A Guide to the ‘00s and Beyond

Acura

Changes: There are no new models this season as Honda Motor Co.’s luxury line takes a brief timeout between last year’s all-new TL and a slew of redesigned and re-engineered cars for the 2001 model year.

But there are a number of significant improvements, including a new traction-stability-braking system called Vehicle Stability Assist for the 3.5RL luxury sedan and a punchy new five-speed, sequential-shift automatic transmission and front-seat side air bags as standard equipment on the 3.2TL. Optional on the TL and RL models: an on-board navigation system that uses a digital videodisc that holds detailed maps of the continental U.S. and can whip out directions from Burbank to Bangor faster than most drivers will be able to program the request.

The Rest: For the second year in a row, no changes worth noting for Acura’s base Integra or the two-seat NSX sports car.

In the Wings: A new CL coupe, a new sport-utility vehicle to replace the SLX (a re-badged and upgraded Isuzu Trooper) and, as a late 2000 or early 2001 model, the 195-horsepower Integra Type R makes a comeback to keep all those street racers whose ballooning incomes over the last few years have outgrown hod-rod Civics and pocket-rocket Accords firmly in the Honda family.

AM General

Ford Motor Co. has staked its claim in the biggest-SUV contest with the just-arrived Excursion--the largest mass-marketed such beast in the world--but AM General still makes one that’s bigger, the Hummer.

No design or engineering changes are in store for 2000, but shoppers might soon discover it’s easier to find the low-volume Hummers, which may start showing up for sale at GMC dealerships through a new marketing agreement with General Motors Corp.

Aston Martin

New: James Bond may have made the switch to BMW a bit too quickly. Aston Martin, which provided Agent 007’s steeds for most of his career, has made use of its ties to corporate owner Ford to develop a new V-12 engine for two new flagship models: the DB7 Vantage and its convertible sibling, the DB7 Volante.

The 6.0-liter engine, basically two Ford Duratec V-6 power plants welded together (well, in layman’s terms that’s sort of what the engineers did), churns out 420 horsepower and pushes the 3,900-pound Vantage to a top end of 185 mph (zero to 62 in five seconds) when those ponies are prodded with the optional six-speed stick. The Volante comes only with an automatic.

The Rest: No major changes in styling or content for the supercharged DB7 coupe or convertible, which each cost about $10,000 less than their Vantage-Volante cousins, at $130,000 for the lidded model and $140,000 for the drop-top. Aston Martin will continue making the six-cylinder DB7s for now but expects that the V-12 versions will soon phase them out. After all, when you’re buying at this end of the market, Miss Moneypenny expects the best.

Audi

New: There’s a whole slew of new coming from Audi this year, not the least of which is the convertible version of the TT coupe that debuted as a 2000 model this summer. After the soft-top TT early next year, expect versions of both models with Quattro (Audi’s full-time all-wheel-drive system), along with an optional 225-horsepower engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

If the TT is too tiny for your tastes, but you still crave action on the asphalt, Audi will be offering the S4, a twin-turbo, 250-horsepower sport version of the A4 sedan; a sports model of the mid-line A6 sedan with the same dual-turbo 2.7-liter V-6 from the A4; and an A6 with an even bigger engine, the 4.2-liter V-8 from the flagship A8 sedan but de-tuned a bit to crank out only 300 horses. The V-6 comes with a standard six-speed manual or five-speed automatic option, the V-8 with the automatic.

Changes: The top-of-the-line A8 comes this year with only one engine, the 310-horse version of the 4.2-liter, 40-valve V-8. The 3.7-liter V-8 that provided the base engine for the line last year has been dropped. The A8 also gets a stiffer chassis, a standard CD player and some neat new aluminum suspension bits.

The Rest: Minor tweaks to the remaining members of the A4 and A6 lineups, including the Avant station wagons.

Bentley

The august British marque is now owned by Volkswagen, although another German maker, BMW, will take over the sibling Rolls-Royce brand in 2003. And after last year’s introduction of the Arnage, its first all-new model since 1981, Bentley is in a holding mode.

There are no changes of note to any of its cars. With stickers of $208,000 to $340,000, these are not the kind of vehicles you’d want to change too quickly in any event. The lineup, in addition to the base Arnage, includes the Azure convertible and three Continental models, the R, T and glass-roofed SC.

BMW

Worth Noting: If you thought Audi’s alphanumeric soup was murky, with all those A4s and V-6s and TTs, you ain’t seen nothing yet. For enthusiasts, BMW’s myriad model designations and their substantial sub-categories make lots of sense, but they are a bear to write about. We’ll go slow.

New: The X5 “sport-activity vehicle” with its wagon-cum-SUV styling and optional 282-horsepower, 4.4-liter V-8 is the only all-new vehicle from the gang at Bayerische Motoren Werke. The South Carolina-built X5 is the latest in that growing segment of not-quite SUVs (Lexus RX 300, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Subaru Outback and Volvo Cross Country) that mate four-wheel drive, tall suspensions and wagon-styled bodies to sedan platforms.

