Auburn Hills, MI — For the fourth year in a row, Dodge Dakota led the compact truck segment of J.D. Power's Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study. The hot new Chrysler PT Cruiser, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Chrysler Town and Country minivan also finished in the top three rankings in their categories.

The study quantifies owners' feelings about their new 2000 model year cars and trucks and some early 2001 model year vehicles such as PT Cruiser by ranking vehicles on "emotional" responses to many product attributes.

"In a day when the marketplace is flush with quality vehicles, this proves that it pays to go beyond the expected and be different," said Jim Julow, Vice President, Dodge Division. "Bold styling, thoughtful features, roominess and the widest range of engine options, including the most powerful, make the Dakota once again stand out from the crowd."

The new 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser debuted in the number two spot of the compact car segment. Styling, comfort/convenience and seating of the PT Cruiser had the greatest impact with surveyed buyers.

Jeep Grand Cherokee and Chrysler Town and Country ranked third in the compact sport-utility vehicle and compact van segments, respectively.

"We're pleased to have so many vehicles from the Chrysler/Jeep Division honored," said Tom Marinelli, Vice President of Chrysler/Jeep Division. "Brand new vehicles and those being renewed for 2001 were top performers."

Cerritos, CA, September 15 — American Isuzu Motors Inc. (AIMI) and General Motors Corp. (GM) announced a joint venture to consolidate Isuzu and General Motors medium-duty commercial vehicle sales, service and marketing functions in the United States. The new company, which will be known as General Motors Isuzu Commercial Truck, LLC (GMICT), is designed to better meet dealer and customer needs, ensuring long-term growth and profitability in the medium-duty commercial vehicle segment.

The new venture will be based in Cerritos, CA and will have a business center in Pontiac, MI and regional offices around the country. Ownership of the venture will be shared 51% Isuzu and 49% GM and managed by a five-person board consisting of two Isuzu representatives, two GM representatives and James C. Underwood, who has been elected President, Chief Operating Officer of General Motors Isuzu Commercial Truck.

The new organization was created to take advantage of established strengths of both companies and will seek improved operational efficiencies for the Chevrolet, GMC and Isuzu dealer networks. The Chevrolet, GMC and Isuzu brands will remain intact and advertising and sales promotion will be developed and implemented jointly.

GMICT will benefit from Isuzu's expertise in the commercial vehicle market, its flexible and responsive organization, and strong retail marketing approach. Likewise, the new company will benefit from General Motors' strong product portfolio and strong brand management system.

With the combined Chevrolet, GMC and Isuzu medium-duty truck dealers, the new company will serve over 750 total dealerships. In 1999 this group represented a combined total sales of approximately 55,000 medium-duty (Class 3-7) trucks. General Motors Isuzu Commercial Truck will also draw upon Isuzu's industry-leading sales, technical and engineering support to enable dealers to provide their customers with a high level of service.

General Motors Isuzu Commercial Truck is the latest in the cooperative and successful business practices General Motors and the Isuzu companies began in 1971. This new venture, which will commence business on September 15, 2000, will position General Motors and Isuzu to respond to worldwide automotive consolidations and increasing competitive pressure from domestic and import truck manufacturers.

Detroit — Buick’s LeSabre, the best-selling full-size car in the U.S. market for eight straight years, offers a variety of new features for 2001.

LeSabre was completely redesigned for 2000 and was named the AAA "Top Car" in the $20,000-$25,000 price range and a Consumers Digest "Best Buy."

LeSabre’s reputation was further enhanced when it received a five-star safety rating - the best possible score - for both driver and right-front passenger in frontal crash testing conducted in 2000 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

For 2001, LeSabre is improved with features including dual-stage deployment air bags for increased safety and new 15-inch aluminum wheels. OnStar, General Motors’ 24-hour on-demand navigation and assistance service, is now a factory-installed standard feature on Limited models and is included with Custom models equipped with the 1SD package. OnStar comes with one year of free safety and security service.

LeSabre’s many safety features also include Catcher’s Mitt high-retention front seats with self-aligning head restraints for improved protection in rear impact collisions. A power driver seat, previously standard on Limited models, is now standard on Custom models as well.

