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June 2002
June 28, 2002 Nissan Canada has announced that longtime employee Brad Bradshaw will become the company's new president. Bradshaw will replace Mamoru Yoshida, who will return to Japan for a new assignment with Nissan.
June 28, 2002 Yoshio Nakatani, Chairman of Toyota Canada Inc. and Bryan Rowntree, President of Scarborough Lexus Toyota presented the keys to a brand new 2002 Lexus ES 300 to Mrs. Arleen Sidique, of Scarborough, Ontario on Thursday. Sidique was this year's winner of the Rouge Valley Health System Foundation Lottery.
June 28, 2002 DaimlerChrysler was named "Environmentalist of the Year" on Wednesday, June 26th by the Environmental Research and Education Foundation (EREF). EREF recognizes an individual or organizational achievement in developing environmental solutions for the future.
June 28, 2002 Mercedes-Benz has launched an online game to coincide with the appearance of the new 2003 E-Class sedan in the movie, "Men In Black 2". The "Become a 'MIB' agent!" online game from Mercedes-Benz is part of a global marketing campaign being conducted with Columbia Tristar to promote the new movie.
June 28, 2002 Toyota Canada announced that it will supply three V8-powered Tundra full-size pickup trucks for use at this year's Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) FedEx Championship Series races in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.
Production has begun on the electronically controlled, full-time four-wheel drive system used in the new HUMMER H2. The BorgWarner system is integrated with the powertrain, and is standard on the H2. June 27, 2002 General Motors of Canada announced that the new 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix midsize car will be built at the Oshawa Car Assembly Plant #2 in Ontario. The Oshawa #2 plant will continue to assemble the Buick Century and Buick Regal. June 27, 2002 Concerns about the safety of the Ford Crown Victoria's fuel tank in a rear-end collision have prompted the Ford Motor Company to study methods of preventing fuel tank explosions. Since 1998, three Arizona police officers have been killed in Crown Victoria Interceptor police cars after the police cars burst into flames when they were rear-ended at high speed. Since 1991, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received consumer complaints about 10 crashes, 10 fires, 8 fatalities, and 15 injuries involving the Crown Victoria. The Crown Victoria's fuel tank is located between the rear bumper and rear axle. June 27, 2002 A U.S. appeals court has ruled that Suzuki Motor Corporation, which is now 20 percent owned by General Motors, can sue Consumer Reports magazine over an article in 1988 which alleged that the Samarai had a propensity to roll over. Suzuki is claiming that Consumer Reports rigged the rollover tests.
The European NCAP Organisation has awarded the Mercedes-Benz C-Class its top rating of five stars in frontal crash tests. At present, only two cars worldwide have achieved this rating. June 27, 2002 For the sixth straight year, Saturn Canada will provide funds to build new playgrounds for children in communities across Canada. In 2002, Saturn dealers will build 37 new playgrounds - seven in Western Canada, 20 in Ontario, six in Quebec and four in Atlantic Canada. To date, Saturn dealers have built and refurbished 185 playgrounds.
Production of the new Ford Fusion began yesterday at Ford's assembly plant in Cologne, Germany. The new model is due to go on sale in the Fall of 2002 in Europe, while its introduction to North America is still under consideration. June 26, 2002 A new tracking device designed to help reduce auto theft is being launched this week in British Columbia. The system utilizes GPS satellite and cellular technologies to monitor and control vehicles and will help catch auto thieves in action before they can cause major damage.
Lexus announced the V8-powered GX 470 will arrive in dealerships in December of this year. Unveiled earlier this year at the 2002 North American International Auto Show, the all-new model will be positioned between the brand's car-based SUV, the RX 300, and its premium-luxury LX 470 SUV. June 26, 2002 The 21,517,415th Golf came off the line in Wolfsburg, Germany yesterday, overtaking production of the legendary Beetle which is still being built in Mexico. June 26, 2002 General Motors will help launch its new line of Saturn ION small cars by sponsoring a Goo Goo Dolls summer shed tour, with Third Eye Blind and Vanessa Carlton as special guests. June 26, 2002 Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America (MMSA) President and Chief Operating Officer Pierre Gagnon has announced the names and locations of 31 dealers that will begin selling Mitsubishi vehicles in Canada this fall.