They are intended to service the 90% of SUV wannabes who love the look and versatility of the big boxes but have no intention of going any farther off-road than the gravel path to the lake and are quite content to leave the boulder-strewn ravines and neck-deep mud wallows to Jeeps, Land Rovers and others of that ilk. BMW is also adding coupe and wagon versions of its entry-level 3-Series.

Changes: The 3-Series cars all get standard traction and skid control, and BMW’s motor sports performance unit, whose highly tuned cars sport the fabled “M” badge, introduces a 395-horsepower, 155-mph M5 coupe, which joins the 240-horse M3 coupe and convertible (expected to be augmented with a new 340-horsepower version in the spring) and the bobtailed, shark-nosed M coupe and M roadster versions of the Z3 roadster.

The Rest: Minor cosmetic and comfort package changes refresh the mid-size 5-Series and flagship 7-Series.

In the Wings: An aluminum-skinned, 400-horsepower, V-8 version of the 4-year-old Z roadster, called--what else?--the Z8. It is due in the spring as a 2001 model with a price tag of about $15,000 per cylinder. And maybe the Bondmeister did OK with his switch to Beemer after all: BMW says the Z8 will go from stop to 60 in just under 5 seconds.

Buick

New: Set your way-back machine for last May, ‘cause that’s when Buick introduced its only new car for the 2000 model year. It was--and is--the redesigned LeSabre, which shares the same design as the slightly larger Park Avenue but rides on a stiff new chassis. The LeSabre also gets an optional stability-control system--GM’s StabiliTrak--and a whiplash-preventing driver’s seat that moves forward in a rear-end crash to absorb neck-snapping shock.

Changes: There will be a specially ornamented commemorative model of the aptly named Buick Century--the Century 2000. And all Century trim levels get a retuned V-6 with 175 horsepower--up 15 from last year, thanks to improvements in fuel combustion and valve timing.

Out: The Riviera. Buick is still designing and developing a replacement for its personal luxury coupe, which shared body styling with the Oldsmobile Aurora, which also has been eliminated for 2000.

The Rest: Optional traction control and a new high-performance audio system for the Park Avenue and its supercharged sibling, the Park Avenue Ultra. The Regal gets suspension improvements, optional side air bag (driver only) and a rating in California as a low-emissions vehicle. Buick continues to offer turbocharged engine options for the Park Avenue and Regal, boosting the base 3.8-liter V-6 to 240 horsepower, a 20% increase.

Cadillac

Worth Noting: Caddy’s bid for the younger set, the German-built Catera, has its base price clipped by about $3,000--to $31,500--to make it more competitive with Lincoln’s hot new LS.

New: The DeVille hits showrooms as a completely restyled car wrapped around the familiar but still stellar Northstar V-8 powertrain. The chassis (shared with the Pontiac Bonneville and Buick LeSabre) is stiffer; a sonar system provides guidance when backing up (it beeps when the car-tree-bicycle-curb behind you gets too close); there’s an optional navigation system; and the Night Vision technology GM teased to the media last year is finally here as an option (it uses infrared sensors to detect far objects and displays the resulting images on the lower-left quadrant of the windshield).

The DeVille also offers LED taillights, which will not only last the life of the car but light up a whole lot faster than incandescent bulbs--giving the vehicle behind almost 18 extra feet in which to react when the Caddy’s driver stomps on the brake pedal.

Changes: The Catera gets a face lift and a freshened interior to go along with its new price; the Eldorado exterior also shows some minor changes. The Seville and Eldorado both get the same revised StabiliTrak system as the touring sedan version of the DeVille, the DTS.

The Rest: The Escalade luxury SUV holds over from 1999 while Caddy develops a new one based on the redesigned Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon.

In the Wings: Look for a Cadillac sport-utility truck, struck from the full-size Chevy Silverado pickup platform, in mid-2001.

Chevrolet

New: The 2000 Impala sedan and the Monte Carlo coupe rolled out earlier this year and are to be followed in the next two months by new Tahoe and Suburban SUVs built on the 1999 Silverado pickup platform. The SUVs will get rounder and softer-looking--as the smaller Blazer did several years ago--and share front-end sheet metal with the Silverado. They also get stiffer chassis and rear-suspension improvements to smooth out the ride.

The front-wheel-drive Impala offers four-wheel disc brakes and side air bags for the front seats. The Monte Carlo coupe has its own distinctive NASCAR-derived look. Both are propelled by V-6 engines, either the standard 180-horsepower 3.4-liter or optional 3.8-liter rated at 200 horsepower.

Changes: The Silverado offers a slight boost in horsepower and, on the extended-cab models, an optional fourth door on the driver’s side. The base Blazer models have been dropped. The Venture minivan will come in a Warner Bros. edition--with a built-in VCR and a flip-down, ceiling-mounted monitor--that Chevy hopes will help attract families with young children or young-at-heart parents. The mid-size Malibu gets 20 more horses, with a 170-horsepower, 3.1-liter V-6 as its only engine. The entry-level Cavalier shows off new bodywork up front.

The Rest: Minor cosmetic, comfort or power tweaks for the Camaro, Corvette, Lumina, Metro and Prizm and, on the truck side, the Astro full-size van.