LeSabre Custom and Limited are equipped with Buick’s Convenience Plus package of features including delayed entry and exit lighting, theater dimming, flash-to-pass control, battery rundown protection, lockout protection, delayed locking, auxiliary power outlet, retained accessory power, theft-deterrent system and daytime running lamps. Cruise control and power windows and door locks are also standard.

Limited models feature Buick’s Driver Information Center, which provides a wide range of information including tire inflation monitor, trip computer and reminder lights for low fuel, low oil, low washer fluid and trunk and door ajar.

Personal Choice features standard on all LeSabre models include two key fobs with individually programmable memory settings that control security feedback, perimeter lighting, delayed locking and radio presets. On Limited models, memory climate control is added to Personal Choice features and memory settings for seat and outside mirror adjustments also are available.

LeSabre is again powered by the widely acclaimed 3.8-liter 3800 Series II V-6 engine, offering smooth power combined with excellent fuel economy (19 mpg city,30 mpg highway). The engine provides 205 hp at 5200 rpm and 230 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm.

New exterior colors for 2001 include White, Dark Chestnut and Dark Polo Green Metallic. Special Monarch interior cloth is now standard on Limited models.

Washington, DC, Sept. 21 — Automobile manufacturers called on Congress and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to avoid delays in implementing a proposed "clean diesel" rule for heavy-duty engines and diesel fuel. The Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air is holding a hearing on the rule September 21.

"Since EPA proposed the clean diesel rule last spring, efforts to delay and water down the provisions have intensified. If these delay tactics are successful, it will be a huge setback for cleaner air," said Alliance for Automobile Manufacturers President and CEO Josephine S. Cooper. "We encourage EPA to stand by its proposal and finalize a strong clean diesel rule by the end of the year."

Cooper noted that recent economic studies on making and distributing ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel have overstated the costs and difficulty of bringing this clean fuel to market. "We have great confidence in the oil industry's ability to meet the requirements of EPA's proposed rulemaking by 2006," Cooper continued. "Getting the sulfur out of diesel fuel will dramatically improve air quality, and it will enable us to develop a new generation of clean, light-duty diesel vehicles that are more fuel-efficient. These clean diesel vehicles are coming soon, and we need clean diesel fuel to run them."

"Clean diesel" refers to vehicles with diesel engines using clean diesel fuel together with emission control systems to reduce substantially emissions of particulate matter, nitrogen oxides and other pollutants.

EPA's heavy-duty vehicle rule, which includes reducing sulfur in diesel fuel, was proposed on May 17, 2000 and is expected to be finalized by the end of the year. Under EPA's proposal, refiners must reduce the sulfur in diesel fuel by 97 percent within six years, and this cleaner fuel must contain no more than 15 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur. EPA's proposal also calls on heavy duty engine manufacturers to achieve a 95 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions phased in during 2007-2010, along with a 90 percent reduction in particulate matter (PM).

The Alliance is supporting elements of EPA's proposed rule, but calls on the Agency to go farther. EPA has proposed to cap sulfur in diesel fuel at 15 ppm by mid-2006, but manufacturers want near-zero sulfur content — 5 ppm, along with improvements in other fuel parameters as recommended in the fuel charter endorsed by all of the world's automakers.

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is a coalition of 13 car and light truck manufacturers. Member companies are BMW Group, DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan, Porsche, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo. For more information, visit the Alliance website at www.autoalliance.org.

Since the Super Duty F-Series lineup was redesigned for the 1999 model year, customer demand has required this production, taking Ford's sales in the over-8500-pound GVW truck market from one-third to approximately 40 percent of total F-Series sales. That makes the Super Duty F-Series the best-selling truck in its segment - outselling all of the competition combined.

In terms of choice, Ford's Super Duty F-Series offers customers over one-third more configurations than the nearest competitor in its class. In terms of capability, it has the highest payload rating and gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of any pickup on the market, more interior room for occupants in every seating position and, for the 2001 model year, increased horsepower and torque on the popular 7.3-liter PowerStroke diesel engine.

Since 60 percent of Super Duty customers use their truck for commercial or work-related purposes, capability is important. Add to that the number of customers who use their Super Duty trucks for recreational- and personal-use, and the best-in-class interior room and creature comforts become equally important.

"We are seeing fast growth - approximately five to six percent every year - in the personal and recreational use arena," says Echlin. "More and more people are buying a Super Duty F-Series for towing horse trailers and campers, and contrary to historical use for trucks of this size, aren't using it as much for their livelihoods as they are for their lifestyles. The Super Duty F-Series gives customers the best of both worlds. It is a workhorse in its design, making it proven in commercial use, and heavily sought after in personal use."

