The new Bravada is 10 inches longer and 5 inches wider than the 2000 model and will be available as an all-wheel drive or a two-wheel drive model. It will debut next January.

A new state-of-the-art inline six cylinder engine will be standard equipment in the 2002 Bravada, the first of the automaker’s new line of midsize sport utility vehicles.

Dubbed the Vortec 4200, the new I6 displaces 4.2 liters, features dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder. Preliminary figures indicate that the engine will provide more than 250 bhp and more than 250 lb-ft of torque.

Three months later the new GMC Jimmy, renamed the Envoy will arrive. Then if all goes as planned the new Chevy Blazer, renamed the Trailblazer, will arrive in dealer showrooms.

Torrance, CA – June 21, 2000 - The all-new U.S.-built 2000 Toyota Avalon was designated a "Best Pick" today by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for its performance in a frontal impact offset crash test at 40 miles per hour in the midsized moderately-priced car category. The Avalon got "good" ratings across the board for structural performance, dummy injury measures, and restraints/dummy kinematics.

"Avalon was engineered with a high priority on safety," said Don Esmond, general manager and senior vice president, Toyota division. "The IIHS ‘Best Pick’ rating reflects Toyota’s rigorous program of engineering and its internal testing in a variety of crash configurations to help deliver occupant safety to our customers."

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is an independent, nonprofit, research and communications organization dedicated to reducing highway crash deaths, injuries and property losses. The IIHS evaluations are based on three aspects of performance – measurements of occupant compartment intrusion, injury measures from a Hybrid III dummy positioned in the driver seat, and analysis of slow-motion film to assess how well the restraint system controlled dummy movement during the impact.

The IIHS offset frontal impact test is a separate test from crash tests required by the federal government to demonstrate occupant protection. Recognizing that no one test can accurately reflect all real-world conditions and vehicle performance characteristics, Toyota strives to optimize performance in many types of crash tests.

In the next model year, Toyota will begin to incorporate several new safety features into new models, including an Advanced Airbag System, Curtain Shield Airbag, and a LATCH system to enhance compatibility with child safety seats.

Look for the 2002 Thunderbird to arrive in the spring of 2001. The actual car will look similar to the Ford Thunderbird concept car that has been on display at auto shows throughout the United States and Canada.

"The Ford Thunderbird has an emotional hold on the American public that spans decades and generations," says Jac Nasser, Ford president and chief executive officer. "This timeless classic is an important part of Ford Motor Company’s heritage and, indeed, this country’s automotive history.

A circular theme runs throughout the vehicle, starting with the round headlamps and fog lamps and extending to the taillamps.

"This is an aspirational design," explains J. Mays, Ford vice president of Design. "Simple shapes combined with timeless materials and textures convey a relaxed, confident look and a feel that is the true essence of the original Thunderbird."

Auburn Hills, Mich. – June 27, 2000 - Ann Heiser was attending a company picnic when the topic of manually opening and closing minivan liftgates surfaced.

"Several small-statured women were discussing the challenges of reaching up and closing their minivan liftgates," said Heiser. "Some said they used umbrella handles to reach up and close the liftgate and one woman explained how she actually tied a cord to the inside handle of her liftgate in order to pull it shut."

Lucky for millions of future minivan owners around the world, Heiser works for DaimlerChrysler Corporation, the world’s largest manufacturer of minivans. Heiser, a senior administrative assistant at DaimlerChrysler’s Liberty and Technical Affairs Division in Rochester Hills, Mich., brought the issue to the attention of the division’s vice president, Tom Moore, who immediately authorized a power liftgate study and task force.

"After reviewing a variety of concept drawings and design approaches, we discovered a solution and yet another minivan first," said Moore. "An electric-powered device was chosen to operate the liftgate not only for its simplicity and low cost, but also because it fit into the existing structure of our minivans. After conducting market research, minivan platform engineers quickly embraced this mechanism and worked to enhance and refine the technology into today’s design."