Chrysler

Changes: No new Chryslers till the 2001 model year. For ‘00, the Town & Country minivan gets a new base model priced below $27,000; the Sebring convertible is outfitted with new suspension and noise-abatement treatments; and it and the Sebring coupe use the previous year’s top-of-the-line 2.5-liter V-6 as their engine--tuned for 163 horses in the hardtop and 168 in the heavier convertible.

The Rest: No major changes for the Cirrus, Concorde, 300M or LHS.

In the Wings: The Neon-based PT Cruiser, due in March as a 2001 model, is a show-stopping minivan-cum-wagon that has been described as a modern interpretation of a 1930s delivery van. PT, by the way, stands for “personal transportation,” and Chrysler has engineered the interior for flexibility, with removable seats and a flat floor so it can be stuffed with people or things or combinations of both.

Its 2.4-liter four-banger comes from the Dodge Caravan (not yet rated but unofficially figured for 150 horsepower) and is mated with a standard five-speed manual transmission or an optional four-speed automatic. Price hasn’t been announced, but some Chrysler insiders are pegging the base at about $18,000.

Daewoo

Changes: The South Korean car maker enters its second year in the U.S. still looking to make a mark. It is redesigning its compact Nubira to look a bit more like the mid-size Leganza and has dropped the Nubira hatchback. The Leganza and subcompact Lanos get minor styling changes.

In the Wings: A Daewoo SUV is due in the spring, probably as a 2001 model. The two-door vehicle, called the Korando in South Korea, is about the size of Isuzu’s Amigo.

Dodge

New: (Sort of.) Dodge and its DaimlerChrysler sibling Plymouth unveiled their restyled and re-engineered 2000 Neon twin sedans almost a year ago, so pardon the yawn. November does bring one new Dodge, the Dakota Quad Cab pickup--the industry’s second mini-pickup with a full four-door cab, after Nissan’s Frontier Crew Cab. To make room for the regulation-size rear seats, Dodge has shortened the Dakota Quad’s bed to 5.3 feet from the standard two-door version’s 6.5 feet.

Changes: The Avenger coupe drops its base four-banger and goes with the 2.5-liter, 163-horsepower V-6 as the standard power plant; the Intrepid gets the R/T performance package with its 3.5-liter, 243-horsepower V-6 in the spring; and word is there also will be an R/T version of the Neon. The Neon coupe was dropped. The Durango SUV gets a 4.7-liter, 235-horsepower V-8 for its four-wheel-drive models; the same engine will also be available in the Dakota lineup.

The Rest: Minor adjustments for the Stratus and Viper (though it gets a new color--steel gray). No changes for the Caravan minivan line or the full-size Ram pickups and vans.

EV1

Changes: The country’s only all-original electric car, General Motors’ EV1, finally gets the new extended-range, nickel-metal-hydride battery pack. The NiMH batteries give the two-seat coupe up to 120 miles of real-world driving range (which, like gas mileage in a standard vehicle, is usually less than the official rating because most people don’t drive for the sole purpose of maximizing fuel economy, as mileage testers do).

The EV1, with sports-car handling and monstrous torque that lets showoff drivers spin the front-drive wheels and pins the occupants to the seats on takeoff, leases in California for $399 a month with the old lead-acid batteries (range is 65 to 90 miles) and $499 with the NiMH batteries, officially rated for 75 to 140 miles of range between charges. The extended-range batteries, originally promised early last year, will be available by December, GM officials swear.

Ferrari

New: The 360 Modena, which replaces the F355. The two-seat coupe boasts an aluminum body on an aluminum chassis and is powered by an aluminum 3.6-liter, 40-valve, dual-overhead-cam V-8 rated at 395 horsepower.

The Rest: The 456M tourer (two front seats and two spaces for really tiny people, regulation-size pets or extra luggage in back) and the 550 Maranello, Ferrari’s two-seat, 480-horsepower flagship, aren’t being changed, because who’d want to? The F355 coupe is gone, replaced by the lighter and faster 360 Modena, but the F355 Spider--or convertible--remains unchanged through next summer, when it too is due to be dropped.

Ford

New: Take your pick: Focus, Taurus, Excursion or F150 SuperCrew, all are new.

The Excursion has focused a lot of heat on Ford from the environmental camp because the SUV is huge--bigger and heavier than the Chevy Suburban--and will use a lot of gasoline. But the Focus and Taurus are the real stories.

Focus, on sale in Europe for the past year, is Ford’s new small car, an entry-level vehicle that will probably draw buyers from all segments. Especially in hatchback trim, the Focus is a youth-oriented vehicle that Ford hopes will draw from the Honda Civic camp. A sporty version is in the works to give Ford a competitor for the hot-rod Hondas, Toyotas and Mitsubishis to which many young performance seekers have gravitated. As a sedan, the Focus--with either its base 2.0-liter, 115-horsepower, four-cylinder engine or the upgraded 130-horse version--is being marketed as the perfect urban commuter car, and in wagon trim it becomes the do-all vehicle for young or small families, according to Ford’s marketers.

