Ranger

Completely new from the ground up, the 2002 Envoy features refined ride and handling, interior versatility and spaciousness, and improved safety characteristics. Available as a four-door model in two-or four-wheel drive, the Envoy is offered in SLE and SLT trim levels. The Envoy is available for ordering and is due to hit dealer show rooms in the first quarter 2001.

Features and Highlights

• Large vertically oriented headlamps, standard fog lamps and cornering lamps
• SLT trim includes body-color exterior door handles, brushed nickel body side moldings and interior wood trim accents
• More than eight inches longer, four inches wider and seven inches taller than the previous model
• 12 more cubic feet of cargo space than the previous model and the split rear seats fold for cargo loading flexibility

• Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) controls include standard dual zones up front with separate controls for rear seat passengers. Temperatures can be set up to a 25-degree differential between the two front HVAC zones
  
• Memory and personalization features include the ability for two separate drivers to tailor the seat position, side mirror positions, radio stations, HVAC controls
• The six-language driver information center, standard with SLT trim, provides vital vehicle information on fluid levels as well as calculations for fuel data such as average fuel economy and range
• Standard CD player with Radio Data Systems (RDS) technology that provides the ability to search for radio stations by type (i.e. classical, country, rock) as well as receive text-based messages
• OnStar® system is standard and OnStar’s Safety and Security service package is included for the first year
• The body is designed for stiffness and rigidity. Engineers targeted and achieved a 23-hertz rating, comparable to world-class luxury sedans, to reduce noise and vibration
• Advanced, full-length hydroformed side rails with eight cross-members provide the rigid structural backbone for the body
• Independent short- and long-arm front suspension and five-link rear suspension design. Also available is an electronically controlled air suspension that adjusts the spring height at each rear wheel depending on load requirements
• Four-wheel antilock braking (ABS) is standard
• Standard 17-inch Michelin tires and aluminum wheels
• All-new, all-aluminum Vortec 4200 Inline six-cylinder engine - 4.2-liter, 24-valve, six-cylinder, dual overhead cam (DOHC) powerplant with 270 peak horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque
• Standard towing rating of 6,300 lbs

Auburn Hills, MI - The all-new Chrysler Sebring sedan and Chrysler PT Cruiser are among the top 13 vehicles selected by AAA as the "TOP CARS" to buy for the 2001 model year.

The all-new Chrysler Sebring sedan and Chrysler PT Cruiser are joined by the Dodge Grand Caravan as the best minivan, giving DaimlerChrysler three AAA Top Car Awards for 2001 model year.

Experts chose the recently introduced 2001 Chrysler Sebring sedan as the top car in the $15,000-$20,000 price category based on its best combination of performance, design, quality and value. The AAA experts liked the quiet cabin, the new V-6 engine, eye-catching design, comfortable ride and roomy interior.

It's only fitting that the "too cool to categorize" Chrysler PT Cruiser is named as the "Cool Car" for its unclassifiable appeal. The editors choose the Cool Car based on its allure and unique characteristics. AAA experts like the impressive stability of the PT Cruiser platform and stand-out design.

"Determining which vehicles deserve the AAA Top Car Award is as difficult as the choices many consumers make when shopping for a new car," said David Van Sickle, Editor, AAA New Car & Truck Buying Guide. "In the end, our selections hinge on which vehicles offer the best combination of performance, design, quality and value."

To choose the TOP CARS, AAA experts test-drive cars, trucks and minivans in everyday driving conditions and on a closed track. They time acceleration, measure braking distance, calculate cargo capacity and learn how each vehicle performs on city streets, rural roads and the open highway. They rate each vehicle in 20 categories, covering passenger environment, over-the-road performance, workmanship and value. When the scores are added up and the cars are assigned to price classes according to manufacturer's suggested retail price of the base model tested, the top cars for the year emerge.

Dearborn, MI, Jan. 2, 2001 - Ford Motor Company will provide its own tire warranty on 2001 and subsequent 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.

With the addition of tires, all vehicle components are now covered by Ford's bumper-to-bumper warranty. This move breaks with a century of tradition where historically only the tire manufacturer provided the tire warranty.

"A consumer-focused company listens to its customers, and they're telling us they want us to take strong steps to ensure tire safety," said Jacques Nasser, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company. "We now stand behind every component on our vehicles. Administering our own tire warranty will also play a role in our 'early warning system,' providing early access to data on tire performance."