Powered by an electric motor, opening or closing the liftgate takes approximately four seconds. Push buttons on the key fob and in the overhead console operate the power liftgate. The power liftgate includes an obstacle detection feature that works in both opening and closing directions. In order to alert people in the vicinity of the opening or closing liftgate, a "beep" from a tone generator in the light bar sounds for two seconds before the liftgate starts to open or close. The beeping continues during the first two seconds of movement.

As with the power sliding doors, the mechanism detects resistance to movement and reverses to avoid damage to the door or the obstruction. In addition, pinch sensors attached to the sides of the liftgate opening detect the presence of hands or other objects that offer too little closing resistance to be detected by the primary obstacle detection system.

The power liftgate is just one of numerous minivan firsts to look for in the all-new 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans that arrive in dealerships this fall.

The popular Nissan Frontier compact truck lineup receives a dramatic new appearance, interior upgrades and the addition of a range of new factory-installed supercharged V6 models for the upcoming 2001 model year. The new Frontier line goes on sale at Nissan retailers nationwide in late summer.

The radically redesigned 2001 Frontier offers 14 different models, including Regular Cab, King Cab, Crew Cab and Desert Runner and three trim levels, giving buyers the ability to choose a truck that perfectly fits their needs and budget.

The Frontier’s new exterior, created at Nissan Design International, Inc., in La Jolla, Calif., offers a simple, tough, "machine" aesthetic with a powerful front grille and bumper, tall hood-line, oversized headlights and large fender flares featuring visible divot holes and bolts which hold the fender flares to the body. Additional enhancements include new fog lamps (adopted from the 2000 Maxima), new tailgate cover and standard tailgate lock.

In addition to a choice of a 143-horsepower 2.4-liter inline 4-cylinder and 170-horsepower 3.3-liter SOHC V6, a new factory-installed supercharged version of the 3.3-liter V6 will be offered in select 4x4 and 4x2 models called SC. The new supercharged engine produces an estimated 210 horsepower and 240 ft-lbs of torque.

The 2001 MY Outback H6-3.0 L.L.Bean Edition and Outback H6-3.0 VDC are both powered by an all-new 212 horsepower, DOHC 24 valve horizontally opposed, high output six-cylinder engine mated to the Subaru four-speed electronic automatic transmission (4EAT). The H6-3.0 powerplant features an aluminum block, four valves per cylinder and produces 30 percent more power and torque than the 2.5 liter H4. The new engine is compact, and designed to fit into the existing four-cylinder body structure without any major modifications.

The 2001 Fleet Programs are not expected until mid-July.

MT. LAUREL, NJ—John Bradshaw, car purchasing manager for ARI, retired from the fleet management company on July 7, 2000, capping a 40-year career, which included employment with five fleet management companies.

Bradshaw started his career in 1960 with Ford Motor Co. in a college-graduate training program. Later he joined a Ford dealership in Cleveland, where he worked for four years as the Fleet Sales Manager. In 1965, Bradshaw joined Leaseway System Corp., at which time the lessor only had 832 cars and trucks on lease. In 1986, the Leaseway subsidiary had 35,000 vehicles and was sold to Dart & Kraft Financial in Chicago, where Bradshaw headed up a 40-person purchasing department. After GE Capital bought D&K, and then Gelco, the D&K operation was merged with GE and moved to Minneapolis.

John next joined Lend Lease in Wilmington, DE, where he managed its purchasing department for two years until ARI bought the assets of the company and relocated the operations to its Mt. Laurel, NJ, headquarters. He has been the editor of the "Purchasing News" for the past 10 years.

Bradshaw and his wife of 38 years are planning to relocate to Columbus, Ohio, where they will live for part of the year and to Florida where they will live during the winter. 

When a "stock purchase" is desired, you may consider using a vehicle from the ARI "pool"
to save money and time.

Call your ARI representative for details!