The Taurus sedan has been around since 1986--indeed, it started the “jellybean” design revolution that gave automobile stylists reason to put away their straightedges and break out their French curves. For 2000, Taurus gets a new skin that remains curvy but undoes the excessive ovalness that hurt sales when the last redesign, in 1996, was unveiled. The 2000 design gives Taurus more interior and trunk space and, Ford hopes, will help it win back the “best-selling sedan” title that Toyota’s Camry captured several years ago. Taurus’ base 3.0-liter V-6 gets bumped to 153 horsepower from 145 last year. The peppier and pricier Taurus SHO has been dropped from the line.

On the truck side of things, the big news is Excursion, Ford’s five- to nine-passenger SUV that is 7 inches longer and a ton heavier than the Suburban. It comes in gasoline and diesel versions, with or without leather, in two- and four-wheel-drive configurations, and will tow just about anything that can reasonably be stuck behind a noncommercial truck (that is, anything up to 10,000 pounds). The base engine for two-wheel-drive models is a 5.8-liter, 255-horsepower V-8. A 6.8-liter, 310-horse V-10 is optional on the two-wheel version and standard on the 4x4s. There’s also a 7.3-liter, 235-horse diesel, with 500 pound-feet of torque and a $4,000 premium price.

The F150 SuperCrew is a plebeian precursor to the wood-, leather- and chrome-bedecked Lincoln Blackwood that will hit showrooms as a 2001 model. Essentially a full-size version of the crew-cab mini-pickups by Nissan and Dodge, the Ford SuperCrew carries a 5.5-foot bed behind a four-door cab that can seat up to five.

The Rest: Contour, Crown Victoria, Escort (reduced to a single sedan and the sporty ZX2 coupe; the wagon and base and top-end sedan models are gone), Mustang, Ranger mini-pickup, battery-powered Electric Ranger EV, Windstar minivan, Econoline full-size van and F-Series pickups all roll through ’00 relatively unchanged. It will be the last year for the Contour and, quite likely, Escort lines.

In the Wings: The 2001 Thunderbird, first shown in January at the Detroit auto show, should be ready for retail by late 2000. The Explorer SportTrac, an Explorer four-door cab followed by a truncated pickup bed, arrives around February as an early 2001 model.

Ford is also planning a small SUV for 2001. The vehicle, called the Escape, will be built on the Mazda 626 sedan platform and positioned to compete with other “crossovers” such as Toyota’s RAV4 and Subaru’s Forester.

GMC

New: GMC, which markets upscale versions of the Chevy truck family, has dropped its confusing use of the Suburban name for General Motors’ ultra-large SUV and will now call its version the GMC Yukon XL (for extra length). It and the standard-size Yukon are GMC’s versions of the new Chevy Suburban and Tahoe.

The posh Denali model of the Yukon remains unchanged from last year, meaning it won’t share the new platform and sheet metal until GMC decides whether it will keep it in the lineup or dump it so that potential customers will start looking instead at the slightly plusher Cadillac Escalade, whose sales have been sluggish at best.

The Rest: The Sierra full-size pickup gets a driver’s-side rear door for the extended-cab models--same as the Chevy Silverado. Minor mechanical and cosmetic tweaks are all GM has in store for the 2000 Jimmy (same as the Chevy Blazer), Safari minivan and Sonoma mini-pickup. The Savana full-size van is unchanged.

Honda

New: The Insight hybrid and the S2000 roadster will light Honda’s way for the ’00 model year, both guaranteeing the company tons of press and lots of traffic in its dealers’ showrooms.

The Insight coupe (see review, W1) combines 21st century aerodynamics with small gasoline and electric motors under the hood that work in tandem to provide motive power. The result: minimum emissions and maximum fuel conservation, with a government rating of 70 miles per gallon in highway driving.

The S2000 is the company’s ode to the sports car, a high-revving, fast-moving Honda that really does bring racetrack technology to the street. It is a rare rear-drive vehicle in Honda’s front-drive lineup and will compete in performance with the likes of Porsche’s Boxster and BMW’s 3.2-liter M roadster but with a $31,000 base price that’s $10,000 under the competition.

Changes: The Odyssey minivan, all new last year, offers an optional navigation system; Accord V-6 models get standard side air bags; and the Isuzu-built Passport SUV has a restyled front end.

The Rest: The Prelude, Civic and CR-V mini-SUV get minor tweaks. Honda no longer makes the EV-Plus electric van but may release the 300 models it did produce for the California market as the initial leases expire and the vehicles return to the Honda stable.

In the Wings: An all-new Civic is slated to hit showrooms next year as a 2001 model, and Honda promises a limited-production fuel-cell-powered electric car by 2003.

Hyundai

New: South Korea’s No. 1 auto maker brings out a substantially revised version of its Accent, with a new body, bigger interior and punchier version of the 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that provided 92 horsepower last year. And in the spring, though labeled a 2001 model, comes Hyundai’s first SUV for the U.S. market, the Santa Fe. It will be positioned to compete in the Jeep Cherokee/Nissan Xterra class, with a 149-horse inline-4 adapted from Hyundai’s Sonata sedan as the standard engine and a 170-horse V-6, also borrowed from the Sonata, as an option.

Changes: The Tiburon coupe gets a face lift, and its new visage is adorned with four round projection-beam headlamps Hyundai stylists adapted from the Acura Integra in that sincerest form of flattery.

