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January 2001
North American International Auto Show
Los Angeles Auto Show
Revised styling and a more powerful 2.0 litre four cylinder engine are the major changes to the compact Mazda Protégé sedan for 2001 - an all-new Protégé hatchback model will arrive in May or June. January 31, 2001 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety releases results of 5 mph bumper crash tests. Hyundai Elantra performs best, two cars improve, four others fail to improve.
Toyota will unveil its RSC "Rugged Sport Coupe" concept vehicle at a press conference at the 2001 Chicago Auto Show, February 7th. January 30, 2001 Hyundai's newest concept vehicle, the HCD6 mid-engine roadster, is scheduled to debut at the Chicago Auto Show on February 7th. January 30, 2001 The Chrysler Group will reduce its workforce by approximately 20 percent over the next three years through a combination of layoffs, retirements, special programs, and attrition, Chrysler announced yesterday. This will affect approximately 26,000 workers, 19,000 hourly and 6,800 salaried employees. January 30, 2001 The Canadian Auto Workers union, which represents 14,000 Canadian DaimlerChrysler employees, wants to convince DaimlerChrysler to look at ways of minimizing the impact of layoffs on its members and their families. January 30, 2001 The Canadian Automobile Association says it supports technology that will help re-construct and analyze collisions, but says consumers should know that information in Event Data Recording devices could be used against them in court. January 30, 2001 On January 25th, CanadianDriver reported that the upcoming 2002 Land Rover Freelander would likely be priced in the $40,000 range - Land Rover Canada has informed us that it will be priced between $35,000 and $40,000, and will be competing in the luxury compact SUV class, not the intermediate luxury SUV class. The Freelander will arrive in Canada in the fourth quarter of 2001.
Whether it's going to the ice rink, scout camp, or taking a trip across the country, the 2001 Ford E-150 Traveler has the interior room and the toys to keep parents and teenagers happy. January 29, 2001 In it's first year as an internationally sanctioned O.I.C.A. event, the Canadian International AutoShow, February 16th to 25th, will step onto the world stage with fifteen vehicle premieres, including four concept cars. They'll be revealed to the media first, February 14th and 15th. January 29, 2001 Flash units fired and television lights dazzled -- capturing the Quebec singing star on stage beside the 2002 Ford Thunderbird which made its Canadian debut at the Montreal auto show. January 27, 2001 The 33rd Montreal International Auto Show opened to the public on Friday, and will run through Sunday, February 4th at Olympic Stadium. January 27, 2001 General Motors announced that the Chevrolet Corvette and Cadillac Northstar LMP race cars will return to compete in this year's prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, France. January 27, 2001 Toyota announced it will switch production of Lexus RX300 V6 engines and transmissions from Japan to the United States.
Ford of Canada announced pricing for the new 2002 Thunderbird at the Montreal Auto Show on Thursday. The base price is $51,550. With an optional, removeable hardtop, the T-Bird goes for $56,550.
At the Montreal Auto Show, Subaru Canada announced the price of the new 227 horsepower Impreza WRX model. Both sedan and wagon (hatchback) WRX models will start at $34,995 with a standard five-speed manual transmission. January 26, 2001 Canadian enthusiast publications World of Wheels and Le Monde de l'Auto have named the 2001 Subaru Legacy/Outback their "Editor's Choice" as Best Station Wagon for the third consecutive year. The announcement was made Thursday at Le Salon International de l'Auto in Montréal.
The 2002 Land Rover Freelander, a British-built compact luxury sport utility vehicle that was first introduced in 1997, will arrive in Canada in the fourth quarter of 2001. January 25, 2001 General Motors is recalling 1.38 million light trucks and sport utility vehicles to inspect and fix a possible brake line failure, reported the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It is not known how many of these vehicles were sold in Canada. January 25, 2001 Luxury automobile manufacturers BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Jaguar, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce and Bentley, expressed satisfaction with Montréal's first luxury car show, called Salon Luxe, Performance et Passion. January 24, 2001 From buggy's to Bonnevilles, Pontiac has had a prominent place in America's automotive history over the past 75 years. January 24, 2001 Of the nearly 850 collectible cars consigned to the 30th annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, a record 83 percent were sold, pushing the total sales volume to an U.S.$26.7 million. This is the highest sale total in the last decade and one of the largest in the company's history. January 24, 2001 The British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA) is pleased with TransLink's intention to drop a $75 vehicle levy to finance transit improvements in the Greater Vancouver area.
With Lincoln and Cadillac about to introduce four-door luxury pickup trucks, can Rolls-Royce be far behind? CanadianDriver's editor, Greg Wilson, looks at the trend leading Lincoln Blackwood and Cadillac Escalade EXT.