The first Maybach super luxury sedan left the production plant in Sindelfingen, Germany yesterday on its way to Southampton, England where it will be put aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2 liner for a voyage to New York City. June 25, 2002 A team of students from the University of Wisconsin-Madison successfully managed to increase fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a base 2002 Ford Explorer without sacrificing performance or safety to win the 2002 FutureTruck challenge. June 25, 2002 Nissan announced that it will expand its new assembly plant in Canton, Mississippi in order to increase its North American manufacturing capacity. Nissan will invest U.S.$500 million to add 1 million-square feet to the 2.5 million-square foot plant, currently under construction. June 25, 2002 Straight-six.com announced today the addition of new car ratings to their existing automotive editorial content. June 25, 2002 MINI and Samsonite have collaborated to introduce MINI Travel Gear this fall. Specially designed and engineered by Samsonite, the luggage fits perfectly into the trunk of the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S. June 24, 2002 General Motors' new approach to advanced vehicle development will reduce vehicle development times through improved productivity, elimination of bureaucracy and focused decision-making, said the automaker on Friday. June 24, 2002 Over 200 classic, collectible, vintage, sports and special interest cars crossed the auction block on Father's Day weekend during the second annual Barrett-Jackson Auction at The Petersen Museum on June 14 and 15 in Los Angeles. June 24, 2002 The 4th edition of the Challenge Bibendum 2002 will take place this year from September 22 to 25 in Europe from Heidelberg (Germany) to Paris (France), via the Hockenheim circuit and the European Parliament in Strasbourg. June 24, 2002 Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has successfully completed the first test flight of an experimental aircraft built to verify small aircraft technology in a joint project with Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS). June 24, 2002 WardsAuto.com has been recognized nationally as the best New Web Publication in the U.S. by the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE). The National Gold Award was given to WardsAuto.com on June 20 in Chicago, where the best work of more than 2,200 entries in various categories was rewarded.
GM's Pontiac division confirmed that a new GTO, a version of GM Australia's Holden Monaro, will go on sale in late 2003 as a 2004 model. Up to 18,000 GTO's will be produced annually at Holden's Elizabeth, Australia plant and imported for sale in North America. June 21, 2002 More than 450 privately-owned Chrysler PT Cruisers will return to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls June 21-23 for what has become one of the world's largest annual gatherings of these retro-styled vehicles. June 21, 2002 Volvo Car Corporation has developed the world's first official computer model of a pregnant crash dummy. The 'virtual' crash dummy is a woman at a late stage of her pregnancy, a time when the unborn baby is at greatest risk in an accident. June 21, 2002 Standard & Poor's has released its forecast for the Autos & Auto Parts Industry, which outlines a scenario of increased price competition globally for manufacturers. June 21, 2002 2004 model year Ford Explorers will have no mechanical linkage between the accelerator pedal and the engine says Ford. June 21, 2002 Ford Motor Company is developing a Hydraulic Power Assist (HPA) technology that may help tomorrow's trucks be up to one-third more fuel efficient in stop-and-go driving than they are today. June 21, 2002 OnStar announced that its safety, security and Personal Calling wireless communications services will be available on more 2003 General Motors models and more versions within the GM lineup. June 20, 2002 Delphi Corporation, a major U.S. auto supplier, is providing its new MagneRide suspension technology to General Motors for use in some 2003 models including the 2002 Cadillac Seville STS and 50th anniversary edition of the Chevrolet Corvette. MagneRide is a high-performance, semi-active suspension control system that responds in real time to road and driving conditions based on input from sensors that monitor body and wheel motions. June 20, 2002 Chrysler Group's colour experts predict that silver, and colours influenced by silver, will be popular in the 2003 model year, which begins this fall. June 20, 2002 Sales of U.S. passenger vehicles through the second week in June are hitting a red-hot pace, according to J.D. Power and Associates. June 20, 2002 Pioneer Electronics announced a new dual zone headunit that combines simultaneous playback of two media sources at the same time. This enables the driver and front-seat passenger to enjoy their favourite radio music or talk radio programs while rear-seat passengers can take advantage of video screens and headphones to watch movies or play video games. June 20, 2002 Pioneer Electronics announced the release of its new AV-SYS6DVD mobile DVD system that combines high-powered audio with a DVD system. The AV-SYS6DVD package is a complete system out of the box that includes AM/FM receiver, 6-1/2 inch motorized TFT widescreen monitor and a DVD player. June 20, 2002 A recent report by the consulting firm of A.T. Kearney showed that the financial performance of vehicle supply companies decreased 25 percent in 2001. Suppliers were hurt by a 3.7 percent decrease in global vehicle production, according to the sixth annual analysis of financial performance at 66 global vehicle suppliers by a subsidiary of EDS. June 19, 2002 MSN Carpoint Canada has released a list of the Top Ten vehicles in Canada that offer the most horsepower per dollar. The list includes six pickup trucks, two performance coupes, and two economy cars. The top contenders, were General Motors' full-size Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups, which were just ahead of the Chevrolet Camaro Z28 coupe.
