An Oakville Beaver Automotive Feature · To advertise in this section call 905-845-3824 or Fax 905-337-5568 l u ll) A Y . M A K C l I 8 . 2 <X)2 · I!) BEST WHEELS buildings in Ottawa. The picture was just supposed to prove that we had made it, part of our assigned leg from Montreal to Toronto and one of the stages in the 3-team, Drive The Vibe cross-Canada competition, designed to promote Pontiac's latest prod uct. But I wasn't happy with the photo. I was being fussy but the professional photographer in me just couldn't abide a picture that crappy. "Hang on a minute," I called out to my Team Lava co-driver, Mark Hacking, autojoumalist with Performance Racing News. Barriers and parked police cruis ers have blocked off access, to Parliament Hill since even before 9/11,1 think, ever since some gunwaving nutbar parked a bus on the lawn a few years back. But there's an RCMP trailer parked along the side of the West Block and I went in prepared to plead my case. Fortunately, the office was manned by Constable Ryan Rempel, on temporary transfer from Saskatchewan and obviously very happy with that fact. Hey, who wouldn't be? "Sure, no problem," he said good-naturedly after I explained. He waved the car into a security station, peeked under the hood at the 1.8 L engine, checked for explosives on the underside with a mirror-on-apole-thingy and looked for Taliban under the tailgate. "So what is this thing?" he asked as he poked around. This thing, we explained, is the Pontiac Vibe - the latest crossover creation to mix aspects of small minivan-like cargo utility, tall car passenger comfort, all blended with sporty packaging designed to appeal to the youth market. There, I'd par roted the party line. "It's a Toyota Corolla with atti tude," I simplified for him. "A tall From Montreal to T.O. in Drive The Vibe cross-Canada competition By Rob Beintema SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER I waved the Pontiac Vibe a little more to the right and squinted through the camera, again. "Nope, still not right." We were parked beside the Parliament wagon hatchback." This Toyota/GM joint effort has put brand new pizzazz on top of the Corolla platform and powertrain. Both body versions - the Pontiac Vibe and the Toyota Matrix - are almost identical inside and out with some flavor differences to the exte rior styling. Both are powered by either stan dard 130 hp or optional 180 hp engines. Both come with the same uniquely appointed and comfortable interiors. And both will sell like hotcakes, in my opinion, with a broad appeal that will reach out beyond the youth market the cars are aiming for. Constable Rempel finished his (See `Lava' page 21) Anyone interested can get more info about the 2003 Vibe and continue to fol low the journey on the drivethevibe.com Web site until the M arch 14 finish. N I S S A N m , ENJOY THE SAVINGS EVENT G IV E S Y O U M O R E T O S M IL E A B O U T. 2002 Nissan Sentra 2002 CatguWe "B e st Buy*' · 126-HP 1.8-litre D O H C engine · Air conditioning · A M /FM with C D audio system with 4 speakers · 14" steel wheels · Full wheel covers · 8-way manual driver's seat · 60/40 split folding seal · Centre console armrest · And much, much more... O W Pre-Owned 1999 CMC YUKON S IT 58,332 km. Black 1999 CHEV CAVALIER 49 .9 8 0 km , Beige 1999 BUICK REGAL IS 40,551 km , Gray - 'P iin J ia s c$32,999 -m w , $729 ·w $549 2002 Nissan Altima 2 0 0 2C a n a d ia nC a ro fth v to a r ^ -w tsi wrw WUJtlLT o u r © A/C cruise, p/w, p/L Stock #S122 'w, p/l, cruise. Stock #A309 · 175-HP 2.5-litre D O H C engine · Air conditioning · AM /FM with C D audio system and 6 speakers · Power heated outside mirrors · 6 0 /4 0 split rear seat w /lock 1999 BUICK CENTURY LTD 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO 1999 PORSCHE 911 30.100 km. Black Beauty' » (),(>i7 fe fn > Beige 2i> ,2 `'t>km, White · 8-way manual