The warranty will provide for replacement of tires for defects in material or workmanship at no charge during the vehicle bumper-to bumper coverage period (Ford and Mercury coverage is 3 years/36,000 miles, Lincoln is 4 years/50,000 miles, whichever comes first).

Vehicle owners will remain eligible for additional tire manufacturer coverage to the extent that such coverage extends beyond the bumper-to-bumper period.

Customers will be able to obtain warranty tire service, as well as routine maintenance, through 6,000 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury dealers in the United States and its territories, Canada and Mexico. Tire service will continue to be available at all independent and franchised service centers authorized by the tire manufacturer.

DETROIT - Following the recent announcement to phase out Oldsmobile over the next several years, Oldsmobile announced a new 60 month/60,000 mile General Motors protection plan for all 2000 and 2001 Oldsmobile products including Alero, Intrigue, Aurora, Bravada and Silhouette models. The new protection plan will also cover the 2002 Bravada that will be available in dealer showrooms in the coming months.

"As previously stated, Oldsmobile will be phased out gradually. However, we want our customers to feel confident that any new Oldsmobile products they buy will be covered on specific components and assemblies for a full five years or 60,000 miles through the entire General Motors dealer network" said Debra Kelly-Ennis, general manager of Oldsmobile.

Components covered under the Major Guard protection plan include the engine, transmission, front and rear wheel drive assembly, fuel and cooling systems. Additional coverage also is provided for the electrical and computer systems, brakes, suspension and steering systems. Under the plan, the customer pays no deductible costs.

Currently, the automaker has a 3-year/36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty on all its vehicles.

The new offer is available to customers who purchase all new and unused 2000, 2001 and 2002 Oldsmobile products and is effective immediately through April 15, 2001.

Los Angeles, CA, Jan. 3, 2001 - General Motors' Cadillac division revealed the Escalade EXT - a Sport Utility Truck that is a cross between a luxury SUV and a premium pickup truck. The EXT will offer the luxuries Cadillac customers expect, with the extended cargo capabilities of a pickup truck.

The Escalade EXT enters at the forefront of the SUT segment, a new niche for Cadillac and the automotive industry. Building on the design and technology foundation of the all-new 2002 Escalade, EXT offers the same distinct design and innovative technologies as its sister and the reconfigurability capabilities of its cousin, the Chevy Avalanche.

In its standard configuration, EXT offers a roomy, luxurious, comfortable five-passenger cab and a 5'3" (1.6 m) long cargo box. Luxury customers requiring more cargo room can easily convert the reconfigurable Midgate(tm) in a few minutes without any tools, extending the bed to a full 8'1" (2.5 m). The Midgate(tm) folds into the interior of the cab to create a 4' x 8' (1.2 m x 2.43 m) cargo area to transport large items.

Items are protected from the elements and theft by a standard three-piece cargo cover and lockable tailgate. The cargo box also offers protection for items secured inside. The sides of the cargo box, along with the Midgate(tm) and tailgate, are constructed of a new PRO-TEC(tm) composite material.

The EXT's rear window is removable to allow for additional cargo space or for added air-circulation. The window is easily stowed on board and works in conjunction with the Midgate(tm).

The 2002 Escalade EXT will share the same powertrain as the AWD Escalade, Cadillac's exclusive version of the best-in-class high-output LQ9 V8. The AWD Escalade now has more horsepower than any SUV competitor. This high compression engine generates 345 horsepower at 5200 rpm and 380 lb.-ft. of torque at 4000 rpm. The engine links to a new Hydra-Matic 4L60-E HD (heavy-duty) electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive.

To protect public health and the environment, the Clinton-Gore Administration announced a major action that will provide the cleanest running heavy-duty trucks and buses in history. These vehicles will be 95 percent cleaner than today's trucks and buses. To ensure cleaner-running trucks and buses, the action also requires that sulfur in diesel fuel be reduced by 97 percent. By addressing diesel fuel and engines together as a single system, this action will produce the clean-air equivalent of eliminating air pollution from 13 million of today's trucks.

An older, dirtier diesel vehicle can emit almost eight tons of air pollution each year. This action will reduce 2.6 million tons of smog-causing nitrogen oxide emissions each year once the program is fully implemented. Emissions of soot, or particulate matter, will be reduced by nearly 110,000 tons each year.

