Purely coincidence, of course.
This fall, DaimlerChrysler unveils its next-generation 2001 mini-van with a total redesign, as well as power sliding side doors on both sides for the first time, and a hatchback lid that stops and retreats when it comes in contact with anything in its path.
With the industry’s mini-van sales leader about to revamp its lineup, could it be more than coincidence that its closest rival in that segment, General Motors, plans more than a few changes to its models?
Rather than a total redesign, GM said it will offer modest changes to front and rear styling on its 2001 Chevrolet, Pontiac and Oldsmobile mini-vans this fall. But, GM will offer a host of new features, including power slide-open side doors on both sides, a stowable-in-the-floor third row seat that D/C doesn’t have and a sonar sensing system in the rear bumpers that warns of people or objects behind when backing up, another item D/C lacks.
And, GM confirmed that for 2002, its vans will offer an all-wheel-drive system called Versatrack that will be shared with the Buick Rendezvous sport-utility hybrid coming out for 2002 that’s built off the van platform.
GM disclosed details on its upcoming vans at the New York Auto Show, where it unveiled the vans in 1996. Fred Schaafsma, vehicle line executive for mini-vans at GM, said the changes coming this fall include:
– A third-seat option that folds flat into the floor so you don’t have to remove it to increase cargo room. Honda’s Odyssey mini-van has a fold-into-the-floor third seat, but unlike GM, Honda says it can’t offer all-wheel-drive because the seat takes up the space for the hardware.
– A convenience center behind the third-row seat with parcel/grocery bag hooks built into the seat backs; covered storage for small items such as cameras, purses and video cameras; and a compartment to hold wet items such as boots or swimming suits.
– Second-row captain’s chairs that fold flat to increase cargo room even more.
– New in-dash CD players and cupholders.
– An upgrade of the optional video entertainment system with a larger 6.8-inch (had been 5.6- inch) screen that folds down from the roof and dual-channel wireless headphones for rear-seat passengers. The dual channel allows them to switch between video player or stereo, and the wireless feature eliminates the tangled wires from today’s headphones.
– The addition of OnStar emergency communications system as standard with Virtual Advisor, which provides e-mail, stock quotes, news headlines and sports scores via the audio system.
– The addition of Park Assist, which uses sonar sensors in the rear bumper to provide a warning that a person, pet or object not in your view is too close behind when backing up.
– The addition of a driver’s-side rear power slide-open door.
– Side-impact air bags that offer head/thorax protection.
Straight story: Subaru, which now offers only a 2.5-liter, 165-h.p. 4-cylinder engine in its Outback sport-ute, will offer a new 2001 Outback Limited VDC version this fall powered by a 3-liter, 212-h.p., 24-valve 6-cylinder. VDC stands for Subaru’s latest technology venture, Vehicle Dynamic Control, an all-speed traction control system integrated with all-wheel-drive to keep the car going in the direction the driver is pointing it. Subaru also will offer an L.L. Bean version of its Outback Limited station wagon for 2001 with a special interior, trim and L.L. Bean badging.
Nissan pickup lines: Carlos Ghosn, president of Nissan, said the automaker will offer 22 “all new products, not derivatives” within three years, with 10 destined for the U.S. He was mum on specifics other than one of the 10 will be a full-size V-8-powered pickup and another probably will be a full-size V-8 sport-ute built off the same platform.
After Ghosn announced the full-size, V-8-powered pickup addition to Nissan’s lineup within two to three years, Toyota general manager Don Esmond replied, “You would assume they will go after the buyers they are now losing to our Tundra.”
If Nissan is getting a pickup, what about a luxury version with an Infiniti badge on its sister division?
“That is the direction everyone is going and we wouldn’t turn one down,” said Tom Orbe, general manager of Infiniti.
To Infiniti and beyond: Orbe showed off the 2002 Infiniti Q45 coming out next April as a 2002 model with a potent new 4.5-liter, 340-h.p. V-8 that will replace the current 4.1-liter 266-h.p. V-8, yet carry the same 17 m.p.g. city/24 m.p.g. highway mileage rating despite offering almost 80 more horsepower. Orbe said Infiniti expects to sell 1,000 Q45s monthly.
While Infiniti says there will be more emphasis on performance in the new Q45, note that it will come with a camera mounted near the rear license plate to display what’s behind on a screen in the instrument panel when you put the gear selector in R.
A year from now Infiniti will add the XVL sedan to its lineup, with a fresh name, Orbe said.
“It’ll be a rear-wheel-drive, entry-level performance-oriented sedan smaller than our front-drive I30,” he said.
Does that hint of a phaseout of FWD in the I30 in favor of RWD, or perhaps a phaseout of the I30?
“We have a FWD I30 through 2002 at which point we add a 3.5-liter V-6 to it,” he replied, basically avoiding the question.
Orbe said the XVL would start around $30,000.
Pumping truck iron: Does General Motors intend to regain truck sales leadership from Ford, which has held the full-size truck sales title for the last 23 years?
“We’re not in this game to finish second,” said Tom Davis, GM group vice president of trucks.
Does GM have the capacity to build more trucks than Ford, which would be required if it is going to overtake Ford in sales?
“We will build 70,000 more trucks this year than last. I don’t know their production capacity, but I know ours and we can take them,” Davis said.
“And we have a flurry of new products coming over the next 30 months,” he said. When asked to elaborate, Davis demurred.
Reportedly GM will move Chevrolet Malibu production from its Oklahoma City plant to one in Lansing, Mich., to produce more trucks for 2003 at Oklahoma City. Davis won’t comment.
“Consumers are telling us, `Give us more new trucks–and keep them coming,’ ” said Ron Zarrella, president of GM’s North American Operations..
For calendar 2000, GM will build 1.7 million full-size trucks, up from 1.45 million last year.
Audi performs: As expected, Len Hunt, vice president of Audi of America, said a high-performance Audi S4 Avant wagon powered by a 2.7-liter, 250-h.p., twin-turbo 6-cylinder will be added to the lineup by year-end and a high-performance Audi S8 sedan powered by a 360-h.p. V-8 will arrive here early next year.
SC430 sticker: Lexus said its SC430 retractable hardtop convertible that goes on sale next spring will be priced in the $50,000 to $55,000 range. It plans to sell about 10,000 copies in the U.S. annually. The SC430 will be powered by the same 4.3-liter, 300-h.p. V-8 in the redesigned Lexus LS430 coming out this fall. Lexus has no plans to bring out a fixed hardtop version of the SC430, according to Bryan Bergsteinsson, Lexus general manager. And, he said, there are no plans to offer a lower-cost 6-cylinder version either.
