With their attention diverted by terrorist attacks and fears that the economy is heading into recession, the last thing on most Americans’ minds is what’s new in the auto industry for the 2002 model year.
Against that backdrop, the industry closes the books on 2001 today and rolls out its new wares for ’02 tomorrow, Oct. 1, the traditional starting date for the model year.
Before the terrorist attacks, car and light truck sales were running about 5 percent below last year’s record 17.4 million units but were still on pace to wind up the third highest ever for a calendar year.
How sales will go in 2002 hinges largely on issues beyond the control of auto manufacturers. If sales of domestic-brand vehicles were off 9 percent in 2001 despite incentives averaging $2,600 per vehicle, how will they fare in the current climate?
Plenty is new or substantially different on the 2002 models, but there appears to be few if any revolutionary vehicles that are certain to motivate millions of Americans to commit to five-year loans. Discretionary spending is sure to decline, so 2002 looks to be more of a need-based market than recent years.
When it comes to what’s new for ’02 among the domestic powers, two factors stand out. There’s only a relative handful of new models, and the emphasis is on trucks and sport-utility vehicles, not sedans and coupes.
Of the 15 new pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles in the market for ’02, 11 come from General Motors, Ford and the Chrysler unit of DaimlerChrysler, three are Japanese and one is European.
Yet, of the 15 or so new and redesigned cars coming, only the Cadillac CTS and the Ford Thunderbird are offered by domestic automakers.
Imports are rolling out several redesigned cars, among them the Toyota Camry, Lexus ES300 and Nissan Altima, and new entries such as the Jaguar X-Type, Mitsubishi Lancer and Subaru WRX.
As has been the case the last few years, many 2002 models are in showrooms.
Here’s a look at notable changes for ’02:
BMW
A redesigned 7-Series sedan is due in January with a new 4.4-liter, 325-horsepower V-8 and a 6-speed automatic transmission. With the new engine comes new nomenclature. The base model will be called 745i (instead of 740i), and the long-wheelbase version that follows in spring will be labeled 745Li (instead of 740iL). A V-12 engine is due next fall. Among new standard features on the 2002 7-Series are iDrive, a single rotary/pushbutton control for audio, climate, telephone, navigation and numerous other functions and “active roll stabilization,” which electronically twists the front and rear anti-roll bars to counteract body lean in turns.
Mini
The front-wheel-drive Mini returns to the U.S. in March as a 2002 model and a modern interpretation of a design that debuted in 1959. The original sold in the U.S. in small numbers until 1967, but more than 5.3 million were built before production ended last year.
This four-seat, two-door hatchback is just 142 inches front to rear, nearly 14 inches shorter than a Mazda Miata. The base Cooper model will have a 1.6-liter, 115-h.p., 4-cylinder, and the Cooper S will have a supercharged version that generates 160 h.p.
Base price of the British-built car is pegged at less than $18,000. Initially, there will be 70 dealers in the U.S., three in the Chicago area.
DaimlerChrysler
Chrysler
A 300M Special debuts as a 2002 1/2 model early next spring with a 3.5-liter V-6 that develops 5 more horsepower (255 h.p.) and 7 more foot-pounds of torque (258 at 3,900 r.p.m.) than the 3.5 in the regular 300M. There’s also 18-inch Michelin performance radials, performance-tuned suspension and steering systems, ground-effect lower body skirts along with dual exhausts.
The Sebring convertible that was new for 2001 gets a companion GTC model for ’02 1/2 next spring with 2.7-liter, 200-h.p. V-6, choice of 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic, sports-tuned suspension, rear deck spoiler, 16-inch painted aluminum wheels and color-keyed bodyside moldings. For a lower-cost entry model, a 4-cylinder returns to what had become a V-6 lineup. The LX gets a 2.4-liter, 150-h.p. 4.
A new pair of PT Cruisers will be added, a Woodie trim package late this fall and a Dream Cruiser Series 1 in February that will be the first in a lineup of future Dream Cruisers.
Dodge
Ram adds an all-new Quad Cab version with four swing-open doors. All Rams sport larger dimensions, which show up most in extended-cab models in which 3 inches taken from the cargo bed was added to the rear cabin. Though Ram retains much the same look as the previous model, the hood and grille are larger. Also new are a 3.7-liter, 212-h.p. V-6 replacing the 3.9-liter, 175-h.p. V-6 and a new 4.7-liter, 235-h.p. V-8 replacing the 5.2-liter, 230-h.p. V-8.
Jeep
The Liberty with its rounded sheet metal is more stylish than the old square and boxy Cherokee that was virtually unchanged since 1984. Liberty also boasts a 3.7-liter, 210-h.p. V-6 to the Cherokee’s 4-liter, 190-h.p. inline 6.
The larger Jeep Grand Cherokee adds a premium Overland model.
