Ford to Build CrossoverFollowing one of the auto industry's fastest-growing segments, Ford plans to produce a new midsized vehicle dubbed the Ford CrossTrainer in 2004. The company is somewhat of a late-comer to the trend of crossover or car-based sport utility vehicles, which grew by nearly 90 percent in the United States last year. Japanese automakers already command a 55 percent market share of the segment with offerings from Toyota and Honda's Pilot, which is a lower-budget version of its popular, midsized Acura MDX. General Motors currently has three crossover-type vehicles available with more on the way. DaimlerChrysler will also join the trend with the launch of its Pacifica next year.
Though Ford has existed as a major player in the SUV segment for many years, it has seen its dominance slip away recently amid mounting competition. The company's only model that fits within the assigned definition of a crossover vehicle is the Ford Escape. The rest of its SUV offerings are built on a truck-like chassis, whereas the CrossTrainer will be built upon a car-type frame. Production of the seven-passenger, all-wheel-drive, V-6-powered CrossTrainer will begin in 2004 at Ford's Chicago assembly plant.
Jeep Wrangler Reaches an ApexWith the success of the Jeep Wrangler X model, Jeep is upping the ante once again with another limited-edition Jeep Wrangler package. Based upon the Wrangler X, the new Apex Special Edition incorporates a unique strobe hood graphic and chromed steel wheels, along with a seven-speaker stereo system, to further attract younger buyers in search of affordability and power. Being offered in Bright Silver Metallic, Patriotic Blue, and Black, the Apex model features the 4.0L engine and is mated to a manual transmission. Using its eye-catching exterior and unique features, Jeep hopes that the Apex will stand apart from other Jeep models and capture the interest of those who seek to be different. Jeep began offering the new model in late February at a base price of $20,285.
U.S. SUVs Meanest of AllBad, bad, Leroy Brown. Baddest man in the whole damn town." Just like Croce's old Leroy, American auto manufacturers are the meanest of the mean, particularly when it comes down to their effects upon the environment. Based upon a number of factors, including poor fuel efficiency, size, and exact makeup of a vehicle's smog-forming tailpipe emissions, and its impact on public health and the environment, 12 vehicles have been designated as the Meanest Vehicles for the Environment by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). Nine of the vehicles are produced in the U.S. The Washington-based environmental watchdog group began compiling the list in 1998, naming 12 cars and trucks that are considered the biggest offenders to the environment in their model-year.
Of those included in the list, General Motors produces three of the five vehicles called most unfriendly to the environment in the 2002 model-year. All of the GMs are fullsize SUVs with automatic transmissions and four-wheel or all-wheel drive. Ford and Chrysler also appear in the Top Five, rounding out the total of environmentally offensive U.S.-made vehicles at nine. Others on the list include Lamborghini's L-147 Murcielago sports car, Mercedes-Benz' G500 SUV, and Toyota's Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470. Interestingly, Japanese automakers produce all but one of the 12 cars and trucks appearing on the ACEEE's list of Greenest Vehicles of 2002.