The regular Cherokee line gets a smoother 4.0-liter inline-6 engine option; the Cherokee Sport gets some tweaks around the grille and headlight area. The Wrangler gets some new colors.

Kia

New: Despite its deep financial problems, Kia kept working in ‘98, and one result is the two-door convertible version of the Sportage mini-ute. At less than $15,000 for the two-wheel-drive version, the Sportage includes power windows, mirrors and door locks and a driver’s-side knee bag along with dual air bags. The folding soft top uncovers the rear portion of the vehicle, leaving a conventional hardtop over the driver and front-seat passenger, a la Isuzu’s convertible Rodeo.

In the Wings: A minivan in late ’99 as a year 2000 model, followed by a subcompact sedan for the same model year. There’s the possibility of a mid-size sedan working its way westward as a 2001 model. The company also sells the Kia Elan (tooling for the chassis and suspension were purchased from Lotus) at home and in Europe and is being pressured by dealers and enthusiasts to start exporting the zoomy little roadster to the U.S.

The Rest: The Sephia sedan, remodeled and re-engineered just last year, is unchanged, as is the hardtop Sportage.

Lamborghini

(Volkswagen’s Audi division owns this famed Italian marque now, and rumor has it that VW chief Ferdinand Piech thinks Lamborghini has lost some of its design flair and is ordering up a restyle of the next-generation Lambo before it hits the market as a 2000 model.)

In the Wings: A replacement for the Diablo, possibly called the Canto, with Volkswagen’s V-12 engine, is expected to be introduced in 2000. Also in the rumor mill: a smaller Lamborghini with an Audi V-8 power plant.

The Rest: The two mid-engine Lamborghini models sold in the U.S.--the Diablo roadster and Diablo SV coupe--remain the same in ’99.

Land Rover

Changes: The Discovery lineup becomes the Discovery II line in the next month or so, adding about six inches of length to the cargo area. Hill-descending traction control becomes an option on the Discovery. Range Rovers are outfitted with standard side air bags and new engine management systems. Seats in both models have been redesigned.

In the Wings: The Freelander mini-ute, another in the Toyota RAV4/Honda CR-V class, but with much better off-roading credentials than the rest of the pack. It is now available in Europe and is expected to be here either as a late 2000 or early 2001 model.

Out: The Defender 90 is no longer sold in the U.S. nor is a manual transmission.

Lexus

(Like it or not, all models will have daytime running lights for 1999.)

New: It really pushes it to call them new, but Toyota’s luxury division unveiled two “1999” model sport-utilities early this year. The first was the LX470, an update of the LX450 (which in turn is a Lexus version of the Toyota Land Cruiser). The second, a truly all-new vehicle, is the RX300, a unibodied utility wagon that looks like an SUV but rides and handles like a nice station wagon. Its platform was borrowed from one of Toyota’s Japanese market passenger sedans, which accounts for the ride.

The RX300 is quite plush inside, as befits a Lexus, but lacks a low range that would make it truly usable as an off-road truck. Like Mercedes-Benz’s M-series sport-ute, the RX300 gets high marks from safety gurus for its “crash-friendliness.” That’s newspeak, meaning it crunches up just like a passenger car in a collision, absorbing much of the shock itself and sparing the other vehicle and its passengers some of the damage that true sport-utilities with rigid truck frames can impart.

Changes: The ES300 sedan drops the V-6 it shared with the Toyota Camry and gets a new variable-timing V-6 and 10 more horsepower by adopting the same engine used in the RX300.

The Rest: Cosmetic tweaks for the GS and LS series sedans and the SC coupes.

Lincoln

In the Wings: Although Lincoln has already started showing them off, the LS series--Euro-styled rear-drive sedans in V-6 and V-8 versions--won’t arrive in showrooms until early summer, making their retail entry as year 2000 models. These are the cars that will share a platform with the new Jaguar S Type.

Out: The Thunderbird-based Mark VIII personal luxury coupe.

The Rest: Engine enhancements boost horsepower ratings on the Continental and Town Car luxury sedans and the Navigator SUV (an upscale Ford Expedition).

