Wednesday, August 16, 2000 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER An O akville Beaver Advertising Feature To advertise in this section call 845-3824 Fax:337-5567 M azda' s surefire cure for the autom obile blues By Malcolm Gunn S P E C IA L T O T H E B E A V E R Y o u 've heard it a thousand times. `It's just a car.' Or, `It gets me from A to B .' Obviously, these folks have never had they're hair mussed up while power ing down the open road in a Mazda Miata. Most of us spend our lives con nected to cars that we drive out of pure necessity and practicality. You know, the m om -and-pop conve nience-mobiles that can carry lots of people and their baggage. Our vehi cles enclose us in a clim ate-controlled, artificial environm ent that is com pletely disconnected from our surroundings. And to top it off, many lack the style and appearance that matches our individuality. Now, if you view this as a bad thing, you probably already own a Miata, or comparable topless mode of sensory overload. The 2000 version of M azda's cute-as-button roadster is a cure for all that is bland in the auto mobile world. Cars such as the M iata are onehundred-per-cent dedicated to the passionate exploration o f the open road. Or any road, for that matter. The Miata is guaranteed to return m axi mum smiles by the gallon, whether you're snailing along a permanentlygridlocked expressway, or soaring and twisting through the coolest twolane mountain switchback ever built. Since its inception in 1990, more than 500,000 fortunate souls have thrilled to the M iata's therapeutic treatment, making it the best-selling roadster in the world. These owners have been lucky enough to pilot a machine that is visually stunning, adept and wellbalanced in the ride and handling departm ent. W ith ju st the right amount of power and right sticker price, the M iata has been able to sat isfy a diverse group of buyers who have similar goals. The 2000 M iata is an update of the second-generation model introduced in 1998. Then, M azda wisely retained the seductive silhouette o f the origi nal, but otherw ise com pletely redesigned the car to provide more room, improved the ride and handling and, last but not least, added more power to the mix. The result is a bet ter-proportioned sports car with a more aggressive personality. The M iata will surprise you with its considerable feature content. In this regard, it's like most other cars on the road. Even the base model comes equipped with air conditioning, power w indow s, anti-draft wind blocker panel, remote trunk lid and fuel door release, glass rear window and an AM /FM radio with CD player and power antenna. Move up to the LS, and items such as a leather interior, power door locks, front air dam, 15-inch alloys, Bose stereo and a limited-slip differential are included in the package. Keeping things cooking under the hood is a 1.8-liter DOHC four-cylin der engine that cranks out 140 horse power, seven more that the pre-1998 version. This powerplant can be con nected to a five-speed manual, or optional four-speed automatic trans mission. The only exception is the Miata Millennium Edition, a new-for-2000 model that comes standard with a sixspeed manual transm ission. The Millennium M iata also comes in its own unique colour (Mahogany Mica) and has a three-spoke NARDI wood steering wheel, shift knob and hand brake grip. Special white-faced gauges, unique beige leather seats, chrome alloy wheels plus a host of other dressy trim items round out the package. Options that can be added to the M iata include ABS (except base) and a detachable hardtop complete with rear window defogger that can turn the car into a four-seasons sports tour er. The M iata seems the perfect alter native for those who are reluctant, or financially unable to shell out thou sands more for a Porsche Boxster, BMW Z3 roadster, M ercedes-Benz SLK, or more genteel rides such as the Chrysler Sebring or Camry Solara convertible. It's important to note that all the alternatives owe their very ' existence to the popularity of the Miata. And there are more on the way. Toyota will soon join the fight with a brand new 2001 MR2 Spyder that's directly aimed at Miata customers. In the meantime, Mazda offers the perfect cure for automotive boredom. Just take one passenger and call them in the morning. If you have a news tip or story idea, call The Oakville Beaver at 2 0 0 0 Jeep C hcFokees *1 2 0 0 0 C h r y s le r C ir r u s 2 0 0 0 it u tb o J o Q u a d C a b 5000 off s3500 off >4000 off 845-3824. O akville mazoa C A S H PU R C H A SE ( # i i | A A f PR IC E I f l |0 7 > O JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 36 mo. lease SO An evening at the Air Canada Centre for 4 people including food & refreshments in the coveted "Box Seats". See the Leafs game in style! 3 lucky couples to be drawn ggi chance to win with every purchase of a new or used vehicle Iran 4 4 Down 'Purchase Financing $2500 Down 2000 626 LX V6 Fully loaded, 4.0L., leather, CD stacker, sunroof, ABS, keyless, p.w., p.d.l., power seats & more. 60 months 2000 MPV LEASE FROM J2 6 9 * *M T ONTHS $4,515 D O W N FREIGHT/P.D.I. INCLUDED Vehicle not exocity as shown Cab forw ard design, 2L SOHC 4 cyl., 5 speed manual, p.s., p.b., air, six speaker, AM/FM stereo/cassette, tilt steering. BESTBUY * P u rc h a s e R n a n c in g i Driver's side, sliding side door, air, AM FM cassette, roof rack, cloth faced high bucket seats, ABS brakes. Consumer Reports 2000 PROTEGE LEASE FROM 2 0 0 0 CHRYSLER INTREPID 48 mo. lease > ·Iff# 8 MONTHS *2'700 D0WN SO Down! $37108 L S2500 Dowl ^ $29825 Purchase FREIGHT/P.D.I. INCLUDED 2000 MILLENIA S LEASE FROM Consumer+ 3 9 9 * 7 months $4,800 D O W N FREIGHT/P.D.I. INCLUDED ________________________ Vehicle not e xoctly as shown Fully loaded, 17" wheels, leather, p. sunroof, 3.5L. V6, AM/FM stereo, cassette, CD. 'Combination ol Chrysler R 2.7L., DOHC V6 , 4 speed, autom atic trans., air, p.w., p.d.l., p. m irro rs, AM/FM stereo cassette, keyless entry. FreightAaxes 8. lie. fee extra. Cannot be combined with finance offer. See dealer for details. fiO R D SIO l nssisiflncf P R O G R M T l tw ifi: ym Miidi Wvrufy it*t delt. MAZDA GRADUATE PROGRAM D O U R DEAUA A B O U T inwDA's unvamra / cduhe 'G RADU ATE PAUGAAm. m fiZD fl LEA D ER SH IP U U R R R R nT y ^ O a k v ill * 1291 SPEERS RO AD / Nor4. wJib>»»'.n3rd U »& 4t.lin« 905 - 827-4242 inhere Good Service Is R Fact. Hot Just R Promisel 7 § hw y. w r f f i) .' SPEERS RD. r 1 W tt G le m l e y e m C h r y s l e r 2I I -- · ] ***«*.» i l s 1 (HHTUi Cr«k Ittt 1 * Mi 2388 ROYAL WINDSOR DRIVE, OAKVILLE 905-845-7575 I