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D6 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, June 16, 1999 AUTOMOTIVE Photo by Peter C. McCusker VKUUUM ! Five-year-old Alexandria Schroeder sits behind the wheel of a replica of Jimmy Vasser's Honda-powered racing machine at Oakville Honda, 191 Wyecroft Rd., with sales manager Shan Adams. The youngster was one of many racing enthusiasts to view the race car at Oakville Honda last week. Simple steps to foil car thieves The Vehicle Information Centre of Canada (VICC) suggests you consider the following to keep your car from being stolen. □ Don't leave your car unlocked. □ Don't leave your car (locked or unlocked) with the key in the ignition. □ Ask local police and motorists' associ­ ations for advice on which cars are most dif­ ficult for thieves to steal. □ When you have the option, park your car in well-lit areas, preferably where there are lots of people. □ When you park your car at home, ask your neighbors to keep an eye on it, and do the same for them. □ Know the pedigree of any second-hand parts you buy; if the price is too good to be true, chances are they're stolen. □ Mark some of the more expensive parts on your car in an inconspicuous place with an engraving tool, using your car's VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). On metal parts, cover the number with rust-inhibitor. Glass etching is a good deterrent. Thieves don't like cars with parts that can be traced. □ If you have an alarm on your vehicle, use it! □ Try to avoid leaving your keys with others; keys can be stolen or copied. If you must leave a spare key on the outside of your car, be sure that it is well hidden. □ Make your views known to car manu­ facturers and legislators: the theft-resistance of most cars could be improved at very little cost at the manufacturing stage. □ If your insurance company doesn't have a picture of your car, take one yourself and keep it in a safe place; it will make the job easier for police if your car is stolen. □ Lobby your local member of your provincial legislature for stricter rules for registering vehicles and tracking the disposi­ tion of cars that are scrapped. The VIN plates of junked vehicles too often find their way onto stolen cars, thus "legitimizing" them in official records. Preventive measures do work and it is everyone's responsibility to do their part. Studies have shown that theft-deterrent sys­ tems do reduce the occurrence of theft of some vehicles. VICC is currently working with represen­ tatives of the insurance and automotive industries to develop a Canadian Standard for theft-deterrent systems. Y O U R O N T A R I O F O R D & M E R C U R Y E A JUNE ZERO PERCENT EVENT FINANCE YOUR ENTIRE PURCHASE, INCLUDING TAXES. AND PAY NO INTEREST *t 4 8 MONTH 9 9 FORD ESCORT O R Z X 2 0 48 MONTHPURCHASE FINANCING H AU 99 FORD ESCORT SEDAN/WACOM OR ZX2 AU ESCORTS COME EQUIPPED WITH: • Solar Timed Glass • AM/FM Stereo • Cloth Rocket Seals wim split 6 0 /4 0 Rear Seat ■ Defroster PURCHASE FINANCING ON AU IN-STOCK, NEW ESCORT, ZX2, CONTOUR, MYSTIQUE, TAURUS, SABLE, WINDSTARAND EXPLORER. ~~am The 1999 Wmostar Is Me only aialvaa la gat a Rva star Satan Banns. Itva years la a ran." ' 9 9 FORD I N I N D S T A R 0 4 8 MONTH■ PURCHASE | FINANCINGm m ■299 3 6 MONTH LEASE* 3 .9 9 5 DOWN PIUS '8 9 5 FREIGHT.*3 5 9 SECURITY DEPOSIT A TAXES. FOR 99 FORD Windstar IX Features: • Quad bucket seats • Air conditioning • Pow Dual sliding doors • AM/FM stereo with cassette • 290 Up V6 • 4-speed automatic with overdrive • Tut steering • 15" i •TIR LX / locks /1 the most horsepower in any domestic r wheels • Speed control • 4-wheel IBS X 1999 Ford Teona and H orary SaMo art tho only cars l H H H « * On highest possible U S Covamawnt crash lest rating 99 FORD CONTOUR OR MERCURY MYSTIQUE 0 4 8 MONTHPURCHASEt e u m w iiLLLJL I.I1LL1I,"' '1 M I U -99 FORD CONTOUR OR RRCURV RtTSnOtJI STANDARD FEATURES: • 2 .1 litre zetoc eogiae • In a l pow er mirrors in... _________ i * * ^ '99 FORD TAURUS OR MERCURY SARIE 9 9 F O R D I I I I I I I 0% ' S a $ O Q Q 3 6 MONTH LEASE *3,495 DOWN PLUS ' IS O FREIGHT. *351 SECURITY DEPOSIT A TRIES ON AU '99 FORD TAURUS OR MERCURY SABU FOR 99 FORD TAURUS SE SPORT OR MERCURY SARIE IS • 3 i t r * OHV V6 engine • 4 -speed automatic with overWtve SAME IS ERT1A FUTURES: • Power M o t s seal • light graag and ■ ® |F O R D Visit our weRsile at: www.lord.ca/olters/ Qualified m etnm ort e n o n nnn f ;nan„ H . . 9 Porcl Escort/ZX2/Contour/Taurus/W indstar/Explorer & Mercury Mystique/Sable fo r a maximum o f 48 months on approved credit to i n r n 5|LrSkm2a L S/ m j ? I i 15'47t9 ? Payme" t or equivalent trade freight, security deposit, and first month's payment required (see advertisement) Some conditions and a mileage restriction o f 60 000 km over 36 months applv A charge o f I? 1* * 9? f " t f <*<>«♦ |P*US »PPtf f bte to n s , w ill apply ' Licence, insurance, adm inistration fees, pre-delivery inspection and all applicable taxes are additional DealeTmay lease or sell fo r less Offers may chanqew dhout notice 2000 Ford Taurus Third generation Taurus takes the 'safe' approach By Rob Beintema SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER O ne of the premier unveilings at the New York Auto Show this spring was the debut of the 2000 Ford Taurus sedan, a showing that stirred a lot of interest in the automotive press. Everyone was curious to see what Ford would do to boost sales of its mid-size stan­ dard bearer. Well, it seems that in the face of increased competition