Mazda

New: Like GM with its Suburbans and Lexus with its sport-utilities, Mazda jumped the gun by introducing one of its 1999 models--the completely redone Miata roadster--almost before the sun had set on 1997. But though not new to showrooms, the Miata is still a new ’99 model, and it has won praise for its muscular good looks and improved rigidity. The really new Mazda for ’99 is the compact Protege. Perhaps reflecting the fact that Ford now owns one-third of Mazda and that former Ford executives run the company, the design is more European than Japanese, with a taller cabin and a bit more headroom than previous models. It comes with an inline-4 in two versions--106 horsepower and 122 horsepower.

Changes: The B-series pickup (a Ford Ranger in Mazda sheet metal) gets a four-door version.

Out: The MPV minivan, which is scheduled to return next year as an all-new model.

In the Wings: A small sport-utility is rumored as a late 1999 or early 2000 model.

The Rest: Cosmetic updates for the 323 economy car, the mid-size 626 sedan and the near-luxury Millenia sedan.

Mercedes-Benz

(All the best stuff either arrived last year or is due in the next few.)

New: The CLK Cabriolet, a four-seat convertible with a supercharged 3.2-liter V-6 (the K stands for Kompressor, German for supercharger). The convertible top is automatic and hides beneath a slick hard cover.

Changes: The C class, Mercedes’ entry-level line, gets a hot rod with the advent of the AMG-prepared C43, a C sedan with a super-tuned 4.3-liter V-8 shoe horned in. It sports 302 horses and a $54,500 price tag. Another C sedan gets the same supercharged engine as the slick SLK230 roadster and becomes the C230 (the digits indicate engine size, in liters, sans decimal point--so “230” indicates a 2.3-liter engine). The SLK230 gets an optional five-speed manual transmission, the first Mercedes stick shift in the U.S. since 1994. The M-class sport-utility gets a V-8 version, the ML430, with 17-inch wheels and a monochromatic color scheme to differentiate it from its V-6 sister, the ML320. Also getting a 4.3-liter V-8 version is the CLK coupe.

In the Wings: Replacements for the giant S-class sedans and CL coupes are expected in the spring as year 2000 models. Mercedes has said it will bring out the ultra-luxury Maybach, to compete with Rolls-Royce and Bentley, as early as 2001.

The Rest: The E-class sedans and wagons are carry-overs, although they get side-impact air bags. The S and CL classes carry over with no changes. The SL roadsters get cosmetic modifications, including new instrument clusters, rocker panels, bumpers and door handles.

Mercury

New: The ’99 Cougar with its “New Edge” styling that plays with triangles and sharp creases instead of the smooth ovals that have been Ford’s trademark. The car was built on the Contour/Mystique compact platform and wasn’t changed much under its skin. It does, however, come with an optional five-speed manual to stir either a 2.0-liter inline-4 or a 2.5-liter V-6.

Also new in the Mercury stable is the re-skinned, and longer, Villager minivan, made by Nissan. It was restyled to add a sliding rear door on the driver’s side. The Villager also gets Nissan’s 3.3-liter V-6 for a bit more power and improved suspension, steering and brakes. The interior is roomier, thanks to the extra length.

The Rest: Minor cosmetic and comfort-convenience package changes to the economy Tracer, compact Mystique, mid-size Sable, full-size Grand Marquis and Mountaineer SUV. As is typical with Mercury, all are upgraded versions of Ford models. Executives promise that with the precedent-setting move of Lincoln Mercury’s corporate offices to Irvine this year, Mercs will stop imitating Fords and start standing on their own, style-wise.

Mitsubishi

New: The company’s franchise car, the Galant, is all new for ’99 and becomes a true mid-size for the first time with a taller, wider and longer body. The styling stands out a bit from that of other Asian imports, with more angles and lines than usual. The top-of-the-line model gets Galant’s first V-6, a 195-horsepower, 3.0-liter borrowed from the Montero Sport SUV and tuned for passenger car duty. Lower-level Galants keep the 2.4 liter inline-4, boosted to 145 horses. The Montero Sport gets an optional 3.5-liter V-6.

The Rest: Only minor changes to the economy Mirage and luxury Diamante sedans, the Eclipse and 3000GT sports coupes and the Montero SUVs.

