DaimlerChrysler also made news with the introduction of its Accelerated Corrosion Facility at the Chelsea, Michigan, proving grounds. The test vehicles are sealed in chambers where computers accurately replicate the environmental elements in any geographical location where the roads are salted to combat the effects of ice and snow. The chambers can also be warmed - as high as 140 degrees Fahrenheit - with heaters and adjusted to 100 percent humidity. During the six-month-long tests, trucks are driven through snow, mud, and over gravel for 84 miles. Then they are sealed in the chamber for 48 hours in an effort to find areas on DaimlerChrysler trucks where potential rust problems may occur. When the six-month test program is complete, DaimlerChrysler engineers estimate that each truck will have been exposed to 10 years' worth of real-world driving through incredibly harsh conditions.
Ford to Increase Fuel Economy of U.S. SUV Fleet
Ford Motor Company will increase the fuel economy of its sport-utility vehicle fleet in the United States by 25 percent by the 2005 calendar year. The commitment covers the company's.entire.SUV lineup, including the Land Rover vehicles,.Ford's most recent auto-motive.acquisition. Other products in the SUV lineup include: Ford Explorer, Expedition, and Excursion, Mercury Mountaineer, Lincoln Navigator, and the newly introduced Ford Escape.
"We are taking this very significant action with some of our most popular products because it is the right thing to do for our customers and for our stock-holders," said Jac Nasser, President and Chief Executive Officer. "It is the next logical step in our Cleaner, Safer, Sooner campaign, which we began with the announcement two-and-a-half years ago that all Ford Motor Company sport-utility vehicles would be low-emission vehicles."
"SUV customers are asking for more fuel-efficient vehicles. Our strategy is to maintain and enhance the function of their SUVs while making substantial fuel economy improvements," Nasser said. "This is customer-driven environmental responsibility. We aren't asking our customers to compromise safety, performance, or functionality."
"This initiative also responds to a growing societal objective, strengthens Ford Motor Company's environmental leadership role, and supports our corporate citizenship policies," he added.
2001 Outdoor Expo
In conjunction with its annual meeting and convention, the California Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs will host an Off Road and Outdoor Recreation Exposition at the Yolo County Fairgrounds in Wood-land, California, February 16-18, 2001.
The exposition is expected to attract thousands of outdoor recreationists, including off-highway vehicle enthusiasts, campers, hunting and fishing sportsmen, photographers, and many other groups that enjoy the backcountry.
Included in the three-day event will be outdoor vendor displays, outdoor seminars, clinics, and a series of not eable guest speakers.
For More InformationContact: Shirley Bramham(916) 445-3358shirleyb@ns.net