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes adds the G500 SUV, sold in Europe for years as the Gelaendewagen, to its U.S. roster. The G500 carries a sticker price of $72,500 and less than 2,000 units will be sold per year. It uses a 5-liter V-8 and is a few inches longer and taller than the M-Class.
The C230 hatchback coupe arrived in the summer and the C320 wagon this month. Both are derived from the redesigned 2001 C-Class sedan.
Ford
Aston Martin
The V-12 Vanquish sports car arrives in the U.S. in October with aluminum body panels and a carbon fiber chassis.The bad news for those who can afford the $228,000 Vanquish is that they are sold out until 2003.
Ford
Thunderbird, discontinued after the 1997 model year, returns with a look reminicent of the 1955-1957 models, a two-seat convertible built off the same platform as the Lincoln LS and Jaguar S-Type with optional ($2,500) removable hardtop and a base price of $34,965. Only about 25,000 will be built annually. Blue and yellow will be offered for only ’02.
The other new entry that Ford will introduce in February as an ’02 model is the high-performance Focus SVT from Ford’s Special Vehicle Team.
The Focus SVT is based on the two-door ZX3. It is powered by a 170-h.p. upgrade of the 2-liter, 130-h.p. Zetec 4-cylinder engine designed to deliver 85 percent of its torque at 2,200 r.p.m. It is teamed with 6-speed manual, the first in an FWD Ford car. It features beefed-up suspension and brakes, front air dam, ground effects bodywork and 17-inch wheels and radials.
Jaguar
The X-Type starts at $29,950 and brings the British marque into the entry-level luxury market. The X-Type is based on the Ford Mondeo, a midsize, front-drive family car sold in Europe but with Jaguar styling cues, standard all-wheel-drive and a choice of V-6 engines, a 2.5-liter with 194 h.p. and a 3-liter with 231 h.p.
Land Rover
British luxury SUV maker Land Rover introduces Freelander, which starts around $26,000. The Freelander is 175 inches long, a few inches shorter than Honda’s redesigned CR-V, and comes with a 2.5-liter, 175-h.p. V-6 (other Rover SUVs use V-8s) and AWD.
Mercury
Mountaineer and Explorer boast longer and wider platforms and new engines as they step up from compact to midsize models. The 5-liter, 215-h.p. V-8 with a more potent 4.6-liter, 240-h.p. V-8 teamed with 5-speed automatic. Both offer optional ($670) third seats in back.
Lincoln
Blackwood is the luxury amalgamation vehicle. It’s a luxury truck-ute with a power hardtop to cover the traditional bed, which Lincoln now calls a trunk.
General Motors
Buick
The Rendezvous, the division’s first sport-ute, arrived in showrooms as an early 2002.
Cadillac
The CTS replaces the Catera, when it goes on sale Jan. 2 at an estimated base price of $35,000, about the same as the current Catera. CTS boasts an all-new rear-wheel-drive Sigma platform (can be adapted for AWD) that will be shared with at least a pair of new Cadillacs soon, the ’03 AWD luxury-activity vehicle and the ’04 successor to the Seville. Sales forecast is 30,000 annually.
CTS will be powered by a 3.2-liter, 220-h.p. V-6 developing 218 foot-pounds of torque. (Catera had a 3-liter, 200-h.p. V-6 that developed 192 foot-pounds of torque.) A 5-speed manual will be standard, a 5-speed automatic option.
A luxury derivative of Chevrolet Avalanche, the Escalade EXT, with a power-operated midgate, comes out in November as an ’02 model.
Chevrolet
TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy and Oldsmobile Bravada are longer, wider vehicles that have a 4.2-liter, 270-h.p. inline 6 in place of the 4.3-liter, 190-h.p. V-6.
In the first quarter, the TrailBlazer gets an EXT (GMC Envoy an XL) addition to the lineup, even longer versions (129-inch wheelbases, versus 113 inches and 207.6 inches long overall, versus 191.6) with three rows of seats that fold flat if you need more cargo room. TrailBlazer EXT and Envoy XL will be offered in 2WD or 4WD.
The Avalanche sport-utility truck offers a midgate (rear cabin wall) that manually folds down to extend the cargo bed into the passenger cabin.
Pontiac
The ’02 Aztek, first offered for 2001, comes back in November with new rear-end styling with a hatchlid spoiler covering what had been a thick black band in the rear glass. Aztek also drops the GT version and will be marketed simply as FWD or AWD models. And to make it a better value, the portable console cooler, AM/FM stereo with CD player and three spoke cast aluminum wheels are standard.
Saturn
The VUE, the long-awaited compact sport-ute built off the same platform as the S-Series sedan and wagon, arrives. VUE, with Saturn’s signature polymer body panels, will offer a choice of 138-h.p. 4-cylinder engine with 5-speed manual or continuously variable (CVT) automatic transmission with unlimited number of gears, or 181-h.p. V-6 with a 5-speed automatic. Other features include the choice of AWD or FWD and side-impact air-bag curtains.
