On Fri, 17 Oct 2003, Andrew Grebneff wrote:

> -rear-engine hi-performance boxer six (gas or supercharged diesel)

I'd settle for a well-designed inline engine.  VW never did figure out how
to make a watercooled boxer reliable, but their inline engines are pretty
good.

> -full-time 4WD, with no viscous couplings please

This gets into more complexity again, since 'full time' and 'no viscous
couplings' pretty much means 'electronically controlled'.

> -power steer standard

Eh.  My van doesn't have power steering and I don't see the need.  Just
more to go wrong.

> -vertically-split tailgate option (as in current Toyota Hiace)

Hmm...my opinion is that it's best to avoid doors that latch to other
doors at all costs.  The rear and side doors were a serious source of
rattles and water leaks in my Econoline.  Plus rear doors with a split
between them means there's a blind spot right in the center of your rear
vision.

David Brodbeck, N8SRE
'82 Diesel Westfalia
'94 Honda Civic Si