With little fanfare, Toyota added a new four-door, crew-cab bodystyle to its compact Tacoma pickup lineup for 2001. In Canada, the Double Cab bodystyle is available only on Tacoma 4X4 models equipped with a V6 engine and a four-speed automatic transmission, and on PreRunner 4X2 models with a V6 engine and four-speed automatic transmission. January 22, 2001 Chrysler will offer their 230 horsepower, single overhead cam 3.5 litre V6 engine, the same engine used in the 300M performance sedan, as an option in the 2001 Town & Country Limited minivan. The Town & Country Limited comes standard with a 215 horsepower 3.8 litre OHV V6 engine. January 20, 2001 Subaru Canada and its four New Brunswick dealers announced their support for Alpine Ski New Brunswick at all levels of competition. Alpine Ski New Brunswick develops, supports and delivers alpine racing programs that encourage personal growth and success in a safe team environment. January 20, 2001 Four BMW vehicles were winners in this year's iF Product Design Awards given by the Industrie Forum Design Hanover, an internationally renowned institution of industrial design.
A new Prelude SE model will be arriving soon at Honda dealerships across Canada. The exclusive-to-Canada trim level will replace the base model and will offer $2000 worth of additional features for about $500 above the manufacturers suggested retail price of the base Prelude. January 19, 2001 General Motors announced it has awarded a contract to the Raufoss Group of Norway to manufacture lightweight aluminum suspension components for use in a number of future GM vehicles. January 19, 2001 Ford of Canada benefited from improved vehicle sales and engine production in 2000, although car and truck output did not sustain the record pace established in 1999. As a result, sales revenues from Ford's Canadian operations totaled $24.6 billion in 2000, down 5.4 percent compared to $26 billion in 1999.
The M3 convertible is based on the recently-redesigned M3 Coupe. The convertible model offers the same 333 horsepower 3.2 litre inline six cylinder and 6 speed manual transmission as the Coupe. BMW says the M3 convertible will do 0 to 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds. January 19, 2001 Rolls-Royce & Bentley Motor Cars announced the introduction of a new retail channel, 'Rolls-Royce Direct', which will sell Rolls-Royce cars directly to customers in the U.K.
Conventional it's not. Nissan's radically-styled aT (Alpha Truck) introduced at the Detroit Auto Show is still a concept, but Nissan has promised to introduce a full-size, V8-powered pickup in the near future with bold styling - and this could be it. January 18, 2001 General Motors of Canada reported record revenues from all operations of $42.0 billion in 2000. Total unit sales for GM of Canada were a record 1.41 million units, up from the previous record of 1.32 million units in 1999. GM of Canada produced a total of 963,438 vehicles in 2000. January 18, 2001 A specially-prepared 2001 Cadillac DeVille Limousine was delivered to the White House yesterday - its first use will be in the Presidential Inaugural Parade, January 20. It is the first Cadillac with Cadillac's new wreath and crest emblem. January 18, 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser earned four awards: North American Car of the Year, African Americans On Wheels Car of the Year, and two awards from American Woman Road & Travel, Car of the Year: "Most Likely to Succeed" and Classic: "Most Likely to be Remembered." January 18, 2001 From "Best in Show" to "Best Engine," Ford Motor Company brands, including Ford, Volvo, Mazda, and Lincoln, took home 13 top awards at this year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
First it was four-door sport-utility vehicles. Then is it was four-door minivans - then four-door pickups. Now, Mazda has introduced the first four-door sports car - the RX-8. January 17, 2001 General Motors announced plans to build the new Chevrolet Super Sport Roadster (SSR) in Lansing, Michigan. Production of the SSR is expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2002. There were rumours the SSR would be built at GM's Ste. Therese, Quebec plant when production of the Camaro and Firebird ceases. The news leaves the future of the Ste Therese plant in doubt. January 17, 2001 Despite warnings on tire sidewalls and on vehicle placards about tire underinflation and overloading capacity, market surveys indicate widespread consumer tire neglect, says Bill Egan, Goodyear chief engineer of original-equipment tire design. January 17, 2001 Visitors to the 33rd Montréal International Auto Show, January 26 to February 4 at the Olympic Stadium, will see some 380 vehicles, 36 of which have never been shown in Canada before. Of these 36 Canadian unveilings, there will be 3 prototypes and 6 concept vehicles. January 17, 2001 Reuters news agency reported yesterday that Toyota is considering a third brand to cater to younger buyers - Toyota currently markets Toyota and Lexus vehicles in North America.
