October 4, 2000 - Torrance, CA - Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., released the MSRP for its 2001 model year Tacoma Double Cab pickup truck and redesigned RAV4 SUV.

The all-new Tacoma four-door Double Cab joins an already diverse Toyota compact truck lineup. The versatile Double Cab delivers the cargo-hauling capability of a pickup truck and the passenger roominess and comfort of an SUV with new rugged styling.

The Double Cab assumes premiere status in the Tacoma lineup. It is offered in standard SR5 and Limited trim levels with an available off-road package, in either the two-wheel drive PreRunner series with four or six cylinder engines, or as a 4x4 powered exclusively by a 190-horsepower V6.

Built exclusively at the New United Motor Manufacturing (NUMMI), Inc., production facility in Fremont, CA, the all-new Tacoma Double Cab ranges from $17,855 for the 4x2 PreRunner four-cylinder model, to $21,865 for the 4x4 V6.

RAV4 has been improved in every category and continues to represent the benchmark for light-duty, car-based compact SUVs. Its overall length, width, height and wheelbase have all been increased by approximately an inch or more for more room, inside and out. Its aggressive new styling makes a bold statement without compromising refinement and is a subtle hint to the power that lies underneath.

The RAV4 is powered by an all-new, all-aluminum, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine with variable valve timing with intelligence (VVT-i) technology. The engine produces 148 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 142 lb./ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm, delivering 21 more horsepower and 10 more foot pounds of torque over the previous generation. The all-new engine weighs approximately 40 pounds less than the previous powerplant.

A five-speed manual overdrive transmission is standard equipment, and a four-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission also is available. Both transmissions are available with either two or four wheel drive configurations.

Pricing for the 2001 RAV4 ranges from $16,215 for the two-wheel drive five-speed model, to $18,665 for the four-wheel drive automatic. Overall, the RAV4's MSRP has decreased by 3.7 percent, or $678 compared to the previous generation.

Taurus — All packages priced at $258.00

Taurus SE Sedan — 60F ($590 value)

Power driver seat with lumbar

AM/FM stereo with single cd

Front & rear floor mat

Taurus SE Sedan — 60T ($450 value)

Power driver seat with lumbar

AM/FM stereo with cassette

Front & rear floor mats

Taurus SES Sedan — 60X ($350 value)

Traction control

Adjustable pedals

Front & rear floor mats

Sable GS Sedan — 60F ($790 value)

7-spoke alloy machined wheels

Power driver seat

2001 OLDS BRAVADA — ALL MODELS

Final target production week: December 11, 2000

Fleet final order due date: October 31, 2000

2001 GMC JIMMY/ENVOY — All 4-DOOR MODELS

Final target production week: December 11, 2000

Fleet final order due date: October 31, 2000

(Note: 2-Door models are not affected and will continue production)

2001 CHEVY BLAZER — ALL TRAILBLAZER 1SG PEG 4-DOOR MODELS W/TB4 LIFTGATE

Final target production week: December 11, 2000

Fleet final order due date: October 31, 2000

(Note: All 2-Door Blazer models and 4-Door models equipped with 1SA, 1SB, 1SC, 1SD, 1SE or 1SF Equipment Groups are available for the balance of the model year if equipped with E55 Tailgate.)

When developing the TrailBlazer, engineers had the benefit of working from the ground up with an all-new architecture. In order for TrailBlazer to set new standards for SUVs, four focal points - Strength, Power, Security and Ride Quality - were used to create Chevy's newest truck.

Strength - TrailBlazer has a body-on-frame construction and a fully hydroformed frame, giving it an extremely solid feel. Other features include a rigid body structure of 23 Hz (comparable to many performance sedans), 5-mph bumpers that meet the Motor Vehicle Regulation (MVR) 581 impact standard with no damage to the vehicle (the only vehicle in the segment to meet that federal standard) and powerful tow capability.

Power — Built on an all-new platform and powered by the new Vortec 4200 Inline six-cylinder engine, TrailBlazer will offer the power of a V8 while providing V6 fuel efficiency. The 270 horsepower of the Vortec beats all V8 competitors. The 275 lb-ft of torque gives TrailBlazer more usable torque at all speeds. It is so quiet that the system includes a SmartStart feature to avoid re-start attempts.

Security - TrailBlazer will have OnStar either available or standard on all three models. Vented anti-lock disc brakes are standard, and TrailBlazer has an advanced electrical system, which needs very few wires (no harness needed), improved diagnostics and provisions for future OnStarTM applications.

Ride Quality - Utilizing an all-new five-link coil rear suspension, a longer dynamic wheel travel and hydraulic assist rack-and-pinion steering for a tighter turning radius, TrailBlazer provides superb ride and handling. The available 16- and 17-inch Goodrich tires have been tuned to meet GM's demanding specifications for ride comfort.

Offering three models, LS, LT and LTZ, Chevrolet will bring the new TrailBlazer into showrooms in the spring of 2001.

Auburn Hills, Mi — October 6, 2000 - DaimlerChrysler Corporation (DCC) will invest $455 million in its Indiana Transmission Plant (ITP) in Kokomo, IN to produce a Mercedes-Benz developed transmission — the first example of component sharing between the Chrysler Group and Mercedes-Benz since the merger of Chrysler Corporation and Daimler-Benz in 1998.