driver's seat · Tilt and telescope steering column · And much, much more... I'lU v lu M .' $81,999 Lease Altima 2.5 S W IT H A U T O M A T IC Lease Sentra X E WITH VALUE OPTION PACKAGE -* 3 1 9 SSTA $£995 ; $ 1 9 9 ^ " " $798 6-speed, p/w, p/I, tilt, cruise, 35,517 km. Stock #A 112 1999 CHEV MALIBIJ 1999 CHEVROLET S10 22,215 km, Red 2001 ASTRO VAN 22,295 km. W hite 2002 Nissan Pathfinder Only Available In C anada o w $2,100 In · 4-spead automate w«h o « n * v o · ·A IM xto- 4 vrtwal dne iauto 4-wheef dr*e selector dnl) · Ch *o ot E d ta n n n t a n d pbquB · Upgraded 150waK Bose* C O audio syntom w«h tvdaah M a c tutortangsr 2002 Nissan Maxima 8 consecutive years on Ward's Autoworld list of 10 best engines · 256-HP 3.5-Mrs D O H C 24 valve 63,425 km, Beige '© ^l'u rvlu .»c $21,995 "tliutkf S4 1 i,,,( $.Vi`> engine ·4 speed automatic with gated shifter ·16" alloy wheels ·ABS ·Dual power mirrors ·HID Xenon headlights ·8-way power driver's seat I ·Automatic climate control ' A/C with microfitter ·Power windows, locks, trunk/lucl release i ·8.wya^afM* <*«'»« ·Owfc ttanumalajBd ado alcp lah ·Stoerwg-whonfmoirtBdttJCfc) Upgrade rtonor Irm And much, murti mcnv P/w , p7T A /C , tilt, cruise, 8-pass., C D . I Auto, A/C, p/w, p/l, cruise. Stock #S 118 I Auto., p/w, p/t dt, cruise, cass, A/C Stock#A222C I Stock #L42682 Cruise ·And much, much more.. Lease Pathfinder "CHILKOO T EDITION' l `W 8 C A D IL L A C C A T E R A L ea se M a x im a G X E WITH AUTOMATIC ·or only -- *399 53.879 km, Gray only H.1H down. $398 /mttC tor 4* months, Ionly *3,590 down Hurry In...The Enjoy The Savings Event Ends Soon / >002 TRACKER 2 .1>0 km . Silver 21,995 $ rs Ml l 2001 CHEV CAVALIERS Low kim, bal. of (acton1warranty 'P V irciK W i ... sS2 8 `> VLX sedan, A/C, auto, CD player, tilt, mats, power locks, remote keyless. 6 available. *S`> OAKVILLE w w w .oakvillenisson.com W T ~ N IS S A N im s| D R IV E N . ult, alum, wheels. Stock #A271 1450 SPEERS ROAD, OAKVILLE (905) 827-1177 II B t, O il X 11111R fO R MH b MOS. POWERTRAIN W V N RW IY O M R *i0 M ARS ( O M R IN U ) M T O M O IIM f\l» l RIINC I Plus P. V I Smart people always n ad the fine print. And they always wear then seat be/d Offers available h r a kmaed bme and may change without notice on new 2002 Albma S (T4RG 72 AEOO). 2002 Sentra XE 5-speed mpnua! with Vahie Option Package (C4LG 52 BKOO), 2002 Pathfinder 'C M koot Edition'A utom ate (5C RG 72 AE00) and 2002 Uajnma G XE Automatic (U4RG 72 AAOO) t2.9W 2M *>/48% purchase financing lor 48 months available on Sentra/Pathfinder 'C hUmot Edibon'IUanm a. Other finance rates available on other models- Financing eiampfas. $20,000 at 2.8%/4.8% per annum equals $44092/$458.78 per month tor 48 months. C O B a $ 1 ,164 .20tS3.0 21lSforan o U v*o n M ai ol S31.164M S 2 2 .0 2 135. '48-month lease on AHmafientra/Pathfindoi ChJkool EdiDon/Uaxime: 6.8%/5.2%/5.8%/6.0`K) ALR, down payment at equivalent trade ol $2.99S/$798/$5,199/$3.550. Leases based on a maximum d 96,000/78,000/96000/96,000 km with arcess charged at SO. 10/km II the vehch a financed at 2^V> and the cash purchase price ia not taken, the elhcbve ntenst rale is & 46tb lor Pathfinder. A l olhrs a n OA.C. and exclude destination and delivery (Uaoma/Sentra S966/S868 [included with AHima and Pathfinderl (£350 lease admnstration lee h r Sentnl). Licence, insurance, lares and other Dealership charges are extra and must be paid at the bme ol transaction. 0#ws cannot be combined with any other offers. Dealer may aeK/haaa h r less. Vehicles exactly as shown. D R IVEN and tie Nissan togdare trademarks ol Nisaan Canada Inc. V M t w w w jilstan.ca n »« " · · P lu , l>« 1«.n l a il"" * \jas. I k v iu v ** '·>2,000 iluw n piavimitt, W > tm m lhv t).A .( wap u M ri-iiiiv lii* » ulv>vMt(x»>mi-nt u i t ra iie '. 4M iiu m tlix . U u v w k| ttu l I w w . -- ,, -^ 1C) WN E i r " W H l J i JO ________ _