Honda
Acura
Acura replaced the aged Integra in the summer with the RSX, a FWD coupe that comes two ways. The base model uses a 2-liter, 160-h.p. 4-cylinder engine and the performance-oriented Type S has a 200-h.p. version.
Honda
Honda rolls out its second-generation CR-V, a car-based SUV, in November. The 2002 CR-V looks much like the previous version and is similar in size but has 9 percent more interior room. The split rear seat moves 6.7 inches fore and aft and folds to create 72 cubic feet of cargo volume, enough to hold two mountain bikes, Honda says. Like the old CR-V, the new one is based on the Civic platform and comes with FWD or a 4WD system that automatically distributes power among the wheels to maximize traction. A 2.4-liter, 160-h.p. 4-cylinder engine replaces a 2-liter with 146 h.p.
Hyundai
Kia
This Korean manufacturer expands its lineup with the Sedona, a FWD minivan with a 3.5-liter V-6, dual sliding doors and seats for seven.
Isuzu
Isuzu introduced the 2002 Axiom in the spring as an SUV (based on the Rodeo platform) styled like a tall wagon. Rear- and four-wheel-drive models are available.
Mitsubishi
Lancer arrived in August as a replacement for the Mirage sedan (the coupe survives another year). The Lancer sedan is four inches longer in wheelbase and overall length and has three inches more rear legroom. Lancer comes in OZ Rally, ES and LS models, all powered by a 2-liter, 120-h.p. 4-cylinder engine.
Nissan
Infiniti
A redesigned version of Infiniti’s flagship model, the Q45 sedan, arrived in the spring with a new 340-h.p. V-8 and an optional rear video monitor.
Infiniti is Nissan’s luxury division, and the I30 sedan is a gussied-up version of the Nissan Maxima. Both get a larger V-6 engine, a 3.5-liter, 255-h.p. that replaces a 3-liter, 222-h.p. Infiniti’s version now is called the I35.
Nissan
Altima grows from compact to midsize and adds a V-6 engine with a new design that challenges the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, the two best-selling cars. The 2002 Altima grows six inches to 191.5, making it two inches longer than the Camry and three inches longer than the Accord. Altima comes with two new engines, a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder with 175 h.p. and a 3.5-liter V-6 with 240, both more powerful than competing engines in the Accord and Camry.
Maxima gets a 3.5-liter, 255-h.p.V-6.
Subaru
Redesigned Impreza and sporty new WRX models, all with standard AWD, arrived in spring. The Impreza RS sedan, TS wagon and Outback Sport wagon come with a 2.5-liter, 165-h.p. 4-cylinder engine. The WRX sedan and wagon, performance models inspired by Subaru’s entries in the World Rally Championship, have a turbocharged 2-liter 4 with 227 h.p.
Toyota
Lexus
The top-selling luxury brand introduces a redesigned ES300 sedan this fall with more dramatic front styling, standard side-curtain air bags and an optional electronic suspension that changes settings based on how the car is driven. The 3-liter, 210-h.p. V-6 carries over from last year, but the 5-speed automatic transmission is new. The ES300 is derived from the Toyota Camry’s new design.
The SC430, a two-seat roadster with a retractable hardtop, arrived last spring as an early 2002 and is the signature model in the Lexus lineup. This fall, a DVD-based navigation system is standard instead of optional and the price climbs $2,600 to $61,055, including destination.
Toyota
The Camry sedan, the best-selling car from 1997 through 2000, gets sportier looks and more interior space as Toyota aims for younger buyers. The redesigned Camry is about the same length as its predecessor, but Toyota says a 2-inch longer wheelbase and 2.5-inch height increase add significant interior volume. The lineup consists of LE, upscale XLE and sporty SE models. Engine choices are a new 2.4-liter 4-cylinder with 157 h.p. or a carryover 3-liter V-6 with 192 h.p. New features include optional side-curtain air bags and, for V-6 models, an optional skid-control system. Power adjustable pedals will become available later in the year.
Volkswagen
Audi
The A4 sedan is redesigned with fresh styling, a roomier interior and a new 3-liter, 220-h.p. V-6 engine. A turbocharged 1.8-liter 4-cylinder with 170 h.p. remains the base engine. The A4 comes with FWD or Quattro AWD, and General Motors’ OnStar telematics system is a new option. A CVT is available on FWD models.
Volkswagen
The Passat W8 probably will be the last 2002 model to arrive because it isn’t due until May or June. The name denotes the engine, an 8-cylinder with four banks of cylinders arranged in an overlapping double-V layout. The 4-liter W8 produces 275 h.p. and fits into the same space as the Passat’s 4-cylinder and V-6 engines. The Passat W8 will have standard AWD and come as a sedan and wagon. It also will be the most expensive Volkswagen, with base prices in the $35,000-$40,000 range.
Also due later in the model year is a sporty 180-h.p. Beetle Turbo S.