A rollbar-equipped Lexus SC 430 Pace car made its debut on the streets of Houston, Texas at the recent CART Texaco/Havoline GP of Houston. Along with a Lexus IS300 pace car, the silver and purple-coloured hardtop SC430 convertible is the second Lexus in the pace-car fleet, and the fourth Lexus pace car overall following the SC 400 and GS 400. June 19, 2002 A study of spray-on bedliners funded by a manufacturer of drop-in bedliners shows colour fading after 2000 hours of exposure to ultra-violet rays. June 18, 2002 Ford announced that its high-performance F-150 pickup truck, the 2003 SVT F-150 Lightning, will have a bigger payload rating, new alloy wheels, a more upscale interior, a standard 6 disc in-dash CD player, and two new exterior colours for the 2003 model year. June 18, 2002 Convergence 2002, a global automotive electronics conference, will be held October 21-23, 2002 at Cobo Center in Detroit. This year's theme, Transportation Electronics = Business + Technology + Process, addresses three important aspects of automotive electronics -- the product, the process and the business. June 17, 2002 Ford announced that it will voluntarily recall 16,500 new Thunderbirds to modify the lower seat trim to eliminate the potential for the driver seat belt to contact the seat mechanism in the event of a severe frontal crash. Ford is taking this action because the driver seat belt was found to be partially cut after the vehicle was subjected to a 56 km/h (35 mph) frontal impact test into a solid barrier. The test was part of the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. June 17, 2002 Goodyear has just launched a new web site specifically for RV owners to help them select and maintain tires for motorhomes and other RV's.
Volvo Canada announced pricing for the 2003 XC90 sport utility vehicle today. The XC90 2.5T will start at $54,995, and the XC90 T6 has a suggested list price of $59,995. June 15, 2002 Toyota Canada today announced that it will offer one, very well equipped version of its top-of-the-line Avalon flagship sedan in 2003. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the Avalon XLS, which appears in dealerships this week, is $45,560. June 14, 2002 An annual study of automobile plant productivity reveals that Nissan, Honda and Toyota continue to have the most productive assembly, stamping and powertrain manufacturing operations in North America in 2001. However, according to The Harbour Report North America 2002, the gap with domestic challengers continues to narrow. June 14, 2002 Rhino Linings, a manufacturer of spray-on pickup bed linings, has disputed the findings of the Penda Corporation, a manufacturer of drop-in bedliners. As reported in CanadianDriver on June 5th, Penda Corporation claimed that spray-on bedliners were less durable than drop-in bedliners. Brian Marks, director of Marketing at Rhino Linings USA Inc. says Penda's research was flawed. June 14, 2002 To ensure that the increasing amount of information available to drivers in today's automobiles does not compromise safety, Volvo is conducting new research projects into how information can be presented without distracting the driver and compromising safety. June 14, 2002 Chrysler Group researchers are using a series of small steps in engineering to produce an increase in fuel efficiency that could benefit consumers in the not-too-distant future. June 14, 2002 Teams from fifteen North American universities arrived at Ford's Arizona Proving Grounds this week to begin National Competition Finals in the FutureTruck 2002 competition. The annual FutureTruck competition challenges student teams to re-engineer SUV's to improve fuel economy while retaining the vehicle's utility and customer appeal. Different auto manufacturers supply vehicles for the competition each year - this year, students are working with 2002 Ford Explorers. June 14, 2002 Toyota Canada announced that its Access Toyota vehicle purchasing program will be launched in Greater Vancouver and the Lower Mainland area on Saturday, June 15th, and one week later on the 22nd in the rest of British Columbia. Access Toyota is currently available in the Prairie provinces and in the Montreal area.