The new 2002 Impreza WRX is ready to cash in on Subaru's three consecutive World Rally Championship victories. With a more aggressive new look, a lightweight and highly rigid new body, and a new turbo-charged 227 horsepower engine, the 2002 Impreza WRX Sedan and Sport Wagon (hatchback) are the stars in Subaru's completely redesigned Impreza lineup.
In a surprise debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, BMW unveiled the X coupe concept sports car with styling that's dramatically different from anything BMW has ever produced before. BMW says the X coupe points to a new design direction for the segment of sporty, lifestyle-oriented vehicles.
Debuting at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Chevrolet has revived the K5 moniker for a special new show truck. The new K5 provides a sneak peek at future opportunities for the two-door Chevy Tahoe. January 15, 2001 Ward's Auto World has released its list of ten best engines for 2001. To qualify an engine must be available in a regular-production vehicle available for sale in the current calendar or model year and the engine must be fitted in a passenger vehicle with a total base price of no more than US$50,000, including all applicable costs such as gas-guzzler taxes, but not destination charges. January 15, 2001 A fight broke out Saturday night between some youths on the floor of the Detroit auto show. The incident happened between 9:30 pm and 10:00 pm Saturday January 13th, just as the show was closing. Police quickly contained the incident, and the show resumed Sunday morning on schedule at 10 am. January 15, 2001 Based on input from visitors to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on the first day of the show, Automotive service provider Polk found that the number of consumers who used the Internet while shopping for a new vehicle increased 14%, from 46% last year to 60% this year.
The 2001 "Mulholland Edition" Chrysler Prowler will be painted Prowler Midnight Blue with a dark blue convertible cloth top. The "Mulholland Edition" Prowler is named after Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles, the scene of numerous classic movies. January 12, 2001 CAA members want reliability Canadian Automobile Association members have spoken. What they prize most in a vehicle is reliability. According to CAA's 2000 edition of the Vehicle Ownership Survey, reliability is followed closely by price and performance in determining which vehicle to buy. January 12, 2001 Frequent car-buyers want high-tech gadgets in their cars A study released by Polk, an American survey company, revealed that electronic accessories, such as vehicle navigation systems and entertainment centres, are more important to frequent new vehicle buyers (those that purchase every year or every two to three years). January 12, 2001 Ford says no alliance planned with Yamaha In response to reports that Ford is planning to team up with Yamaha, Ford spokesperson, Kristen Kinley, issued this statement: "Ford has no agreement to form an alliance of any kind with Yamaha and nothing is planned." January 11, 2001 Ford and Edmonton Oilers partner to support minor hockey The Edmonton Oilers have announced a multi-year partnership agreement with the Ford Motor Company of Canada, which includes two important community initiatives, The Ford Zone and Ford All-Stars Hockey. January 11, 2001 Ford Motor Company will soon open a new high-tech $10 million driving simulator laboratory to study driver workload and distraction issues related to new in-vehicle electronic devices. January 10, 2001 U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater announced the first rollover resistance ratings for passenger vehicles as the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finalized a rating program that provides consumers with a measure of a vehicle's resistance to rolling over in a single vehicle crash. January 10, 2001 Statement from Bob Lange, GM Director Of Safety Engineering, following the NHTSA's release of a rollover ratings report yesterday. January 10, 2001 An ongoing investigation into the Firestone tire recall is being conducted by Ford Motor Company, the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Association) and Bridgestone/Firestone. In an attempt to defend the reputation of its hot-selling Explorer SUV, Ford issued this statement yesterday. January 10, 2001 Ford Motor Company's next-generation Explorer will have a new high voltage electrical system and a technology that automatically shuts the engine off when the vehicle is stopped. January 10, 2001 Automobile Magazine's Automobile of the Year, first awarded in 1990, recognizes and celebrates the "best of the best" of all new passenger vehicles each year. The Automobile of the Year is the only award given by an enthusiast magazine that selects from among all new passenger vehicles available.
Toyota unveiled the 2003 Matrix this morning at the North American International Auto Show. The Matrix will be built exclusively at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC) in Cambridge, Ontario, and is expected to go on sale across North America in 2002. January 8, 2001 Chrysler's hard-to-categorize PT Cruiser was awarded North American Car of the Year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this morning. The al-new Acura MDX was named Truck of the Year. January 7, 2001 Ford Motor Company has introduced the first ever police vehicle prep package designed to prepare vehicles for law enforcement use. January 6, 2001 Highbrow U.S. magazine, the Robb Report, named the $192,000 BMW Z8 as its Car of the Year for 2001. The award, announced at the Los Angeles Auto Show, is given annually to automobiles priced above U.S.$40,000. January 6, 2001 Next week, GM will idle seven U.S. plants and one in Canada: the Camaro/Firebird plant in Ste. Therese, Quebec. A total of 20,000 employees will be laid off at all eight plants. The idled plants are a result of a slowdown in U.S. auto sales. GM's U.S. sales fell 18.1 percent in December.