The Rest: The Elantra and Sonata are pretty much unchanged.

Infiniti

New: Infiniti’s I30 grows further from its Nissan Maxima roots, with new styling and a longer wheelbase than last year’s edition. Its 3.0-liter V-6 also gets a 37-horse increase in power, to 227; the only transmission is a four-speed automatic. The sportier touring version, the I30T, has a stiffer suspension and 17-inch alloy wheels. All I30s come with an active headrest system, similar to Saab’s, that absorbs shock in a collision and helps prevent whiplash injuries. And they all get three new cup holders, for a total of five (three for the front and two for back-seat passengers).

The Rest: The entry-level G20 gets some trim tweaks and a five-horsepower boost, to 145; the flagship Q45 will offer a special trim package starting in January to commemorate its 10th anniversary.

In the Wings: The QX4 SUV will show off a new design and bigger V-6 engine next year, when navigation systems will become optional equipment for all models in the product line. Infiniti folk have also started hinting at a fifth vehicle--one of the crossover sport-activity vehicles that meld SUV styling and sport-touring car suspensions and handling--for 2002.

Isuzu

Changes: The “we don’t make cars” company gives its Rodeo and Amigo SUVs mild exterior freshening and substantial interior revisions and upgrades, as well as adjustable shocks for sport and normal driving modes. The Trooper gets some new sheet metal and a two-wheel-drive version.

The Rest: The radically styled VehiCROSS, Isuzu’s successful effort to cross a sport-ute with a high-end running shoe, gets a few color and trim tweaks. The Oasis minivan is gone.

Jaguar

New: Jaguar already broke in the new millennium with its 2000 model S-Type, introduced earlier this year. Ford may own the company, but the styling is pure Jag, harking back to the 1960s S-Types. The underpinnings are thoroughly modern--a Ford-engineered rear-wheel-drive platform shared with the Lincoln LS and the upcoming Ford Thunderbird. The S-Type offers two engine choices: a base 3.0-liter, 240-horsepower V-6 or a 4.0-liter, 281-horsepower V-8.

The next new Jag, due out right about now, is the XKR, which melds the supercharged 4.0-liter, 370-horsepower V-8 from the stately XJR sedan with the luscious bodywork of the sleek XK series.

Changes: The regular XKs, coupe and convertible, get traction control and better front brakes among other tweaks, while the XJ series offers all that, an optional navigation system and several new colors.

In the Wings: A new small car, code-named the X400 “baby Jag,” that will compete with BMW’s 3-Series and the like, with production scheduled for late next year as a 2001 model.

Jeep

Changes: The Wrangler and Cherokee get the 4.0-liter inline-6 from the Grand Cherokee, and the engine has been re-engineered to produce fewer emissions and run more quietly. The Wrangler offers a new five-speed manual transmission and an optional three-speed automatic; the Grand Cherokee with the 4.7-liter V-8 gets a two-wheel-drive model.

Kia

New: Although it was acquired early this year by Hyundai, Kia continues to operate as a separate company with its own lineup. A new subcompact, called Rio, is on tap for next year as a late 2000 model.

Changes: The Sephia sedan line gets a five-door version (that’s a four-door with hatchback) next year.

The Rest: No significant changes for the Sportage mini-SUV.

In the Wings: The Sedona minivan, originally scheduled for early 2000, is now expected late in the year or may be held back until early 2001.

Lamborghini

Worth Noting: The boutique car maker--total production for 2000 is pegged at 260 vehicles, with about 100 slated for delivery to the U.S.--is now owned by Volkswagen’s Audi subsidiary and last year there was talk of giving Audi say-so over Lambo design and engineering. But now Audi says it will not interfere with Lamborghini’s day-to-day operations or its styling. The brand may start employing some of Audi’s Teutonic engineering expertise, but it will stay Italian in style, Audi promises.

Changes: The two mid-engine Lamborghini models sold in the U.S.--the Diablo roadster and Diablo SV coupe--get a 35-horsepower boost to a devilish 530 horses, enough to propel the sleek machines from zero to 60 mph in under five seconds and to provide a sizzling top speed of close to 200 mph. The Diablos also get fixed headlamps, replacing the bug-eye flip-ups of 1999.

In the Wings: A replacement for the Diablo, with Volkswagen’s V-12 engine, is expected to be introduced in 2001. Also in the mill: a smaller Lamborghini with a V-10 power plant.

Land Rover

Changes: Minor changes to the options packages for the Discovery and Range Rover lineups.

In the Wings: The Freelander mini-ute, another in the class of the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, but with better off-road credentials, will arrive next year as a 2001 model.

Lexus

Changes: There’s a face lift and some new color choices for the entry-level ES 300. Toyota’s Brake Assist system (Mercedes-Benz introduced its version, same name, in 1998), which automatically applies additional braking power to improve emergency stopping, becomes standard on the LS 400, GS 300 and GS 400 sedans and the LX 470 SUV. The ES 300 gets the system as an option.

The Rest: Cosmetic tweaks for the SC coupes and the RX 300, which debuted last year as one of the first of the not-quite-an-SUV crossovers that are built on passenger vehicle platforms for better rise but have less off-road capability than a truck-based SUV.

