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Wednesday. February 28, 2001 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER D 5 B e s t W h e e l s O a k v i l l e m : '" . · . The Chrysler 300M's unmistakable styling is made even more dramatic in dark colors that offset the sculpted headlights and chiseled lower jaw. The bright trim around the windows and the chrome plated wheels compliment the wedge shape of the cab-forward styling. European touring sedans face competition from American-built Chrysler300M C hrysler has, for more than a Chrysler's AutoStick auto was programmed to go full matic transmission. With the back and down. As large as I decade, set the automotive lever in "D" it acts like a nor am, the steering wheel was world on its ear with distinctive mal four-speed lock up. Pull just barely in reach and I styling that has the power to capture the level back one notch and could not touch the pedals. North American sensibilities. -- you come to a Punch a button, and the From the Prowler to the transverse gate seat glides you into the dri Ram truck to the Viper and with a on the ving position selected. From the PT Cruiser, Chrysler con left, a "+" on the this point there is much to sistently stole the annual right. This allows see inside like the trendy in Detroit Auto Show away sequential shifting dash analog clock, the over from the other makers, gar up and down under head information centre with nering world-wide respect for control of the dri three-position garage doortheir designs, not to mention ver. These sequen security system. dominating the automotive tial boxes have The rear set arm rest has news coming out of what is their uses on steep not one, but two coffee cup the most important auto show grades or in holders and the U-shaped of the year. snow/slush, but I cargo net in the trunk is dou Chrysler is also adept at just like "D" so I bled so you can put the gro taking one platform and transforming it into many dif RoadWorthy can concentrate on ceries in between and not the road, without have them spill over the ferent things. Where some car companies talk about making each of having to guess what gear rather vast trunk floor. It's also important to say I'm in. their products different from its sib At the suggested list of something about the build lings, Chrysler really does. For instance $40,900 there are few quality of this car, consider the Bramalea plant takes one platform options. However my tester ing that it is made only in and produces four cars from it, the came with the $315 Ontario. It represents the Intrepid, LHS, Concorde, and the as Performance Handling kind of work we do for tested here 300M. It picks up on the "letter series" of Group as well as $390 for potential buyers literally side air bags. Shelling out around the world. Chrysler sedans that began in 1955 $470 for chrome 17-inch Now this is a plant that when a 300 hp version of the "Hemi" wheels seems steep, but they used to build the old AMC V8 was put in a Windsor sedan and make this car look good Premier. It was an inspired called the 300 after the output. From especially in a darker color. design, but you could tell the 1955 until the 300L in 1965, the big Also included was a full- people who put those cars Chryslers were cars to be reckoned with size spare and wheel for together didn't have their at any stoplight. On the track, NASCAR banned the 300 because it $200 that seems good value. heart in it, such as the feeling was too fast compared to the competi Then there was $35 for the of foreboding that overshad humorously named Smoker's owed Bramalea in those tion. The car is also of special interest to Group which is politically days. correct for lighter and ash This may be the same me because the 300M, along with its a tin g fiv e to ten servin gs o f E plant, but the 300M I drove Intrepid, Concord and LHS sisters are tray. Lasdy comes the $750 came from a different mind built only in Bramalea. Ont. It's impor vegetables an d fr u it per day as part tant to note that Chrysler's most presti Luxury Group that includes set. Chrysler touts the 300M of a healthy diet can help reduce your risk gious sedans are being entrusted to the folding minors, self-dim- as a car with an attitude. I o f cancer, heart disease and stroke. ming rear view mirror, vehi think part of that is also an Canadian hands. cle information centre, heat attitude change on the plant Touted as a high-lux European-style