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Suzuki moves into mainstream After establishing its presence in Canada as a highly capable maker of small passenger cars with the nifty and nimble three-cylinder For- sa, Suzuki has moved into the mainstream with the introduction this fall of the high-performance, four-cylinder Swift GTi. The Swift GTi is a triple threat to rivals in its class offering buyers a remarkably low price of admission, coupled to stunning performance, and an excellent economy of operation. If you add the high levels of standard equipment, com- fort, ride and handling this new en- try in the sub-compact market of- fers; there are even more reasons for the opposition to be concerned. Move over Honda, Nissan, + Toyota and Mazda, there's a new kid on the block with a lot of great moves. Moving, with real authority, is one of the things the Swift GTi does best with its 1.3 litre, 16-valve, twin overhead camshaft aluminum-alloy engine. With 100 horsepower on tap at 6,500 rpm, PAINT PROTECTION WAXING from... Small. - Med. Large ¢ CAR MASKS e RUNNING BOARDS e WINTER SHIELDS : ¢ WESTWIND TOOLS SES e PROFORM ACCESSORIES fexorr (available $39.95 $44.95 $49.95 AUTOMOTIVE ACCENTS CAR CLEANING ves" rom _ 5 ot ee CAR CARE INTERIOR CLEANING e Complete shampoo carpets and seats e vinyl and leather protection ¢ windows MOST CARS $39.95 and a strong 11.0 kg-m of torque avdilable from this all-aluminum powerhouse, it gives the car every right to carry the name Swift. It's ready, willing and able to ac- celerate this three door, or four door passenger sedan from zero to 100 km/h in just a tick more than eight seconds, and provides ef- fortless highway cruising with plen- ty of reserve for safe passing. It dishes out this sensational level of performance while deliver- . ing a frugal 8.0 litres/100 km, of fuel economy in the city, and 6.0 4 COMPLETE litres/100 km on the highway. ae CAR GROOMING The 1989 Swift GTi engine is -- per ae from $69.95 also state-of-the-art, with a multi- Open 7 Days a Week WE CARE ABOUT YOUR INVESTMENT 1209 Mosley St., Wasaga Beach 429-3207 point fuel injection system, and tuned intake manifold controlled by a computerized engine manage- ment system. Maintenance is reduced to virtually nil by the inclu- sion of hydraulic valve lash ad- PASSPORT 580 BAYFIELD STREET, BARRIE 88 CLEAROUT OPTIMA VALUE LEADER / y ' uf P.S.T. Freight & Lic. Extra . Protection Plan ISUZU LS SPACE CAB ISUZU | MARK TURBO RS HATCHBACK ISUZU TROOPER II $59Q00 ADDITIONAL TRADE-IN ALLOWANCE ON NON-GM or PASSPORT VEHICLES EXPIRES NOV. 30/88 » PASSPORT INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOBILES BARRIE 580 BAYFIELD STREET 722-6334 Page B12, Wheels, November 1988 justers, which have the added benefit of providing quieter runn- ~ ing. Transmission choices include a five-speed manual or three-speed automatic. Power assisted, four-wheel disc brakes make sure stopping in keeping with its performance capabilities. The front-drive Swift GTi's styling features a sloping hood that tapers to a pair of low-profile, flush- mounted headlight and sidelight clusters mounted over an in- tegrated bumper and front air dam. This creates one of the smoothest most aerodynamic looking front ends on the market. Its wind- cheating good looks are enhanced by aero rocker panels, and a rear skirt. Suspension includes MacPher- son struts in front and an in- dependently sprung rear with coil springs. Steering is precise rack and pinion. Tires are meaty, low profile P175/60R14 that help pro- vide sure-footed handling. Overall length of the Swift GTi is 3710 mm &145.8 in.), up slightly from the Forsa's 3,670 mm (144.5). Width, at 1,585 mm (62.3 in.), has also been increased by 55 mm, although height remains identical at 1,350 (53.1 in.). Weight at 809 kg (1783 Ibs.) is up only 79 kg from the base Forsa. The increase in overall dimensions translates in- to more room on the inside. Suzuki hasn't forgotten the in- terior styling either, fitting an ultra- modern backlit instrument panel and controls that were designed on ergonomic principles to make sure driver and car combine in an easy and comfortable relationship. Con- trols for the side view mirrors, light controls and four-speaker stereo system are all mounted readily to hand. A sporty three-spoke wheel adds to the driving pleasure, included in the interior package are a centre console that features four handy storage compartments, slide-out beverage carrier, and a fold-down rear seat that expands the generous Cargo area. Suzuki expects the Swift GTi with its contemporary styling, high performance, and economical price to appeal to younger buyers of both sexes. With this group in mind it is offering a wide range of accessories to enable buyers to personalize their cars without emp- tying their bank accounts. Robots cause controversy (S.O.P.) -- Robots were introduc- ed on automobile assembly lines nearly a decade ago. At the time, many employees within the in- dustry were displeased and this tendency is likely to increase with the automation of the manufactur- ing process. Nonetheless, produc- tivity and quality control are likely ~ to improve, resulting in increased price competitiveness between dif- ferent automobile manufacturers. Until recently, robots presented a problem since their languages were incompatible with each other. This resulted in inefficient distribu- tion of labor which limited flexibility in design and manufacture. However, General Motors and Boeing Aircraft, in collaboration with several automation and com- puter companies, have succeeded in establishing a communication protocol ranging from conception to administration. Entitled MAP (Manufacturing Automation Pro- tocol) and TOP (Technical and Of- fice Protocol), these communication tools allow for substantial cost Cont'd on pg. 13 mmc