Lincoln

New: The Lincoln LS sedan. In V-6 and V-8 trim it has won mostly rave reviews for performance and handling. But even Lincoln’s top designer says it is still a bit too generically Euro-looking to fit, style-wise, into the ultimate plan: making Lincoln the symbol for the American luxury car. That should change in a few years, though, when the redesign of the entire Lincoln lineup is completed. Meanwhile, buyers don’t seem to mind the European look and Lincoln is selling LSs faster than it can build them.

The Rest: The Navigator SUV, Lincoln’s hot-selling version of the Ford Expedition, gets new running boards and a few new options, including climate-control seating that provides heat or cool air through the perforated upholstery. Look for minor tweaks for the Continental and Town Car luxury sedans.

In the Wings: The Lincoln Blackwood, a luxury sport-activity truck that mates a Navigator’s four-door cabin with a truncated, covered, wood-sided pickup bed just the right size for a pair of golf bags and accouterments. It is due out as a 2001 model and sure to start gracing the parking lots of country clubs all over Southern California soon thereafter. A dollar to the first person who sends in a picture of a Blackwood loaded with lawn clippings or garage sale leftovers and heading up the dirt road to the local dump.

Mazda

New: The restyled and re-engineered MPV minivan, with interior seating that borrows from Honda’s Odyssey (flat-folding rear seats and middle seats that move together or slide apart), a more powerful, 160-horsepower V-6 and a category-busting base price of $19,995.

Changes: The 626 sedan gets new headlights, grille and bumper up front, a 130-horsepower base V-4 (up from 125 horses in ‘99), steering and suspension improvements and interior upgrades. The Protege, all-new last year, offers side air bags as an option.

The Rest: The Miata, redesigned for ‘99, is pretty much unchanged, although a suspension upgrade is offered as an option on the base models and provided as standard, along with power windows, power steering and a racing-style steering wheel, on the Miata L model. The B-Series pickup also gets just a few minor tweaks.

The marketing mavens at Mazda missed a great promotional opportunity by failing to copy Buick’s move with the Century and spiff up and promote its luxury model, the Millenia, in the model year that ends the old one--or starts the new one, your choice.

In the Wings: A mini-SUV based on the 626 sedan platform and twin of the upcoming Ford Escape is set for 2001. It was unveiled this week at the Tokyo Motor Show--three months before Ford will show the Escape at the Detroit show. Mazda is also planning to resurrect its RX-7 sports car, although probably without the rotary engine, and recently displayed a crossover SUV-station wagon-luxury sedan combo called the NexTourer.

Mercedes-Benz

New: The German luxury car unit of DaimlerChrysler follows up its new S-Class sedans, introduced in the spring as early 2000 models, with the CL coupes--a 302-horsepower, 5.0-liter V-8 model in December and a 6.0-liter V-12 next fall as a 2001 model. Also coming is a performance version of the M-Class SUV and a 4.3-liter V-8 version of the CLK convertible.

Mercedes-Benz’s S-Class wowed reviewers and consumers with a plethora of comfort, safety and performance features that include an electronic air suspension system; air bags that can tell the difference between low-speed and high-speed collisions, deploying with appropriate speed and force; and a smart cruise control that maintains a safe, preset distance between the S-Class and the car it is following by automatically applying the brakes when the space between the vehicles closes up.

The CL coupes, built on the S-Class platform, will add an active suspension that continually adjusts to eliminate body lean; new weight-saving aluminum and magnesium suspension and drive train parts and plastic front fenders and trunk lid. (Rule of thumb: Plastic outside, good; plastic inside, bad.)

The V-12 version of the CL will also offer an engine that senses when power is needed and reacts accordingly, shutting down half its cylinders and operating on a single bank of pistons as an in-line six in cruising mode. The resulting fuel economy makes the new CL about 20% more fuel efficient than the previous model.

Mercedes’ CLK430 cabriolet joins the 430 coupe and 320 coupe and cabriolet to round out the supercharged CLK family (the K stands for kompressor, German for “supercharger”). All the CLKs get new wheels, new under-bumper “aprons” front and rear and new under-door rocker panels. The 430 cabriolet, or convertible, gets the same 275-horsepower V-8 as the 430 coupe.

The newest M-Class SUV will be called the ML55, for its 5.5-liter, 342-horsepower V-8, tuned by Mercedes’ high-performance arm, AMG. Due out in the first quarter as a 2000 model, the ML55 is already being billed by Mercedes-Benz as the world’s fastest sport-utility--a designation that puts a lot more emphasis on the sport than on the utility (it accelerates from zero to 60 mph in a tad under seven seconds). But then there aren’t many ML owners, even those with the prosaic 3.2-liter V-6 version, who regularly take them off the highway and go rock climbing with them anyway.

Changes: The E-Class sedans and wagon get new hoods and lower-body panels, repositioned headlights and an overhauled interior. Electronic skid control and curtain side air bags are standard across the line. The E430 gets Mercedes’ all-wheel-drive system, the first time it has been used with a Mercedes-Benz V-8 drive train.

Mercedes-Benz designo editions of the SLK roadster, SL roadsters, S-Class sedans, CLK lineup and E-Class sedans and wagons debut in the 2000 model year, offering buyers the opportunity to order special paint and two-tone upholstery combinations in colors such as electric green and copper.