F o r m o re i n f o r m a tio n , touring sedan, it's up against some seri ed seats, and last but defi floor in the minds of the ous competitors like Audi A6, Acura nitely not least, the simulated good men and women of the v is it w w w .5 to l0 a d a y .c o m o r wood trim has been replaced CAW who do take pride in 3.2 TL, Mazda Millenia and Volvo S80. c a l l t h e C a n a d ia n C a n c e r S o c ie t y by genuine California wal what they are turning out. But while the price is in the middle a t 1 > 8 8 8 '9 3 9 '3 3 3 3 nut. Costing far less than the of the Euro-sedan bracket, interior size Even with the prow Euroluxury sports touring puts it way up with the BMW 7-Series ,N I S< CANADIAN SOCI£ t 6 bobbed to decrease front-end cars North Americans seem and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The CANCER I CANADIENNE HEART I ° SOCIETY | DU CANCER A N D STROKE trunk offers 476-litres (16.8 cu. ft) of overhang and the chopped- to be hungering after, the FOUNDATION FONDATTON volume, enough for a complete set of off rear, this is still a big car 300M sure as heck can stand DES M ALAD IES DU COEUR designer luggage. The passenger vol to wheel around. You realize the comparison to anything this when getting in the dri Europe is currently putting ume for this five-seater is 2,973 litres ver's seat. The memory seat out. (105 cu. ft.), close to some minivans I've driven. In terms of powpr, the 300M uses an all-aluminum version of the former cast iron 3.5-litre V6, producing 253 hp and 255 ft/lb of torque. The beauty here is you get Euro-like power, but on regular gas (mid-range- suggested). Transport Canada lists the fuel ratings at 13.1L/100 km (22 mpg) city and 8.4L/100 km (34 mpg) highway. For 2001, much remains the same. The main gauges (fuel, temp, tach, speedo) are black on a white face and they look very French retro, as if they'd just come out of a Delage or TalbotLago. At night the white turns lumines cent blue like a Timex watch. The cen tre console, however, has a very Chrysler minivari look and feel to it, and seems out of place. But you forget all that when you Dodge Different, walk up to this car. It is simply one of the prettiest shapes going --period. The Deep Blue Sapphire Pearl Coat (new hue for 2001) paint scheme really Nicely equipped 28C: · All new 3.3L V6 engine - 180hp showed off the huge, sculpted head · 4-speed automatic transmission · Multi-stage dual front lights and Chrysler's signature jutting air bags · Dual sliding doors · Air conditioning · AM/FM lower jaw bumper line. For 2001, bright radio cassette · 7 passenger seating · Cargo net · Front & trim has been added around the window rear floor mats · Roof rack · Windshield wiper de-icer lines that increases the impact of the · Child seat anchor system · 5 yr/100,000kmt powertrain swoopy rear deck and re-enforces the coverage plus 5 yr/lOO.OOOkmf roadside assistance dramatic lines of the "cab-forward" No Charge options valued at $2,000 (MSRP) Purchase Financing architecture. $0 DOWN $324" PER MONTH FYI, the outside remote power mir · Sunscreen glass · Speed control $1500 DOWN $2896 7 PER MONTH rors now dip down when the car is in · Tilt steering · Power heated mirrors · Power $2500 DOWN $2698 8 PER MONTH reverse to assist in parking when back windows & quarter vents · Power door locks Plus freight, taxes a adm in. Leases b ase d o n 20.400kms/yr.. 48 m onths. ing up. This is very helpful, as one of Inc lu d es all current Incentives. the drawbacks of the 300M has been g Z I f / T t ] Introducing 5yr/100.000km t powertrain coverage together with AUTOMOBILE JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION OF CANADA the very high deck lid made necessary » IL A J 5yr/100,000kmt roadside assistance on every 2001 Dodge 2001 D odge Grand Caravan Best New Minivan by keeping the car to under five metres in length to meet European taxation F IV E S T A R rules. ^ Chrysler has done away with the 16(between Kerr & inch wheels of before and now fits 17Oakville's inch aluminum wheels as standard with 2 0 GG · 2 00 1 Five Stoi E ic H R Y S L E R chrome plating an option. Certified Dealership w w w .lo c k w o o d c h ry s le r.co m Also part of the 300M package is JIM ROBINSON Are yo u getting enough ? 3? f #1 SELLING VEHICLE IN CANADA NOW AN EVEN BETTER VALUE. THE ALL NEW 2001 DODGE CARAVAN Wow! LOCKWOOD i 3 6m th 14 8 m th 0.8% 2.8% 6 0 m th 4.8% 175 W y e c ro ft R o a d , Dorval) O ak v ille 845-6653