DCC will expand ITP by 600,000 square-feet and will build the Mercedes-Benz "W5A580" transmission, for use in future Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep® products. The five-speed automatic rear-wheel drive transmission, currently built in the company's Hedelfingen plant just outside Stuttgart, is used in the current Mercedes-Benz S, E, C and M-Class vehicles.

The company will break ground on the new facility later this year, with production slated to begin in 2004. The new facility will have the capacity to produce 400,000 W5A580 transmissions annually. ITP currently produces about 400,000 45RFE rear-wheel drive automatic transmissions for Jeep vehicles and Dodge trucks annually. Next year, it will double production of the 45RFE as part of its original plan.

The W5A580 debuted in 1995 Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles and is known to be one of the smoothest, most fuel-efficient and cost-effective transmissions in the industry. Its unique three-channel torque converter helps provide an exceptionally smooth ride and shifting, while reducing fuel consumption.

October 6, 2000 Miami, FL - Saturn will enter the rapidly growing market for compact sport utility vehicles next year with an all-new Saturn SUV that will offer the space, security and utility of an SUV in an intelligent, versatile, fun-to-drive package.

Saturn unveiled its SUV at the South Florida International Auto Show in Miami, ten years after the first Saturn made its auto show debut there. The SUV will join the smaller Saturn S-Series and midsize L-Series at Saturn retailers in the fall of 2001 as a 2002 model.

The Saturn SUV includes a number of distinctive Saturn features not offered by competitors. Dent-resistant polymer bodyside panels help keep the vehicle looking newer, longer. A new, continuously variable transmission (CVT) offers seamless shifting and enhanced fuel economy. The Saturn SUV will also offer Saturn's head curtain air bags, which are designed to help decrease the severity of head and neck injuries in side-impact collisions.

The Saturn SUV will offer customers a choice of a powerful 138-horsepower twin-cam four-cylinder engine or a 181-horsepower dual-overhead camshaft V6. It will be available with an advanced continuously variable transmission that provides all-wheel-drive for improved traction and security in inclement weather.

Inside, the Saturn SUV is designed for maximum versatility, with a 70/30 split folding rear seat and a front passenger seatback that also folds flat, allowing long objects to be carried inside the vehicle. Major operations are designed for easy one-hand, one-step operation. The rear cargo area includes tie-down points, hooks for plastic grocery bags, and a cargo organizer for smaller objects.

To help introduce the newest member of the growing Saturn family, Saturn will preview the SUV at 77 auto shows across the country, starting in Miami and wrapping up in New York in late April 2001. Saturn is showcasing the SUV on the Saturn Web site, www.saturn.com.

The Saturn SUV will be built in Spring Hill, TN, on a specially constructed split line that will allow cars and trucks to be built in the same facility. Saturn will announce a name for the vehicle at a later date.

"The addition of this feature confirms Saturn's continued position as a safety leader among automobile manufacturers," said Jim Ulrich, vice president of engineering for Saturn Corporation. "While this technology was developed by our engineers for Saturn vehicles, it will eventually be shared among other General Motors brands."

Saturn's head curtain air bags are currently available on certain vehicles in retailer showrooms, and can be ordered as an option as well. The cost for the head curtain air bag option is $325 on the small S-Series cars and $395 for mid-size L-Series vehicles.

Side impacts are second only to frontal impacts as a source of injuries and fatalities to passenger car occupants. Side impact crashes account for approximately 30 percent of crashes in small and mid-size cars. About half of the harm from serious injury in side impact crashes is associated with head and neck injuries. Side impact head curtain air bags are intended to help cushion the head and neck in many of these types of crashes and are expected to significantly reduce these injuries. Of course, no restraint system is capable of preventing injury in every circumstance and air bags are most effective when used with safety belts.

Troy, MI - Oct. 5 - In a show of things soon to come, Delphi Automotive Systems successfully demonstrated one of the first mobile Satellite Digital Audio Receiver Service (SDARS) receiving systems recently with a connection to a digital radio signal from XM Satellite Radio. The XM digital music signal was successfully received by an open-air SDARS remote Delphi receiver and played through a Delphi Delco Electronics Systems premium radio.

"This was a wonderful display of how satellite digital radio is going to revolutionize traditional radio and offer consumers added options for music and programming," said Robert Schumacher, Delphi director of Mobile MultiMedia. "This technology will change radio the way cable and satellite have revolutionized TV. We expect many interesting developments in these markets and are pleased to provide the in-vehicle receiver technology that is enabling this rapid change."

SDARS provides the listener with more programming information than traditional vehicle radios. The alphanumeric display shows the station title, song selection title and artist name and program type. The remote receiver is equipped with a custom chipset designed to make the radio satellite-capable. Slated to be available in 2001, satellite radio is a revolutionary new band of radio that will deliver non-stop, digital-quality music and other programming directly via satellite to vehicles and residences. Mobile users will be able to listen to their favorite programming options coast-to-coast, never changing the dial because the signal is always present. The service will cost consumers about $9.95 per month.

Delphi received the first OEM multi-year purchase contract in November, 1999 to build audio systems for General Motors that will receive the XM Satellite Radio signal. Delphi Delco Electronics Systems will supply radios for original equipment manufacturers that receive the XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio services.

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!