The Jaguar F-TYPE roadster has been given the production go-ahead, the company announced today. The all-new, compact Jaguar roadster becomes the fifth model in the company's expanding product range and marks Jaguar's return to the true sports car market, which it helped to create in the 1950s and 1960s. January 5, 2001 Cherokee production to end in mid-2001. DaimlerChrysler Corporation will invest an additional U.S.$35 million in its new $1.2 billion Toledo North Assembly Plant (TNAP) in order to have greater flexibility to adjust production volume and add new products more easily. January 5, 2001 On the morning of Sunday, January 7, some Toyota Prius and Honda Insight owners will drive their environmentally-friendly gasoline-electric hybrid cars in a continuous circle in front of Cobo Hall where the North American International Auto Show is held in order to draw attention to the need for American auto manufacturers to build cleaner cars. January 5, 2001 Ford is recalling 278,875 Contours and 21,143 Mystiques with 2.5 V6 engines built between April 1994 and December 1995, because the engines may overheat and cause a fire. The bearings on the cooling fan may be too tight, which can cause excessive heat. 149 fires have been reported because of the problem.
The Mini Cooper is the first all new product shown from the Mini brand since inception in 1959 and represents a total redesign for the automotive icon. A higher performance model, the Mini Cooper S will be unveiled later in 2001.
General Motors' Cadillac division revealed the Escalade EXT yesterday at the Los Angeles Auto Show - a Sport Utility Truck that is a cross between a luxury SUV and a premium pickup truck. The EXT will offer the luxury Cadillac customers expect and the extended cargo capabilities of a pickup truck.
The all-new 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe/hatchback, to be displayed at the Detroit auto show, will go on sale in Canada in 2001. A Canadian version of the new sports coupe will come with the 2.3 litre supercharged four cylinder engine that powers the SLK roadster. January 4, 2001 Nissan's three litre V6 "VQ" engine has been named to Ward's Auto World's "Ten Best Engines of the Year" award list for the seventh year in a row. The engine is used in the Nissan Maxima and Infiniti I30. January 4, 2001 Chevy's all-new Silverado Heavy-Duty (HD) pickup has earned Motor Trend magazine's 2001 Truck of the Year award, marking the sixth time in seven years that Chevrolet has won annual vehicle awards from the magazine. January 4, 2001 Several manufacturers reported record Canadian sales in 2000 yesterday. Year 2000 sales were up at DaimlerChrysler, Audi, Volkswagen, Subaru, BMW, Jaguar and Ford, while GM recorded a slight decrease. January 4, 2001 The Toyota Camry became the best-selling car in the U.S.A for the fourth year in a row in 2000. The popular Camry earned its "best-selling car in America" title by posting year-end sales of 422,961. January 4, 2001 All new 2001 Daewoo vehicles sold in the month of January will include regular scheduled maintenance services at no extra charge for the first year or 24,000 km (whichever occurs first). January 3, 2001 Wilderness LE tires may have been used on Mexico-assembled GM SUVs. Firestone announced that it is initiating a voluntary recall of approximately 8,000 tires produced during the week of April 23, 2000, at its Cuernavaca, Mexico plant in order to ensure the recovery of about 150 tires made on April 24.
Inspired by the 1962 Ford Thunderbird Sports Roadster the 2002 Thunderbird Sports Roadster concept car is reminiscent of the "Bullet Birds" of the Sixties. January 3, 2001 Ford Motor Company will provide its own tire warranty on 2001 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury car and light truck models in North America. These models will be covered for repairs on or after Jan. 1, 2001. January 3, 2001 Here's a rundown of some of the more interesting production and concept cars to be shown at the Montreal Auto Show, January 26 to February 4 at the Olympic Stadium. January 3, 2001 Now that Hyundai Motor Company has ended its association with the Hyundai Group, it has moved into new headquarters in the south of Seoul, South Korea. The new 21 story building will house both Hyundai and Kia Motor Companies.
In the world of a contractor, having the right tools on hand and easily accessible is the key to getting the job done right and done quickly. GMC worked closely with The Home Depot and a focus group of contractors to determine just what professionals would desire in their ultimate van. The result is the full-size Savana Pro - possibly the ultimate contractor's van. |  | |
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January 31, 2001
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