Ford Motor Company has announced that it will extend the deadline for 2002MY E-Series and F-Super Duty Commercial Fleet Early Order Incentives. The incentives were originally scheduled to expire on September 30, 2001. The revised deadline is now October 31, 2001. Vehicles must be produced by January 31, 2002. A valid FIN code is required.

Please submit your orders by no later than October 29, 2001 to allow the ARI Order Specialists sufficient processing time.

Econoline Van (250-450) and Cutaway Early Order Incentive - $500

F-Super Duty w/5.4L or 6.8L engine Early Order Incentive - $500

The Chrysler Group recently announced that prices of its 2002 model year vehicles will average 0.9 percent less than comparable 2001 models. On average, adjusting for content, reductions represent a decrease of $199 per vehicle.

The overall price reductions were achieved by the Chrysler Group's ongoing cost reduction program, through price repositioning of selected models, and the introduction of new value-priced models.

For example, the 2002 Chrysler 300M is $1,200 lower. Among the new value-priced models is the 2002 Chrysler Concorde LX for under $23,000, including destination.

The competitive pricing strategy also applies to all-new vehicles, including the Jeep Liberty and the Dodge Ram 1500 Fullsize Pickup.

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., has announced manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSRP) for the Highlander mid-size sport utility vehicle and the ECHO subcompact sedan. The vehicles are expected to arrive in dealer showrooms at the end of September.

2002 Toyota Highlander	2002 Toyota ECHO

Highlander, the most recent addition to Toyota's SUV family, receives a number of interior comfort and convenience enhancements for 2002. It will feature a new standard center console with dual adjustable cupholders, front and rear ashtrays, a spacious storage compartment and a floor level storage tray. Also added for 2002 are a rear seat armrest and a cabin air filter.

Further enhancing Highlander for 2002 are two new refined Limited V6 models. The new Limited models have added luxury features including automatic climate control, 16-inch alloy wheels, color-keyed rear spoiler and Premium JBL 3-in-1 audio system.

Highlander's MSRP ranges from $23,880 for the 2WD four-cylinder model to $26,860 for the 4WD V6. MSRP for the Highlander Limited models begins at $29,395 for the 2WD and $30,795 for the 4WD. Highlander prices have increased by $365, or 1.4 percent above last year's prices.

ECHO, Toyota's lowest-priced and most fuel-efficient conventional vehicle, continues to offer outstanding value with an unchanged base MSRP of $9,995 for the two-door model equipped with a five-speed manual transmission. Prices for the other models increase by a minimal $60, or 0.5 percent compared to last year, with the four-door with automatic transmission priced at $11,385.

Toyota is currently accepting orders for the 2002 Highlander and ECHO models. The estimated lead-time is approximately 16 weeks.

In the previous issue of the Purchasing News (#119 dated September 17, 2001), ARI reported the availability of a 5-passenger cloth seating option on the 2002 Ford Taurus SE (array 920A) and SES (array 930A).

Please be advised that the 5-passenger seating arrangement is now available in leather trim and includes a center console with a floor shifter.

The MSRP for 5-passenger leather seating is $895.

On September 24, 2001 Mercury introduced three new special edition vehicles that will be available on existing 2002 models: a Mountaineer Premier Edition, Cougar XR and Sable Platinum. The vehicles made their debut on September 23 at the Mercury Cycling Classic of Irvine.