Nissan

New: The reskinned Quest minivan (same as the Mercury Villager) gets an extra 4.6 inches of length, 1.2 inches of additional width and a fourth door--a sliding one--on the driver’s side.

Changes: A V-6 engine is finally added to the Frontier mini-pickup line for the King Cab models, and the Sentra GXE model gets a sportier front fascia than other Sentras. The aging Pathfinder SUV gets a face lift at midyear and designation as a 1999 1/2 model.

In the Wings: The future is where the excitement is at Nissan USA, which has seen sales plummet and is in real jeopardy of being supplanted as the No. 4 Japanese import (it once was No. 2) by an upstart like Mitsubishi or Mazda. First up is a brand-new Frontier-based SUV in 2000, to complement the Pathfinder. It will be accompanied by complete redesigns of the Sentra and Maxima sedans. The Altima and Pathfinder get complete redesigns in 2002.

And sometime around then, Nissan is expected to bring out a replacement for its once-formidable (and two-years-dead) Z car, this one designed at Nissan’s U.S. studio in La Jolla. Earlier this year the company became the first Asian car maker to give its U.S. studio authority--and responsibility--to design the cars that will be sold here. In addition to a new Z, the studio has already shown a hybrid sport-utility truck and an advanced-concept sedan that would provide some of the seating comfort, headroom, storage capacity and ease of entry and exit that have many former car owners lining up at SUV dealerships.

Out: In a decision that has some industry watchers shaking their heads, both of Nissan’s remaining sporty cars, the 200 SX and the 240 SX, are being axed.

The Rest: Minor changes only for the ’99 versions of the Altima, Frontier (except the King Cab), Maxima, early Pathfinders and the Sentra (except the GXE).

Oldsmobile

New: The mid-size Alero replaces the unlamented Achieva as Olds’ entry-level offering, with coupe and sedan versions complete with standard equipment that includes traction control, anti-lock disc brakes on all four wheels, air conditioning, a four-speed automatic and a base price of about $17,000 with a 150-horsepower, 2.4-liter inline-4. A 170-horsepower, 3.4-liter V-6 is also available.

Changes: The Intrigue gets a peppy 3.5-liter V-6 with 215 horsepower as an option. The Silhouette minivan line gets a new top model, the Premiere, that comes with the industry’s first factory-installed video entertainment center (for passengers, not drivers).

In the Wings: A restyled Aurora is expected as an early-2000 model next fall and will replace the Olds 88 and its luxury sibling, the LSS.

Out: The Olds 88.

The Rest: Modest appearance and mechanical alterations to freshen up the Aurora, LSS and Cutlass (which also disappears next year) passenger cars and the Bravada SUV (Oldsmobile’s version of the Blazer).

Plymouth

Changes: The Prowler, Plymouth’s take on the classic American hot rod, gets more power with a 250-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6. It also gets a new color--screaming yellow--and a stiffer body to reduce the shake, rattle and roll. It also came out in the spring, so although classified as a ’99 model, it’s really not all that new.

The Rest: The Neon compact (sister to the Dodge of the same name) and the Breeze mid-size remain substantially the same as in ‘98, as does the Voyager line of minivans.

In the Wings: A restyled Neon for 2000 and redesigns for the Breeze and the Voyager in 2001.

Pontiac

New: The Grand Am family, built on the same platform as the Olds Alero and sharing the same engines but looking much sportier, as befits Pontiac’s place as the slightly raucous teenager of the GM family.

Changes: The old Trans Sport minivan is now the Montana, and it has power sliding doors on each side, just like its competition at Ford and Honda.

The Rest: The Firebird, Sunfire coupe and convertible, Grand Prix and Bonneville lines get minor tweaks.

Porsche

New: The Porsche 911 coupe and cabriolet. The new generation of the 911 came out in the spring as a ’99 model and is the first in 34 years not to use an air-cooled engine. Instead, it is powered by Porsche’s water-cooled, 296-horsepower, 3.4-liter flat-6. It also shares a lot of sheet metal with the base Boxster but is put together in a distinctly Carrera format. The car has bigger brakes and more stability than predecessor 911 models. An all-wheel-drive version, the Carrera 4, is slated to hit the streets in January.

