In the forty years that Jim Scott has been with Crown North America, he has probably heard every possible upfit idea proposed by a customer. When Lou Pastras, ARI National Truck Sales Manager, called to inquire if Crown could design a rear roll-up door for Airborne Express vans, Scott called on his extensive background and experience. Working in cooperation with Airborne Express, he assembled a project team to produce a prototype using a Ford Econoline. The end result led to the first-ever Upfitter Innovation Award, delivered at the Fleet Expo 2000.

The request for a roll-up door was born from a specific dilemma that Airborne Express was experiencing. When the vans were at their cargo terminals, the swing-out doors limited the number of vehicles that could be parked side by side for safe loading, which compromised efficiency. The roll-up Courier Door System is promising to be a worthy solution.

When designing the new door, Crown had specific criteria to meet: it must have functionality and ease of operation, long-term durability, the impact on the vehicles’ profile had to be kept to a minimum, it had to be production-line compatible and the value added had to exceed pricing expectations. Mark Gordon, VP - Crown Vehicle Conversions describes the finished product as "a clean, very functional and cost-effective conversion".

Upon completion of the prototype, Crown received permission to exhibit it at the NAFA Fleet Exposition in Nashville in April. It was then placed into service in the Michigan region by Airborne Express for a 6-month review. "The preliminary feedback has been very positive", said Tom DeVaux, Crown National Fleet Sales Manager.

Key product features include an aluminum, extruded, roll-up overhead door with a latch and key lock. There is a door-activated dome light for visibility and convenience. OEM color-matched, custom-molded, rear close-out panels retain the vehicles’ profile. A wide access roll-up door opening results in easier and faster cargo handling and eliminates the risk of damaging typical swing-out doors. It is currently compatible with the Ford Econoline and Chevrolet/GMC full-size cargo vans.

"The jury is still out on this product, but the real story here is Crown stands ready to be a resource available to ARI and its clients" said DeVaux. "Whether it is a product, a program, or a process Crown has innovative approaches when ‘SPEED COUNTS’ in doing business."

On September 1, 2000 new Federal Braking Standards went into affect. As a result of the new standards, effective August 1, 2000 all unscheduled 2001 Taurus/Sable Wagons without ABS were placed on hold. Non-ABS units will not be available until August 1, 2001.

Summary/Action

Please contact your ARI Administrator if you currently have non-ABS Taurus/Sable Wagons on order.

Silverado 1500 HD Crew Cab

The all-new Silverado 1500 HD Crew Cab is built on the 2500 Series platform with features that include the Vortec 6000 engine, exterior appearance package, wheel flares, Z85 trailering/handling suspension package and heavy duty brakes as standard equipment. Additionally, Autotrac Active Transfer Case is standard on the 4WD model. This model has the same front-end appearance and ride height as the current 1500 and 2500 Silverados. It is available in LS or LT trim.

$720

$31,655

$34,772

Sierra 1500 HD Crew Cab

The all-new Sierra 1500 HD Crew Cab includes the same standard features as the all-new Silverado 1500 HD Crew Cab and is available in SLE or SLT trim.

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

GM has announced tentative 2001 build-out and 2002 start up dates. The dates noted represent the planned final production and start-up for the respective product line. Please note: these dates are subject to change and are not order due dates for the 2001 model year build-out.

6/4/01

6/4/01

5/25/01

5/24/01

6/1/01

6/8/01

6/1/01

5/25/01

N/A

6/27/01

Discontinued

5/25/01

6/1/01

6/28/01

6/4/01

6/4/01

6/4/01

5/22/01

6/27/01

6/4/01

6/8/01

5/28/01

5/28/01

7/23/01

6/29/01

9/3/01

7/16/01

1/29/01

7/16/01

N/A

7/16/01

6/21/01

7/16/01

7/2/01

6/29/01

6/12/01

6/29/01

9/28/01

ARLINGTON, VA, INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY NEWS RELEASE, 12/14/00 - Many new cars are being equipped with airbags designed to protect people's heads in side impacts. New Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests of the BMW X5 and Volvo S80 demonstrated the important benefits afforded to occupants by side airbag head protection systems.

Pickup truck into side of Volvo S80: The Institute conducted two crash tests in which the fronts of Chevrolet pickup trucks struck the sides of 1999 Volvo S80s. The S80 in one test included side airbag head protection, while in the other test the S80 did not (both S80s had side airbags for torso protection). In each test, the pickup was going 32 mph, and the S80 16 mph. Results showed that the head airbags provide very important protection in addition to what is afforded by the torso bags.

In the test without the head protection airbag, the hood of the pickup truck struck the heads of the driver and rear passenger dummies. The forces recorded on the rear-seat dummy’s head were high, in fact, sufficient to cause fatal head injuries. The driver dummy's head contact didn't sustain high forces, but the fact that the contact occurred means that the head barely escaped severe impact. In contrast, in the test with the head protection airbag, both dummies recorded low head forces because the inflatable curtain provided a cushion between the dummies' heads and the hood of the pickup truck.

Car-into-pole crash tests: The institute also conducted side-into-pole crash tests with a BMW X5 and Volvo S80, both equipped with side air bag head protection (an inflatable curtain in the Volvo and an inflatable tube-shaped air bag in the BMW.) In each test, the vehicle was propelled sideways at 18 mph into a rigid pole. "The 18mph speed of this test might not sound like one at which a crash could be serious," O’Neill said, "but impacts into rigid objects such as poles or trees at 18 mph are, in fact, very severe." The pole is relatively narrow, so there was major penetration into the side of each car. Yet the forces recorded on the dummies’ heads in these tests were low.