	Mountaineer Premier Edition * The Mountaineer Premier Edition includes a monochromatic paint treatment, color-keyed front and rear fascias and body cladding and is enhanced by a satin aluminum finish luggage rack, satin aluminum dual exhaust tip and a satin aluminum "Premier" badge on the rear liftgate. The Premier Edition is available in Black and Silver Birch and will be in dealer showrooms in the spring of 2002. Pricing for the Premier Edition package has not yet been determined and will be announced later this year.
	2002 Mountaineer Premier Edition
Cougar XR * The new 2002 Cougar XR is powered by a V-6 engine producing 170 horsepower and a sport tuned suspension, which builds on Cougar's key elements with its bold exterior and interior. Cougar XR is offered in red or black clearcoat, with a color-keyed Roush hood scoop and a Roush rear spoiler. The unique 17-inch wheels are partially painted black with color-keyed center caps to match the red or black exterior color of the vehicle. The Cougar XR logo is emblazoned on the quarter glass, front and back seats and floor mats. Cloth seats with black bolsters in midnight black or dark graphite are standard. Available midnight black leather seats with black bolsters and red leather inserts are optional. The Cougar XR option will be available in October 2001 with an MSRP of $950.00. Production is limited to 3,000.
2002 Cougar XR
	Sable Platinum Edition* Enhancing the look of the 2002 Sable, the Platinum Edition, offered in both the sedan and the wagon, offers unique front and rear perforated leather seating, "Platinum Edition" fender badge, and aluminum wheels featuring a satin aluminum Mercury logo on the center cap. The interior of the Platinum includes the use of real satin aluminum on the center floor console and the instrument panel center stack. The instrument cluster bezel is painted to match. The front grille and decklid appliqué will also have a satin aluminum finish. The Sable Platinum will be offered in seven exterior colors, with medium graphite leather interior. The Platinum option will hit showroom floors in January 2002 with an MSRP of $595.00. Production is limited to 3,500.
	2002 Sable Platinum Edition

* Due to limited production of the above models, ARI anticipates little or no fleet allocation. It may be possible to locate a vehicle in a dealers' inventory with assistance from the ARI Stock Purchasing Department, however, it is likely that dealers may charge full MSRP, or in some cases, above MSRP for a vehicle. ARI will make every effort to acquire a vehicle at a competitive price by using our network of preferred dealers. Please contact your ARI representative for assistance.

The all-new Land Rover Freelander is coming to North America this fall. Starting October 1, 25 of the new SUVs will criss-cross the continent, visiting more than 60 cities on "The Freelander Road to Adventure". The seven-week journey will give thousands of people in the U.S. and Canada an up-close look at Freelander before it goes on sale in December.

The five-door station wagon body style represents the first all-new Land Rover model for North America since 1994. It comes from the same British lineage as Range Rover and Discovery but is a more compact interpretation of the premium SUV package.

Along with a permanent all-wheel drive system and four-wheel electronic traction control, Freelander features Hill Descent Control, long wheel travel, a center viscous coupled differential, and a 2.5-litre, 24-valve DOHC V6 engine mated to a five-speed automatic transmission with sport/manual operation.

"With Freelander starting at $24,975, we think that it has the potential of increasing Land Rover sales by more than 70 percent during calendar year 2002. At the same time, more people will come to know the Land Rover lifestyle long-favored by Range Rover, Discovery and Defender owners," says Jon Williams, Land Rover vice president of Marketing.

• Cloth 40/20/40 Split Bench Seat available on 2002 F-Super Duty with XL trim (order code 3H for Medium

  Parchment and order code 3E for Medium Flint)
• Power Group available on 2002 F-Super Duty with XL trim (order code 903) – includes power locks and power windows

GM Celebrates Muscle Cars' Last Year of Production

On September 25, 2001 General Motors Corporation officially announced that 2002 would be the last model year for the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird. The Ste. Thérèse, Quebec plant where the vehicles are produced will close in the fall of 2002.

According to John G. Middlebrook, GM vice president and general manager vehicle brand marketing & corporate advertising, the combination of significantly reduced demand in the regular sport segment, which has decreased by 53 percent from 1990 to 2000, made this decision unavoidable.

Middlebrook said GM is celebrating both cars' significance as American muscle car icons in 2002.

"The Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird have truly become an integral part of American culture over the years," said Middlebrook. "We appreciate the strong emotions that our customers have for these cars and we're pleased to be celebrating them with a 35th Anniversary Edition Camaro and a Collector Edition Firebird Trans Am special edition models."