from Camry and Accord, Ford has opted for moderation. "The 2000 Ford Taurus is the next step in the evolution of one of our best-selling cars," according to Ken Kohrs, Ford VP in charge of larger cars. The third-generation, 2000 model is still unmistakably a Taurus. But it's a toned down, more traditionally styled version of its predecessor. The grudging consensus from Ford officials is that the design envelope may have been pushed just a little too far three years ago. So, designers have wimped away from the radical styling and Taurus's oval-eccentric design has been turned down a few notches. Gone is the funky round instrument pod, replaced with a rectilinear panel, all of the buttons lined neatly in a row. Even the sedan's rear win­ dow has gone rectangular. The platform and chassis have been carried over to keep costs down but the body is skinned in virtually all new sheet metal. Up front, the grille opening has expanded for improved cooling and the hood has been raised at the front and cowl, redirecting air flow and reducing wind noise over the windshield wipers. Ford has also raised the roof, adding an inch more headroom up front and a welcome two inch­ es in back. A new deck lid is four inches higher at the rear edge and the trunk opening is two inches wider. Head lamps, tail lights and turn signals are all bigger and brighter. Auto makers tend to jump on and off bandwagons every now'and then. For the Ford Taurus, this year's theme is definitely "safety". In fact, it's hard to find anything in the Ford press releases that isn't safety related. The new 2000 Taurus builds on the five-star safety rat­ ing that the 1999 model earned in US Government crash tests. While the steel safety cage and crumple zones offer protection on the outside, a host of new technologies pro­ tect driver and passengers on the inside. The "Advanced Restraints System" utilizes safety belt pretensioners, belt retractors, safety belt usage sensors, a driver's seat position sensor, a crash severity sensor and dual stage inflating air bags. This collection of technolo­ gies is not only designed for crash protection but also to reduce airbag injury. Put simply, at the moment of colli­ sion impact, the car's "brain" gauges how severe the crash is, how close you're sitting to the steering wheel and whether you're wearing your seat belt or not before acti­ vating the seat belt pretensioners and deciding how to deploy the air bags. The dual stage air bags offer two ener­ gy levels that correspond to crash severity. As a further extension of its safety and convenience emphasis, Ford is also offering power adjustable pedals. The accelerator and brake pedals can be horizontally adjusted up to three inch­ es toward the driver, allowing shorter drivers to sit further away from the steering wheel and, again, reducing the risks of airbag injury. Head and chest side airbags are also available as options. Steel side beams, energy absorbing trim and collapsible armrests reduce potential injury from side impacts. And as a preventative measure, a seat belt minder will light up and beep at the minority of knuckleheads who still forget to belt up. After a rash of media reports from the US last summer over the deaths of 11 children accidentally locked in trunks, auto makers were spurred to find solutions. GM responded in short order with a dealer installed release kit but Ford is the first manufacturer to offer a factory- installed, standard emergency trunk release, a phosphores­ cent cable-release pull-handle that hangs from the trunk lid. There have been no recorded accidental child-entrap­ ment fatalities in this country, according to Transport Canada, but recent incidents of abductions and caijack- ings in the local news have illustrated a need for built-in escape systems. Besides the long list of safety features, the new Ford Taurus also features more convenience items as well as increased passenger and cargo space. "Map pockets," Jim O'Connor responded to journalists. "We heard a lot about map pockets. Well, we've brought map pockets back. There are map pockets in all four doors, in the seat backs, even on the console." Yes, despite the kidding, Ford is listening. Which is why there's increased headroom, a bigger trunk with low lift-over height and cargo hooks for grocery bags, a sec­ ond power point, rear cupholders and revised console stor­ age. The 2000 Taurus is powered by an improved, base 3.0 L Vulcan V6 that makes 153 hp @ 5000 and 182 Ib.ft. of torque @ 4500 rpm. An optional 4 valve per cylinder Duratec version of the 3.0 L offers a little more kick-in- the-pants excitement, with a 200 hp top end. The DOHC engine has been trimmed by 30 lbs and an improved sin­ gle exhaust system matches the back-flow pressure and performance of the former dual exhaust system. A 4-speed refined automatic transmission comes stan­ dard. Wheel size has been bumped up one size to 16 inch­ es and the bigger, wider P215/60R16 tires allow a 3 psi reduction in tire pressure that, combined with slightly softer springs, should provide a plusher ride. A new instru­ ment panel insulator and double-weight carpet barrier help reduce noise intrusion into the cabin. A combination of ABS and All-Speed Traction Control is being offered for the first time on the 2000 Taurus. Front disc and rear drums are standard on the sedan. On the wagon, disc brakes are standard, front and rear. Ford is hoping that this mix of design moderation and safety innovation will make the Ford Taurus number one in its class. http://www.lord.ca/olters/