The Rest: The C-Class sedans and wagons are unchanged, as are the SL roadsters and the SLK hardtop convertible--a vest-pocket roadster with a marvelous folding metal roof that hides away in the trunk and comes in at about half the price of the bigger SL.

In the Wings: Mercedes has said it will bring out the ultra-luxury Maybach, to compete with Rolls-Royce and Bentley, as early as 2001.

Mercury

Worth Noting: Ford Motor Co. says it will quit ignoring its Mercury unit--rumored earlier this year to be on its way to the junkyard--and start developing new products for it. Mercury also launched a new advertising campaign this month, fueling speculation that it really will be around for a bit longer.

New: The ’00 Sable, like its stablemate, the Ford Taurus, gets a new skin, more interior room, a redesigned instrument panel, adjustable brake and accelerator pedals and side air bags. The base 3.0-liter V-6 gets boosted to 153 horsepower, a gain of eight horses, and all Sables now come with standard 16-inch wheels.

Changes: The Cougar, new for ‘99, is unchanged except for the mid-2000 introduction of a sportier version with a 200-horsepower V-6. The present V-6 model tops out at 170 horses. The Tracer economy car has been dropped, and production of the Mystique will end in December.

The Rest: The Mountaineer SUV--Mercury’s version of the Ford Explorer--gets more options and the Villager minivan, first cousin to the Nissan Quest, slight comfort and convenience package upgrades.

Mitsubishi

Worth Noting: The 3000GT, which once ran with Toyota Supras, Mazda RX-7s and Nissan Zs, has been phased out. Say goodbye to the last high-end sports coupe from Japan.

New: The Eclipse is redesigned from the ground up for 2000, with styling cues from the SST concept and the discontinued 3000GT and an optional 3.0-liter, 200-horsepower V-6 tuned to provide almost as much oomph as the previous generation’s turbocharged model. The base 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine produces 147 horsepower in California emissions tune, up from 138 last year.

Changes: The Montero Sport gets a freshened exterior, a new rear suspension and substantial interior upgrades. The Galant, all new last year, offers a number of new features, including traction control for the LS and GTZ models and a sportier suspension for the GTZ.

The Rest: More standard features and new exterior colors for the luxury Diamante sedan, more standard features for the entry-level Mirage sedan and coupe.

Nissan

New: Nissan has a lot of neat stuff for 2000, but most of it hit dealer showrooms earlier this year, leaving the company with a face-lifted Altima as its major new offering for the fall. An all-new 2000 Sentra sedan is due early next year.

The Xterra has been Nissan’s big news so far for the 2000 model year: an SUV that goes back to the genre’s truck roots and doesn’t pretend to be a luxury sedan, a sports car or anything else. Styling is nifty, and standard features and options are plentiful, including water-resistant neoprene seat covers and a V-6 engine.

Nissan also hit showrooms early this year with a redesigned Maxima that is longer and more powerful than its predecessor. The Maxima’s 3.0-liter V-6 now puts out 222 horsepower, up from 190 in the ’99 model. The Maxima gets new standard features such as anti-lock brakes and keyless entry at a price that averages about $2,000 less than last year’s models.

Another early ’00 model for Nissan was the Frontier Crew Cab, the first of the four-door, short-bed mini-pickups that will soon be flooding the market.

The Sentra will arrive with a new base 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine rated at about 135 horsepower; that’s up from the 1.6-liter, 115-horse base engine in ’99. An optional 2.0-liter, four-cylinder motor will deliver an estimated 145 horsepower, up from 140 last year. The car will get all new styling from Nissan Design International in La Jolla.

Changes: The Altima sedan sports redesigned front and rear fascias to give it the longer, wider look that consumers are demanding in the small-sedan market. The suspension was stiffened, and the 2.4-liter, four-cylinder power plant gets five more horses for a total of 155.

The Rest: No changes for Nissan’s electric vehicle, the Altra EV.

In the Wings: Nissan faces a complete corporate make-over after nearly going under last year before being rescued by Renault of France. There are a number of possibilities for the Japanese company, and some future products will be unveiled this week at the hometown Tokyo Motor Show. One thing we know for sure is that the revered Nissan Z sports car will be resurrected as a 2002 model, though smaller and a lot less expensive than the last Zs built in 1997.

Oldsmobile

Worth Noting: Olds drops the flagship Aurora sedan until early next year when it will be reintroduced as a restyled 2001 model. Gone for good are the Cutlass and the Eighty-Eight. A 3.5-liter, 215-horsepower V-6 version of the new Aurora will replace the Eighty-Eight, while the 4.0-liter, 250-horse V-8 will top the slimmed-down lineup.

Changes: The Alero offers a five-speed manual transmission for the 150-horsepower, four-cylinder GX and GL models, and the GL gets an optional performance suspension upgrade. The mid-size Intrigue adds a skid-control system that adjusts brake pressure individually at all four wheels to minimize skidding in emergency conditions or on hazardous road surfaces.

The Rest: The Bravada SUV (Olds’ version of the Chevy Blazer) and the Silhouette minivan offer minor tweaks.