DaimlerChrysler Canada announced it will make a special chrome appearance package available on its 2003 PT Cruiser. June 13, 2002 Microheat Inc. announced that it will be first company to produce and bring to market the world's first effective heated windshield washer system. The HotShot system is designed for automobiles, trucks, buses and other motorized vehicles, and will be available later this year. June 13, 2002 UConnect, Chrysler Group's in-vehicle, hands-free, voice-activated communications system, will debut this fall as a Mopar accessory, dealer-installed option in selected 2003 model year vehicles. June 12, 2002 Ford displayed the latest version of its hybrid fuel cell Focus to members of the press yesterday. The new model has more powerful battery pack, an electrohydraulic braking system, an improved hydrogen gas storage tank, and a more advanced fuel cell built by Ballard Power Systems of Burnaby, British Columbia.
Bentley Motors announced that its new four passenger GT coupe will offer a 6 litre, twin-turbocharged W12 engine with more than 500 horsepower. Bentley said the engine's torque peak will remain a surprise, but that it will be "more than adequate for the job." The engine is derived from Volkswagen's W12 engine but was "designed and developed by Bentley", and will be built at the Bentley plant in Crewe, England. June 12, 2002 Kia Canada sold its 50,000th car in May since entering the Canadian marketplace in August of 1999. At that time, Kia Canada started with only two models and a handful of dealers in Ontario and Quebec, and sold 1,417 Sephias and Sportages from August to December of 1999. Sales jumped to over 13,000 in 2000, and 2001 saw sales double to over 26,000 capturing 1.7% of the market, beating out several well established makes in the process.
Volkswagen AG announced that the VW Microbus concept, which debuted at the Detroit auto show in January, 2001, will be built at its commercial vehicle plant in Hanover, Germany - the same city where the original microbus was produced in 1950. The new Microbus is expected to go on sale in 2005. June 12, 2002 The results of J.D. Power and Associates 2002 Domestic Airport Rental Car Customer Satisfaction Study released yesterday show that Enterprise Rent-A-Car ranks highest in overall satisfaction among rental car customers. Enterprise was followed by Hertz, National and Avis who all finished above the industry average. June 12, 2002 TRW Automotive, a major automotive supplier, unveiled a new automated safety system yesterday that combines active safety systems - braking, steering, suspension and vehicle control systems - with video and radar sensing to automatically avoid collisions. June 11, 2002 The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has published a free consumer guide containing safety information for motorists who tow trailers. June 11, 2002 The Citizen's Scholarship Foundation of America announced that DaimlerChrysler is contributing $10.4 million (U.S.) through its DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund, to the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund to provide educational assistance for post-secondary study to financially needy children of victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks. June 10, 2002 Two new BMW dealerships opened their doors this week: Birchwood BMW in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and BEMA Autosport in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. June 10, 2002 The Chrysler Group is recalling some 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 pickups to reinforce an axle bracket, and also 1997-1998 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups with diesel engines to replace a fitting in the engine compartment. June 10, 2002 bmwfilms.com announced they will continue their ground-breaking Internet films series, The Hire, with three new releases in 2002. June 10, 2002 For the seventh consecutive year, Ford Motor Company will sponsor the largest free jazz festival in North America, the Ford Detroit International Jazz Festival. June 8, 2002 Montreal, Quebec - Following its PARTY MINI last night, BMW Canada will hold a BMW M NIGHT party on Peel Street this evening. A highlight of the event will be the attendance of members of the BMW Williams F1 Team who are expected to be there at 6 pm. Peel Street (between Rue Ste-Catherine and Boulevard De Maisonneuve) will be closed to automotive traffic and available to pedestrians only.
General Motors of Canada announced that it will display the AUTOnomy concept vehicle at the World Hydrogen Energy Conference in Montreal from June 9 - 12. June 7, 2002 The Canadian Automobile Association expressed strong opposition to three proposals in the recently released federal government Discussion Paper on Canada's Contribution to Addressing Climate Change. The Paper proposes new road tolls on major inter-city and urban highways, an increase in parking fees in Canada's three largest cities, and a surtax on higher fuel-consuming vehicles. June 7, 2002 Nils Bohlin, the inventor of the three-point safety belt and retired safety engineer with Volvo Car Corporation in Sweden, was recently inducted into The National Inventors Hall of Fame in Akron, Ohio. June 7, 2002 Among the festivities surrounding Grand Prix weekend in Montreal is street party presented by MINI Canada. PARTY MINI on Peel Street (Between Rue Ste-Catherine and Boulevard De Maisonneuve) will start at 8 pm. and include the music of five of Montreal's top DJ's. Peel Street will be closed to automobiles for the evening and open to pedestrians only. June 7, 2002 Mercedes-Benz Canada is taking over the outdoor concourse of Place Ville-Marie in downtown Montreal during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend. Affectionately dubbed "La Kermesse", Mercedes-Benz will offer an extensive range of activities and programs until Sunday, June 9th in the early hours of the morning.
