STAR GADGETS

Some Designer's Bright Idea

GrandAm: The new 1999 Pontiac GrandAm has a raft of dandy ideas making this popular car a leader in high-content-for-price. An example, the back-up lights. Not only do they throw white light rearwards to brighten your way as you back, but they spread a wide arc sideways as well to illuminate that fence post, that rock, that abandoned tricycle. The folks at Pontiac seem to realize that the act of backing up often ends in a turn to the side.

Audi A8: So the Audi A8 isn't the only car with grab handles overhead for passengers to - what else? - grab. But it is one of few to have them on the driver's side, too. Points earned. And it is one of fewer still to have these handles cushioned in such a way as to quietly and softly return to position without a THUNK when you let go of them. The same little hushing technology is used in the console for the various opening and shutting that goes on there. It all says in a soft but self-certain voice: "Luxury."

Oldsmobile: People were doing it anyway -- forcing the flexible wall of the door-mounted storage bin to hold a Coke can. That worked fairly well, except it could still tip sideways and create sticky maps and general guckiness. GM designer put this nice bulge (above) in the door of this Oldsmobile Silhouette. Truly slick. (Still, don’t slam the door with a full, unlidded Big Gulp in place.)

Jaguar XK8: The new Jaguar XK8 is full of bright ideas, but this one on the convertible makes us smile. Whenever you unlock/open the door the window lowers a tad. When the door is closed, it raises. Thus to make sure the window mates properly with the top and keeps the rain out. Hey, whoever thought Brits cared enough to keep the rain out.