To date, most diesel trucks and buses have not used pollution control devices similar to those used on cars for the last 25 years. To enable modern pollution-control technology to be effective on trucks and buses, however, diesel fuel must be significantly cleaner than it is today. EPA will reduce the sulfur content of highway diesel fuel from its current level of 500 parts per million to 15 parts per million - a 97 percent reduction.

Significant lead time has been provided in the rule for the introduction of new cleaner fuel into the marketplace to ensure no disruptions in fuel supplies and reduce costs. Engine manufacturers will have flexibility to meet the new standards through a phase-in approach between 2007 and 2010. The fuel provisions will go into effect in June 2006. The program includes various flexible approaches, including additional time for some refiners, if required, and special provisions for small oil refiners.

EPA estimates the costs of this program will raise costs of new vehicles by $1,200 to $1,900 per vehicle (new trucks cost up to $150,000 and buses cost up to $250,000). EPA estimates diesel fuel costs could increase by four to five cents per gallon.

WARREN, MI — General Motors announced that it is offering a new child safety seat restraint system in a number of 2001 model year vehicles that helps to reduce errors in installation.

The new LATCH — Lower Anchors and Top Tethers for Children — system is available on the 2001 Pontiac Aztek, Grand Am and Montana, Oldsmobile Alero and Silhouette, Chevrolet Venture and Silverado, and GMC Sierra.

"The LATCH system helps to make buckling kids easier by allowing parents to anchor the child safety seat to the vehicle frame through structural parts of the vehicle without using the seat belts," said Cindy Osmun, director interior engineering, General Motors. "Through the SAFE KIDS BUCKLE UP program we have found that over 85 percent of child safety seats are misused and the LATCH system should help to eliminate some of the errors we are seeing at the checkup events."

The new anchorage system uses two rigid lower anchors and a top tether to secure the child safety seat through structural parts of the vehicle. The lower anchors, located between the seat back and bottom cushion, are identified in some GM vehicles, by small dots on the seat back above each anchor.

While the LATCH system helps to make installation easier, parents still have to properly restrain children in the safety seat and carefully follow the weight and age guidelines for their particular seat.

For further information on the proper installation of child passenger safety seats please visit www.ourpreciouscargo.com. A list of local SAFE KIDS BUCKLE UP checkup events is available on the National SAFE KIDS Campaign’s website at www.safekids.org or by calling 800-441-1888.

Detroit, Jan. 1, 2001 - As the 2002 Thunderbird arrives on the scene, Ford is adding to the drama with a new concept - the Thunderbird Sports Roadster — to pique the interest of auto show-goers.

The Thunderbird Sports Roadster concept is a modern automotive portrayal of an era rich in American culture and spirit. The concept's design was inspired by the 1962 Ford Thunderbird Sports Roadster and echoes design cues reminiscent of the "Bullet Birds" of the Sixties.

"Thunderbird is one of the most time-honored icons in automotive history," says J Mays, Ford vice president of Design. "There's a strong emotional connection to the early Thunderbirds. The new Thunderbird concept has rekindled those emotions."

The Thunderbird Sports Roadster concept is a more outward interpretation of the 1962 and 1963 designs. The car reflects the flamboyant '60s finished in vivid red enamel with a white leather interior. The concept features a sloped rear deck with a molded fiberglass tonneau cover and integrated, white leather-covered headrests embossed with the trademark Thunderbird logo. Chrome-finished fasteners secure the tonneau to the roadster.

The tonneau cover "waterfalls" between the seats into a relaxed interior environment that features "ceramic" white leather fluted bucket seats. The instrument panel, pillars, scuff plates and interior door trim panels are leather wrapped and feature unique stitching by Draxlmaier.

The driver's cockpit area features a leather wrapped three-spoke steering wheel, shifter knob, hand brake and armrest. The cluster appliqué houses turquoise pointers mounted on metal hubs. Metal appliqués on the instrument panel and interior door panels sport a brushed aluminum appearance and aluminum-finished buttons. An integrated chrome hood scoop and large rounded headlamps enhance the vehicle's sleek look. The chrome finished egg-crate design grille also compliments the concept's heritage design. The chrome accent theme is carried to the 18-inch chrome plated wheels fitted with low-profile black sidewall tires.

The Thunderbird Sports Roadster concept epitomizes the romance of relaxed, laid back open air driving in a true American beauty.

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to save money and time.

Call your ARI representative for details!