Since 1995, the over-8500-pound GVW truck segment overall has grown approximately 31 percent. Ford's Super Duty F-Series sales grew 57 percent during that same time period.

The Super Duty F-Series lineup, which includes Super Duty F-250 through F-550 are built at Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, with supplemental production at the Cuautitlan Assembly Plant in Mexico. The 2001 models will be in dealer showrooms later this month.

Troy, MI - OnStar, the nation's leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and information service, has been named among BusinessWeek e.biz's "Web Smart 50."

In a special report in BusinessWeek's September 18, 2000 issue, BusinessWeek e.biz named 50 of the world's leading companies who are harnessing the power of the Web to create real-life, innovative products and services which foster revenue, growth and take new approaches to changing the way global businesses operate. OnStar was named among these 50 in the classification, "Products: Transforming inspiration and new resources into gold," for the development of its Virtual Advisor service.

OnStar Virtual Advisor is a new service that will deliver to the vehicle personalized Internet-based information, such as news headlines, sports highlights and scores, stock quotes, weather conditions and e-mail through a hands-free, voice-activated audio interface.

OnStar's Virtual Advisor service will be available on all 2001 OnStar-equipped General Motors' vehicles beginning in early 2001.

The 2001 Infiniti G20 luxury sports sedan continues to occupy a unique position in the new vehicle marketplace - an affordable fun-to-drive luxury sports sedan from one of the world's premium marquees. Making its debut in the Infiniti lineup in 1990 as a 1991 model, the second generation G20 was introduced in 1998 as a 1999 model. The G20 continues on in 2001 in both Luxury and Touring editions.

• Side-sill spoilers
• Chrome grille
• Intuitively placed, easy-access driver controls
• "Low fatigue" front bucket seats
• Power mirrors, windows and door locks
• Bose audio system with 6 speakers and in-dash cd player
• 91 cubic feet of cabin space
• 4-sensor anti-lock braking system
• 15" aluminum alloy wheels
• Dual front & side-impact air bags
• Remote keyless entry with security alarm
• Limited slip differential and low-profile tires (G20t)
• Rear spoiler (G20t)
• Leather seating surfaces with sport head restraints (G20t)
• Power sliding sunroof with rear tilt and sunshade (G20t)
• Available Infinity Communicator which provides one-touch calling for emergency or roadside assistance

Paris — Delphi Automotive Systems will deliver a wide array of technologies to provide enhanced comfort, convenience and connectivity to drivers at the Mondial de l'Automobile 2000. At the forefront are systems like Delphi's Communiport® brand of MultiMedia products - a family of technology systems designed to put the driver in tune with the world.

"With people spending more and more time in their vehicles, there's a growing need for automotive products that enhance the driving experience beyond vehicle performance," said Robert W. Schumacher, director, Delphi Mobile MultiMedia group.

The Communiport Infotainment PC system is commanded by voice recognition and features text-to-speech technologies to read e-mail. The technology gives the customer interactivity with the outside world wherever their vehicle may take them.

Among Delphi's Communiport portfolio of technologies are some key communications systems, including:

• Communiport® Infotainment PC - Powered by Microsoft Windows CE® operating system, Infotainment PC is the first mobile MultiMedia operating computing platform to be featured in vehicles. In addition to premium audio, Infotainment PC offers navigation, e-mail, web browsing, voice memo, hands-free cell phone, voice recognition and text-to-speech technologies.
• Communiport® Mobile Productivity Center - Allows the consumer to dock and synchronize with a handheld PalmVTM personal digital assistant using Palm's HotSync technology. With the Delphi MPC system, users can download and read e-mail messages and other stored information, dictate and send electronic mail, record new appointments and memos, download and read simple Internet text, as well as dial and store phone numbers.
• Communiport® Radio Navigation System - This is an affordable double-DIN navigation system that integrates complete full-function color map-based navigation with radio, CD-ROM and audio playback.
• Communiport® Rear-Seat Audio/Visual Systems - A new entertainment system featuring a 7-inch full-color screen, game station and Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) player. Applications include seat-top and floor-mount units for the aftermarket and an integrated headliner system for OEM installation

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!