2002 Camaro 35th Anniversary Edition SS Convertible

Although Camaro and Firebird have always had focused appeal, both Chevy and Pontiac will continue the tradition of providing performance vehicles. Next year, Chevy will introduce the SSR. Pontiac will also continue to offer the supercharged Grand Prix GTP and Bonneville SSEi and the forthcoming Vibe GT.

GM will continue to support the millions of Camaro and Firebird/Trans Am owners with replacement parts, reproduction parts, accessories and technical support through its Service Parts Organization.

2002 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Collector Edition

General Motors of Canada Limited president and general manager, Maureen Kempston Darkes said, "Closing the Ste. Thérèse Plant is an extremely painful and difficult decision. GM has worked very hard to identify a new product or other alternative to continue manufacturing at Ste. Thérèse. However, despite several years of intensive work, we have been unable to identify any viable alternatives."

The Ste. Thérèse, Quebec plant opened in 1965. Over the years, it has produced a variety of car models, including the Chevrolet Monza, Pontiac Grand Prix and Chevrolet Celebrity. It has been the sole producer of the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird models since 1993.

The all-new Lexus ES 300 will retain the price of the previous-generation model with a MSRP of $31,505 and a destination and handling fee of $575.

The third-generation ES 300 features a contemporary design combined with more responsive driving pleasure and greater room than its predecessor. In many ways, the new ES 300 more closely aligns with the LS 430 flagship model.

Powertrain and chassis refinements make the new ES 300 a more engaging car to drive than before. A longer wheelbase (107.1 in. vs. 105.1 in.) and increased height (57.3 in. vs. 54.9 in.) provide greater passenger room than the previous ES 300. A flat underbody, reshaped mirrors, and other exterior refinements contribute to the low 0.28 coefficient of drag and help reduce wind noise even further than before.

Using more sound absorption technology than sound insulation gives the 2002 ES 300 an even quieter cabin than its predecessor. The new material absorbs noise rather than simply blocking it. As in the previous model, an active engine mount helps cancel out vibration. New engine mounts further reduce vibration at idle, and a two-stage muffler reduces exhaust "booming" at low speeds.
The ES 300 safety package starts with a redesigned unibody with new crush structures and passenger compartment reinforcements. The A-pillars extend all the way up and along the length of the roofline, and new connection techniques bolster the strength of the roof structure and side sills. A strong dual-thickness B-pillar and efficient cross-car floorpan reinforcements help provide the ES 300 with inherently high side impact strength. Additionally, whiplash injury lessening (WIL) front seats are standard.

As in the LS 430, the Supplemental Restraint System includes new side curtain airbags that augment the dual front airbags and front seat-mounted side airbags. The side curtain airbags extend from the A-pillar to C-pillar to help provide protection for the head and upper body in a side impact. New multi-stage front airbags are designed to deploy according to impact force. The driver's front airbag includes an extra low deployment stage designed to deploy when a smaller-size person is driving, as detected by the position of the seat on the seat track.

Standard active safety technology in the 2002 ES 300 includes anti-lock brakes (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), which monitors all four wheels for lock-up, and daytime running lights.

As it did for the LS 430, Lexus refined the ES 300 suspension tuning to provide a more engaging driving experience, yet with even greater ride smoothness. The four-wheel independent suspension is mounted to anti-vibration subframes, now with greater rigidity for tighter handling.
The aluminum 3.0-liter double-overhead cam V6 engine that powers the ES 300 produces 210 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 220 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 4,400 rpm. For 2002, this smooth and responsive powerplant is teamed with a new five-speed electronic automatic transmission that helps to enhance performance, driving smoothness and fuel efficiency.

The 2002 ES 300 has achieved an Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV) certification and EPA fuel mileage ratings of 21 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway, versus 19/26-mpg ratings for the 2001 model.