The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

C2 i TH E O A K V IL L E BEAVER Get our best financing offer of the year on new in-stock 20 00 Explorer, Taurus and most F-150. The 2001 Honda Civic has earned an nomination for the Best new Economy Car from the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) 48 Month Purchase Financing Stiff competition for Best new Economy Car B y R o b B e in te fn a SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Long strings of light glow mysteriously ahead as you creep slowly through the morning mist, a fuzzy image remi niscent of of a fog-bound airport, Bogart and Bergman in "Casablanca." Or, maybe, you decide, a scene from the XFiles, as you notice blurred, dark figures moving eerily through the glare, blinking from light to light. It's only as you draw closer that the picture finally resolves, revealing long lines of cars and trucks beneath the dawn shadows of Shannonville Motorsport Park. Parked in staggered rows with their lights on, engines warming, as detailing teams scramble around the vehicles, readying them for the early morning start of the 2001 Canadian Car of the Year Test Fest. Every year, automotive writers from across the country members of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) - gather at a racetrack just outside Belleville, Ontario to test the yearly crop o f automotive products - brand new or significantly altered models in every category from cars to minivans to trucks. This year's competition featured sixty-six different new entries in fifteen distinct categories. It's a competition unique to the international automotive world and Canadian journalists evaluate each entry thor oughly, weighing pros and cons through manufacturer's pre sentations, walk-arounds, track testing, off-road testing and driving comparisons on repetitive routes along public roads. Most of the automotive writers have also familiarized them selves with the vehicles by attending international auto shows, going to automotive launches o f the new products and through test-drives throughout the year. At the end o f the competition, when the comparison testing is completed, teams cast individual ballots that are independently tabulat ed, the results to be revealed at the next spring's Canadian auto shows. I was involved in several test teams, most of them bread and butter categories that included Best New Economy, Best New Station Wagon, Best New Minivan, with one eclectic exception that reflected the best and worst o f the sport utili ty craze - Best New Luxury SUV. (See 'Impressive' page C5) MOST 2000 F-150 Cmada s BlST-selllng truck tor 34 y n rs 4 .2 L V 6 Engine or choose optional 4 .6 L or 5 .4 L V 8 Engine w ith th e m ost torque in its class · A M /F M Stereo with available Cassette and CO · SecuriLockTM Anti-Theft System · SuperCab with standard 4-doors · R em oveable Tailgate · Rear Anti-Lock Brakes · Pow er Steering · Second Generation Dual Air Bags · O ptional 4 x 4 O ff-R oad Package A ll 2000 TAURUS Canada's BlST-salliag car la Its cliss 3 .0 L 2V 6 Cylinder Engine · 4-S peed Automatic Transmission · 6 -Passenger Seating · A M /F M Stereo with Cassette · SecuriLock"- Anti-Theft System · Remote Keyless Entry · Tilt Steering · Dual-Stage 'Smart' Air Bags · Air Conditioning · O ptional P o w e r A djustable P edals ALL 2000 EXPLORER Canada's BEST-salllag SUV V 6 or V 8 Engine · Air Conditioning · Available 5-Speed Automatic with Overdrive · SecuriLockTM Anti-Theft System · Power Windows, M irra s and Locks · 4-W h eel Anti-Lock Braking System · Second Generation Dual Air Bags · Illuminated Entry System · Child Proof Rear D o a Locks The Taurus has earned five stars - the highest possible U.S. Government crash test rating - for front impact for both driver and front passenger - two years in a row." m siooo LIMITED TIME OFFER YOUR ONTARIO CUSTOMER CREDIT ON NEW IN-STOCK 2000 MUSTANG' www.ford.ca/oners FORD DEALERS. WISE BUYERS READ THE LEGALCOPY: *0.9% JO TH B N W W 3W newVi-sioclt 20O9Taunjs^TO^»m ro9ro f - i so excworig s v i Lowing ana Haney c to retail custom ers, on approved credit. E.g. $15,000 financed at 0.9% annual percentage rate for 48 months, monthly paym ent is $318.27, cost ofborrow ing is $276.96 and total to be repaid is $15,276.96. Down paym ent or equivalent trade m ay be required, based on approved credit. Financing not available w ith any other offer. t$ 1 000 custom er credit to the purchase of any new in-stock 2000 M ustang. Credit paid to dealer. Limited lime offers. O ffers may be ca n ce le d at any tim e w ithout notice. See Dealer lor details. ftT h e h O ie s t front im pact rating tor both the driver and front passenger in U.S. governm ent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration testing (www.nhtsa.com ). B ased on retail registrations year to date FLL P o k Registration for August 2000 C Y T D f / May 2000 C Y T D A D ecem ber 1999 CYTD a . O ntario FDA, P.O. Bck 2000, Oakville, Ontario L6J 5E4 v00d, we won't pin you Muggsy Bogues, Point Guard for the Toronto Raptors drives a PT Cruiser from Lockwood Chrysler. "Lockwood Chrysler is the most desirableplace in Oakville to buy, lease or v service your Chrysler, Dodge or jeep vehicle." ^ Night driving tips k/£ ) Financing upto60m onthsonall Many to choose from, all colours. Immediate Delivery Purchase Financing vehides now in stock for immediate 2001 Grand Caravan O.A.C. plusCaravan taxes & license. 2000 Dodge Caravan & Grand O Purchase Financing uptD48m onths ° Come and see the new innovative designs fo r the 2001 models and take one fo r a test drive today. Enjoy new refined styling w ith a palette o f fk sophisticated colours to choose from at Lockwood Chrysler. I 2001 Chrysler Sebring Sedan 2001 Grand Cherokee Laredo 1 1 Chrysler 3 00 M 2001 Chrysler Town & Country LOCKWOOD E i c H R Y S L E R oo1 © ©© 175 W y e c r o f t R d . O a k v i l l e i5.Y %5r w C r O a k ville 's Certified D ealership (between Kerr & Dorval) w w w .lockw cxxJchrysler.com 845-6653 Look as far ahead as you can. If you can see an object that might present a hazard, assume that it will, and slow down until you are absolutely certain it is not a hazard. Keep your wind shield clean. A windshield that is dirty inside or out side causes glare, decreasing visibili ty. Windshield wipers that leave streaks or chatter across the wind shield also decrease visibility and should be replaced Clean properly aligned headlights are also very important for iden tifying hazards. Avoid over driving your head lights. When an object becomes illuminated by your headlights, you should be dri ving slow enough to stop your car safely without hit ting it Make sure other drivers can see you. Keep your tail-lights, turn sig nals, and brake lights clean and in good working order. It only takes a moment to walk around the car to check these sys tems. Have some one sit inside the car to operate the lights, brakes and turn signals. Or it's easy to check your self in an enclosed area. Use your high beams, but don't forget to dim them for on-coming traf fic or cars in front of you.