D6 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER W ednesday, M ay 17, 2000 B e s t W h e e l s · O a k v i l l e 2001 Tow n & Country How do you spell luxury? Chrysler Town & Country Chrysler calls Town and Country the ultimate luxury minivan. With the high level of equipment available and glitzy styling, they're right. For the new millennium, the T&C will be available in three long-wheelbase models: LXi; Limited and Limited AWD. All come with the big 3.8-litre OHV V6 rated at 180-horsepower, mated to a four-speed automatic trans mission. Sure, all models come with air con ditioning, Infinity cassette/CD stereo and power goodies, it's just that there are more of them as you progress up the food chain. As usual, you can go crazy outfitting a T&C with options that will give you one of the best-functioning, best-equipped minivans on the road. In case you were wondering why you need to blow the extra $2,300 on a Limited when the LXi is so well equipped, we just have one word for you: luxury. The Limited offers chrome 16-inch wheels, combination suede/leather inte rior, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and auto on/off headlights to name a few of the features. The all-wheel-drive model runs dangerously close to $50,000. Type: Minivan Base price: $41,700 Base engine (hp): 3.8-litre SOHC V6 (180) Optional engine: None Layout: Front-engine, front/all wheel drive (opt.) Transmission: Four-speed automat ic Fuel consumption (1/100 km, cty/hwy): 13.8/9.2 Safety: Front airbags, ABS Weight (kg): 1,900 Basic warranty: 3/60,000 Roadside assistance: Yes Web site: chryslercanada.ca 2001 Nissan Sentra New Nissan Sentra designed for North American market By Rob Beintema SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER THE ULTIMATE DRIVING EXPERIEN CE Budds' BMW T he basic small car segment is the largest segment in the Canadian automotive market. "It's a huge opportunity for us," said Ian Forsyth, marketing director for Nissan Canada. "And it's a challenge that we feel we can meet with the allnew 2001 Sentra." The 2001 Sentra is the first Sentra specifically designed for the North American market. The company's California studio, Nissan Design International (NDI), designed the car both inside and out. From the outset, the design team raised their sights, trying to make Sentra a car that customers want and desire to own. Instead of building a car customers have to settle for because of price. Exterior changes include new char- T 9 9 9 7 4 0 ila · Aspen Silver, Xenon, Audiophile, 41,000 kms TUNE UP SPECIAL o n th LEASE FOR $889.00 p e r m ` 1997 7 4 0 ia · Arctic Silver, PDC, Audiophile, 45,000 kms ' 1997 740 ila · Cosmos Black, Xenon,Audiophile, 38,000 kms :;:^S888............................................... LEASE FOR $698.00 p e r m o n t t v i LEASE FOR $799.00 p e r m o n t t h ' · Check all fluid levels · Check all belts and hoses · Check tires & pressure · Lube all doors · Check all filters · Diagnostic check of engine · Supply & install spork plugs · Check charging systems · Check battery & cables · Check cooling systems Rates based on 36 m onths/Sl 0,000 down/18,OOOkms yr. plus taxes OAC. 4 & 6 CVUND6R 8 CYLINDER 95 ' 19 9 7 328i · Jet Black, 5-Speed, Sunroof, 29,000 kms *1997 3 28ia · Red,Automatic, Sunroof, 49,000 kms 95 FREE OIL CHRNGE WITH YOUR TUNC UP o n th LEASE FOR $449.00 p e r m ' 19 9 8 328isa · Red, 2-Door,Automatic, 33,000 kms H I LEASE FOR $599.00 p e r m o n t t h Drive Clean Repair Centre Q .E .W . N K S. S ER V IC E RD. u Rates based on 36 m onlhs/$5,000 down/18,OOOkms yr. plus taxes OAC. · 5 day/300km money-back guarantee · Exhaustive, 87-point checklist performed by BMW technicians · Certified Series' Protection Plan for up to 6 years or 120,000 km · 24-hour roadside assistance · Free oil change/service certificate · BMW Service Card AUTO SERVICE 573 Chartwell Rd. OAKVILLE i! 33 (905) 844-9641 2400 South Service Road (905) 845-3577 www.buddsbmw.com A ccredited Repair Facility +' SPEERS RD.p 1 CORNWALL RD. ° acter lines, one-piece integrated head light units and a revised grille and front fascia. New larger wheels give the Sentra a more aggressive look. From front to back, you'll notice styling cues reminis cent of the upscale Maxima, giving the Sentra a "cut above" feeling. Inside, my tester was wrapped in deep black, the Germanic influence from Nissan Europe's interior input obvious in the very look, feel and tex ture of the interior surfaces. The new improved seats are still on the smallish side for a big guy like me but they are pleasantly firm, well bolstered and comfortable. The Sentra is bigger for 2001 - 6.5" (165mm) longer, 1" (25mm) wider and 1.1" (30mm) taller. With more head room, more legroom and a correspond ing increase in rear cargo space. The Sentra is built on a new "world platform" shared with six other models including the Sunny (Japan) and the Almira (Europe). For 2001, Nissan continues with a two engine strategy. A new 1.8L 4-cylinder engine replaces the base 1,6L motor. The 1.8L makes 126 hp @ 6000 rpm and 129 lbft of torque at an impressively low 2400 rpm. Some customers might prefer to opt for the premium 2.0L engine with its best-in-class power ratings o f 145 hp @ 6400 rpm but I honestly had a hard time noticing the power difference in backto-back acceleration tests of the two engines. Yes, the new 1.8 is that good. Suspension improvements include a wider rear track, revised front and rear suspension mounts based on the Maxima and a standard stabilizer bar to reduce roll angle. Torsional rigidity is up by thirty percent. Throw in improved sound damping, b '" " e r brakes, the s >oth powerasMSted rack & pinion steering and you have an entry-level sedan that performs with sporty confi dence, excellent road-handling abilities and just the right balance of noise isolation and driving feed back. Three trim levels are avail able - XE, GXE and SE. Nissan has pulled a rabbit out of its hat on pricing, claiming they've added from $800 $1200 more in equipment while dropping list prices by $100 $200, depending on model and content. Prices range from $15,298 to $22, 898. Although the m id-price GXE will probably remain the sales favorite, Nissan has also added and entry-level SE for under $20,000 - which should be popular with the sports crowd. -- a i / / M' y M n H le m o c le o r o u tr 3D ay . u s t b e s o l d 1 Mexican or B M H H V V . M IMI mm · " l e t t e '- -- - Caribbean CHEROKEE SPORT 2 0 0 0 JEEP GR. CHEROKEE LAREDO 2000 Cm # ·Airfare and port charges extra. 2 0 0 0 CHRYSLER CONCORDE IX 2 0 0 0 GRAND CARAVAN SPORT p S S T j j H r . 2 0 0 0 CHRYSLER 3 0 0 M 2000 CHRYSLER CIRRUS UC & LXI 2 0 0 0 CHRYSUER INIREPID NO CREDIT? NO PROBLEM. CALL PAT AT 845-6653 LOCKWOOD 175« H K Y S L E R (BETWEEN KERR & DORVAL) R d www.lockwoodchrysler.com mam I I