"These tests demonstrate that people can survive serious side-impact crashes in the real world because head air bags prevent their heads from striking rigid objects," O’Neill said. He adds "Side airbags with head protection represent a very important safety development that will save lives and prevent major head trauma in a range of serious side impact crashes."

Almost 10,000 occupant deaths occur each year in side-impact crashes, and more than half of these deaths involved head injuries. Head injuries are the cause of death in 51-74 percent of single-vehicle side-impacts and 41-64 percent of multiple-vehicle impacts.

Thirty-eight percent of single-vehicle, side-impact crash-deaths occur when vehicles strike trees or poles on the occupants' side of the vehicle. In two-vehicle side impact crashes, 38 percent of car occupant deaths occur when a pickup or sport utility vehicle strikes the car (source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1999).

Side airbag head protection systems in 2001 models: The designs of side airbag head protection systems in BMWs and Volvos aren't the same. The BMW design is a tubular structure that inflates from the roof to protect occupants' heads. Volvo's side airbags are curtain designs that deploy from the roof. Other side airbags in 2001 models deploy from the vehicle seat, inflating forward and upward to cushion occupants' heads and chests.

For a detailed analysis of the crash test results or for a list of current models offering side-impact head air bag protection, please visit the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety web site at http://www.highwaysafety.org/news_releases/2000/pr121400.htm.

Detroit, MI — On December 12, GM announced that the Oldsmobile Division will be phased out over the next few years.

In making the announcement, GM President and Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner and Executive Vice President and President North America Ron Zarrella said that despite major investments over the past few years that resulted in critically acclaimed new Oldsmobile products, the division was still unprofitable and its sales volume continued to erode.

"We stretched to find profitable ways to further strengthen the Oldsmobile product line, including developing products with our global alliance partners, but in the current environment, there was no workable solution," said Wagoner.

Wagoner added this has been a very difficult and painful decision because of the history of the Oldsmobile division. "It is the oldest automotive brand in America with a history that is rich with innovation and success stories, including dozens of legendary cars, and over the years it was one of the jewels in the General Motors’ crown," he said.

"In recent years, we have made major investments in new products for Oldsmobile — significant capital and engineering resources — in an effort to re-position Oldsmobile in the market," Zarrella said. "Even with the introduction of several great new products, the brand’s sales and profit performance remain under pressure."

A dramatically changing North American automotive landscape is driving GM to focus its resources even more sharply on growth opportunities and on making the entire brand portfolio more effective in the marketplace. That means a portfolio dominated by innovative products with shorter lifecycles.

"I want to assure you that we are very sensitive to the concerns and needs of the Oldsmobile customer," Zarrella said. "We will work together with our Oldsmobile dealers to provide for a smooth and orderly business transition."

"While this is a difficult decision, we believe that in the long run, it is the right thing to do to increase GM’s competitiveness, profitability and growth", Zarrella said.

DaimlerChrysler Corporation has become the first automaker ever in the 33-year history of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to receive the "exceed expectations" status from the safety agency for its response to a safety recommendation. The NTSB granted DaimlerChrysler this historic distinction for its groundbreaking Fit for a Kid child safety seat inspection service, which this month became available in all 50 states.

The unprecedented safety status was given to DaimlerChrysler as the NTSB officially closed its Safety Recommendation H-99-3 to the automaker. That recommendation included a call for all automakers and others to combat the dangerous and widespread problem of child safety seat misuse by supporting and establishing child safety seat fitting stations nationwide. The recommendation remains open for all other recipients.

"With the establishment of Fit for a Kid (a free child safety seat service) DaimlerChrysler Corporation surpasses what we hoped for, in terms of quality and scope, and does so at no cost to families," said Jim Hall, acting chairman of the NTSB. "DaimlerChrysler's Fit for a Kid sets a standard for the auto industry worldwide. It delivers a much-needed lifesaving service to American families in a manner fully responsive to the Safety Board's recommendation."

Fit for a Kid is a free child safety seat inspection service offered to anyone by appointment at participating Chrysler/Jeep®/Dodge dealers. DaimlerChrysler Corporation delivers the Fit for a Kid service in a partnership with Fisher-Price and with the support of the National Safety Council (NSC). Families can find a nearby Fit for a Kid dealer by calling toll free 1-877-FIT-4-A-KID or clicking on the Web site www.fitforakid.org.

Fit for a Kid addresses a serious problem. It is believed that eight out of every ten children riding in child safety seats are not buckled in right. The NTSB estimates that, every day, 10 million children are riding in incorrectly restrained child safety seats and are at risk of serious injury or death in the event of a crash.

Since the February 2000 national launch of Fit for a Kid, nearly 20,000 children have had their car seats inspected for proper fit and installation through participating Chrysler/Jeep®/Dodge dealers. Already, seven of these children have the service to thank for protecting them in a crash.

The Prius took this revolutionary technology even further by coming out in May with a more finely honed THS and more responsive driving characteristics, such as sharper acceleration, along with other improvements, including cleaner emissions and better fuel economy.

Overseas, the Prius made its North American debut in July this year, followed by a European launch in September, and has been selling well in those markets thanks to its reputation for being gentle on the environment, while still offering customers uncompromising driving performance.

To date, the cumulative total of registered Prius vehicles in Japan has reached 45,067 units; for North America and Europe cumulative sales are 5,180 vehicles (latest figures), resulting in a combined total of 50,247 units over three years.

For more information about the Toyota Prius, please visit http://www.arifleet.com, go to the Fleet Library, go to the Purchasing News and select the issue #010, dated May 15, 2000.

Silverado 1500 4x2

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!