DaimlerChrysler, and partners Siemens, Sun Microsystems, T-Mobile, Jentro and MBDS, jointly presented a Mercedes-Benz S-Class with an in-car information and entertainment system that provides live video and audio transmission while the vehicle is in motion. The average transmission rate is 128 kBit/s, and the UMTS system allows a maximum bandwidth in the vehicle of 384 kBit/s, up to six times ISDN speed. June 7, 2002 Buick announced a new four-year agreement to continue its sponsorship of the PGA Tour. June 6, 2002 A study of automotive manufacturer's websites reveals that visitors who have a positive experience are 64% more likely to be converted into stronger sales prospects than visitors who have a poor online experience. June 6, 2002 Reacting to proposed new U.S. tire testing standards, the Rubber Manufacturers Association says that more than 40 percent of passenger car tires and more than 50 percent of light truck tires would not withstand the new standards. June 6, 2002 For the second year, Jaguar Canada is sponsoring the Jaguar Sensation Design Event, a high-profile fashion event, during Grand Prix week in Montreal. The runway fashion shows, which run today through Sunday at 9 pm on St. Laurent Street, will showcase the creations of local designers Marisa Minicucci, Tavan & Mitto, and Denis Gagnon. In addition, there will be other fashion shows daily on a smaller street runway and the Voltige & Opera runway, featuring such designers as Dominique Ouzilleau and Sheila Dassin. June 6, 2002 The search for a new Canadian hero among the ranks of the nation's professional truckers begins today with the 2002 Bridgestone/Firestone Canadian Truck Hero Award campaign. The award is given annually to a Canadian commercial truck driver who exhibits courage, quick thinking and integrity in the face of an emergency. June 6, 2002 Volvo has announced that the next Volvo Ocean Race will start in Europe in the autumn of 2005. June 5, 2002 BMW will bring its CleanEnergy World Tour exhibition to the Montreal Science Centre from June 8th to 10th. BMW is an official sponsor of the 14th World Hydrogen Energy Conference (WHEC) taking place in Montreal from June 9th - 13th. June 5, 2002 DaimlerChrysler Canada is offering 0% financing on Canada's most popular vehicle, the Dodge Caravan. For the month of June, DaimlerChrysler Canada is offering 0% financing and no payments for 90 days on purchases of new Dodge Caravans and Grand Caravans. The company is also offering low lease rates with no security deposit. June 5, 2002 DaimlerChrysler's NECAR 5 fuel-cell car, a version of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class car, completed its 5000 km journey across the U.S.A. on Tuesday. The trek began in San Francisco, California, on May 20th, and ended in Washington, D.C. at the foot of the U.S. Capitol. June 5, 2002 Lexus reports that the 2002 Lexus ES 300 is the top-selling car in the U.S.A. From January through May of 2002, Lexus sold 29,320 cars. Lexus also sells the top-selling luxury sport utility vehicle in the U.S.A.: the RX 300. Lexus sold 30,968 RX 300's from January through May. June 5, 2002 Performance and reliability tests conducted by a leading manufacturer of light-truck accessories indicate that expensive spray-on bedliners provide only a fraction of the protection and durability of more affordable molded "drop-in" liners. June 5, 2002 Reuters news agency reports that General Motors Chairman Jack Smith will retire in the spring of 2003. Smith made the announcement at the company's annual shareholders meeting on Tuesday. June 4, 2002 Many automakers in Canada reported sharply higher sales in May - some reporting their best sales months ever. June 4, 2002 Five finalists in the Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival are now showing their five-minute short films online at www.chrysler.com. Also on the site are the short films of the five semi-finalists who created extreme films in Cannes. June 4, 2002 GG Bailey, a company that manufactures and supplies custom luxury floor mats to prestigious automobile manufacturers, is offering consumers the chance to custom design and order their own luxury-weight automobile floor mats online. June 3, 2002 Ford will commemorate its 100th anniversary on June 16, 2003 and plans are already underway to celebrate the occasion. June 3, 2002 CanadianDriver.com is pleased to welcome Jim Kenzie and Laurance Yap to its growing editorial team of nationally-respected automotive contributors. Kenzie and Yap bring to sixteen the number of Canadian automotive journalists contributing to CanadianDriver.com. |  | |
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