In the Wings: A 450-horsepower, turbocharged version for those who like to peel the paint off the doors while blasting down the highway.

The Rest: The Boxster roadster, new in ‘98, is unchanged.

Rolls-Royce

New: The Silver Seraph and the corporate owner. It’s kind of complicated, but basically, BMW now owns the Rolls-Royce name although fellow German car maker Volkswagen, which bought Bentley earlier this year and thought it got Rolls in the deal, has the right to keep making “Rollers” until 2003. At that point, Rolls and Bentley will separate and Rolls will become a BMW-built car, albeit still built at a factory somewhere in England. All that aside, the Silver Seraph, which later became the basis for Bentley’s Arnage, was unwrapped in the spring as a 1999 model and uses a BMW-built V-12 engine, while the Arnage has BMW’s turbocharged V-8. The Rolls costs about $13,500 more than the Bentley.

Out: The Silver Spur.

The Rest: You can still order the Rolls-Royce Park Ward limousine, and the company will still customize it.

Saab

(There’s a refrigerated glove compartment in one model and optional cooled seats--for those long Swedish summers, perhaps?)

New: Saab canned its old line and introduced two brand-new cars as 1999 models this spring: the 9-3 and 9-5. The old Saab 900 became the 9-3, while the 9000 line became the 9-5. Saab boasts of more than 1,000 technical improvements for the cars. The entry-level 9-3, which still looks a lot like the 900, comes in coupe, sedan and convertible styles, all with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 that puts out 185 horsepower. The all-new 9-5 luxury sedan will be joined by a wagon early next year. Base engine for the 9-5 is a 170-horsepower, 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-4, with an optional 3.0-liter turbo V-6 rated at 200 horses. The 9-5s have optional seat coolers and insulated glove boxes with a vent from the air-conditioning system maintaining the temperature at a refrigerator-like 42 degrees.

In the Wings: A Saab rocket ship--a hot-rodded 9-3 with 17-inch wheels, a limited-slip rear end and a 225-horsepower, 2.3-liter, 16-valve turbocharged inline-4 under the hood. Only 3,000 of the special-edition cars are to be made each year, and early word has fewer than 1,000 of them coming to the U.S.

Saturn

Changes: Saturn has been slow to alter the exteriors of its subcompact and compact cars and wagon and just remade its whole lineup a few years ago. For 1999, all the models--the coupe, sedan and wagon--have base 1.9-liter inline-4 engines that have been extensively revised to make them the smoothest, most vibration-free Saturn power plants ever. The General Motors import-fighter also adds a couple of new colors to its palette.

In the Wings: The long-rumored “big” Saturn--a mid-size model based on a GM Opel platform from Europe--is due in the next year.

Subaru

New: The Outback Legacy Sport-Utility Sedan (or SUS), introduced, as many ‘99s have been, early this year.

Changes: A lot of trim and option package tweaks for the Forester sport-utility and Legacy and Impreza passengers cars and their Outback wagon versions as Subaru celebrates its 30th year in the U.S. with anniversary editions. Both Subaru engines, the base 2.2-liter and the optional 2.5-liter, get power boosts from tuning modifications. The Impreza gets a new front fascia.

In the Wings: A new Legacy in 2000 with distinct U.S. styling to differentiate it from the Japanese-market model.

Suzuki

New: The Vitara and Grand Vitara sport-utilities, replacing the Sidekick line. Both are mini-utes, in the Honda CR-V class. The two-door Vitara has just 97 horses and is shared with Chevrolet, which calls its version the Tracker. The Grand Vitara is bigger and has four doors and a 155-horsepower, 2.5-liter V-6 that lets it outrun the competition. Styling is nice but subdued, with a lot more curves than the boxy Sidekick. The Grand Vitara has garnered great reviews from the critics.

Changes: The Esteem sedan and wagon get a 1.8-liter inline-4 early next year, up from the 98-horsepower, 1.6-liter engines that motivate them now.

Out: The hybrid X-90 utility car, with a look you either loved or hated--and most people seemed to hate--is dead for ’99.

The Rest: No changes for the Swift economy car.

Toyota

New: The Camry Solara sports coupe, Toyota’s well-received effort to get back into the affordable sporty car field. Its optional 200-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 makes Solara the most powerful coupe in Toyota’s stable with the demise of the turbocharged Supra.

Changes: The year-old Sienna minivan gets an optional fourth door to keep up with the competition. The 4Runner sport-utility gets freshened at midyear with a new grille and bumper treatment, interior modifications and a new four-wheel-drive system with a multitude of operating modes.

Out: The T100 pickup, the Supra sports coupe and Celica’s top-of-the-line GT model.

In the Wings: The Tundra, Toyota’s first full-size pickup, with 190-horsepower V-6 and 245-horsepower V-8 engine options, is scheduled to hit the showrooms as a 2000 model in May. It will be just a tad smaller than Detroit’s full-size models and won’t have an extended-bed version in its first year. It will, however, have two- and four-door models. Buyers with a lot of plywood or 2-by-4 studs to haul will have to settle for the two-door to get the necessary eight feet of bed length--the four-door’s bed is a short 6 1/2 feet. Also look for a year 2000 introduction of the MR-S, in coupe and convertible versions, a replacement for the mid-engine MR2 that was dropped in ’98. It will compete with the Mazda Miata.

The Rest: Toyota carries over with few changes the Camry sedan models (all redesigned in 1997), the new-in-’98 Corolla and the Land Cruiser full-size sport-utility, the Tercel economy coupe (thought to be in its last year), the full-size Avalon sedan, the two remaining Celica models (convertible and hatchback), the Tacoma mini-pickup and the RAV4 mini-ute.

Volkswagen

New: VW blew the doors off in recent years with the restyled, Audi-based Passat and the hugely popular New Beetle. For 1999 it reintroduces the EuroVan to the U.S., available in the last few years only as a Winnebago-modified camper version. A restyled Jetta, which looks a lot like the 1998 but has a stiffer body and improved aerodynamics, arrives later this year. Coming early next year are new versions of the Golf and GTI--the high-performance Golf--and a reskinned Cabrio convertible. The Cabrio, Golf and GTI get new 2.0-liter, 115-horsepower inline-4 engines, and the GTI gets a 2.8-liter V-6 option with 172 horses. While the Cabrio retains its old-style Golf underpinnings, the two others are all new, with improved structural rigidity and better suspension and handling.

Changes: The Passat wagon gets a 190-horsepower V-6 option, and VW’s all-wheel-drive system is standard on the top-of-the-line Passat GLX models. The GLX version of the New Beetle gets a turbocharged 1.8-liter inline-4 that lets it run rings around the standard 115-horse, 2.0-liter version. There’s also an optional glass sunroof--moving one step closer to the converti-Beetle everyone in the country seems to be waiting for.

In the Wings: The convertible Beetle. Expect it by 2000, either as a 2000 or 2001 model.

Volvo

(Say goodbye to rear-wheel drive, hello to a whiplash-protection system in the S80.)

New: The curvaceous S80 replaces the S90 sedan, the last of Volvo’s rear-wheel-drive models. It comes with a base 2.9-liter, 201-horsepower inline-6 and an optional twin-turbocharged 2.8-liter six-cylinder engine with 265 horses and a manually shifted automatic (no clutch). The front seats are designed to help reduce the chances of whiplash in low-speed, rear-end collisions.

Changes: The S70 (S is for sedan; Volvo uses a C prefix for coupes and convertibles and a V for station wagon) gets an all-wheel-drive system.

In the Wings: The 40-series sedan and wagon are expected to hit in the summer of ’99 as year 2000 models (they’re already on the roads in Europe) and will give Volvo an entry-level line with starting prices below $25,000. The 40s also come with Volvo’s new curvy style and will leave the 70-series as the only Volvo boxes being built.

Out: The V90 wagon and the S90 sedan.

The Rest: The 70-series family of wagon, coupe, sedan and convertible was new in ’98 and isn’t expected to change much this year.

*

Compiled by JOHN O’DELL TIMES STAFF WRITER