Panoz

New: Georgia-based Panoz Auto Development Co. adds a second roadster to its retail lineup to complement the cycle-fendered Panoz AIV two-seater. (The company also makes two race cars.) The new Esperante roadster sports an all-aluminum body (formed by a high-tech aerospace firm in Riverside) and the same 320-horsepower, 32-valve V-8 that Ford stuffs under the hood of its Mustang Cobra. Like the AIV, the twin-seat Esperante has an aluminum chassis and fully independent, race-tuned suspension. Goodies such as power seats, power top and traction control are standard. The estimated base price is $80,000.

The Rest: The $63,000 AIV--for aluminum intensive vehicle--is unchanged for the ’00 model year.

Plymouth

Changes: The Prowler, Plymouth’s bid to give the world a mass-produced hot rod (a concept classic hot rodders can’t accept, defining their cars as unique, personalized creations), gets a new color (silver, to go with yellow and purple) and slightly softer suspension to smooth out the ride. The mid-size Breeze sedan keeps its base 2.0-liter, 132-horsepower, manually shifted engine but offers a heftier 2.4-liter, 150-horse inline-4 with an automatic transmission as a no-cost option.

The Rest: Plymouth’s Neon, like its twin over at Dodge, was introduced early in the year as a 2000 model with a complete redesign. It is bigger and rides and handles better than its predecessor. But the Plymouth doesn’t get the optional 150-horsepower engine that Dodge Neon buyers can order and is stuck with the base 132-horse power plant. The Voyager minivan features some trim upgrades.

In the Wings: Redesigns for the Breeze and the Voyager in 2001.

Pontiac

New: The Bonneville undergoes its first redesign since 1992 and emerges as an all-new car: longer, heavier, stiffer and with new standard equipment such as skid control, a tire-pressure monitor, side air bags for the front seats and an impact-absorbing headrest system that helps prevent whiplash injuries. Engine choices remain unchanged--a 3.8-liter, 205-horsepower V-6 with a supercharged 240-horse version for the sportier SSEi model.

Changes: The Grand Prix gets 15 additional horsepower from its 3.1-liter V-6, now rated at 175 horses; the optional supercharged V-6 is still available; and a limited-edition silver-colored Daytona Pace Car Replica will be available early next year.

Elsewhere, the entry-level Sunfire got a face lift in the middle of the year and was introduced then as an ’00 model with a new five-speed manual transmission; the Grand Am, new for ‘99, also gets the new five-speed as standard equipment with the 150-horsepower four-cylinder engine.

The Rest: The Firebird sports coupe and convertible models get a retuned engine to meet California’s low-emission-vehicle standards, and all Montana minivans now come with four doors.

Porsche

New: The Boxster gets an S version with special trim and, most important, a hefty 252-horsepower flat-6 that boosts top speed to 162 mph and the base price to $55,000.

Changes: The $41,000 basic Boxster gets a slightly larger flat-6 engine, 2.7 liters and 217 horsepower instead of the ’99 version’s 2.5 liters and 201 ponies. The 911 Carrera also gets a boost in power, to about 300 horses from last year’s 296. Skid control is now an option on the Carrera 2 and standard on the all-wheel-drive Carrera 4.

In the Wings: The 911 Turbo, with 420 horsepower, a top speed of 190 mph and a 0-to-60 time of about 3.5 seconds, for drivers who don’t mind scorching the paint work and can afford the best radar detectors money can buy.

Rolls-Royce

Changes: The Silver Seraph’s radiator grille gets a slight redesign, causing raised eyebrows and sloshed teacups all over Britain.

In the Wings: Rolls-Royce the company was acquired by Volkswagen last year, but in a plot worthy of a BBC “Mystery!” series treatment, VW’s German rival BMW managed to obtain the rights to the Rolls-Royce brand name. After heated discussion, an agreement was hatched under which VW keeps making and selling Rolls and its Bentley stablemate until 2003, when Rolls rolls over to BMW and Bentley stays with VW.

Until then, Volkswagen is likely to put most of its efforts into the Bentley brand, so don’t look for much more from Rolls until 2003. Even though the two German auto makers now own Britain’s best-known luxury marques (and Ford Motor Co. owns the others--Aston Martin and Jaguar), it is expected that the cars will continue to be built in England.

Saab

Worth Noting: Saab remains the only auto maker to offer nothing but turbocharged engines, which are more popular in Europe than in the U.S. But turbos--as witness the turbocharged engine offerings from Buick and Pontiac--are gaining here as manufacturers search for ways to increase or maintain performance while shrinking engine size and improving fuel economy.

New: Saab revives the Aero nameplate for its new high-performance 9-5 model. The Aero sedan gets a turbocharged 2.3-liter, 230-horsepower, four-cylinder power plant that churns out almost 260 pound-feet of torque. Bigger brakes, tauter suspension and 17-inch wheels help harness the extra power, and bodywork tweaks, including flared fenders and a chin spoiler (mounted under the front bumper), help advertise it. The 9-3 Viggen coupe introduced in the spring gets sedan and convertible versions. All share the 2.3-liter, 230-horsepower turbocharged engine.

Changes: All 9-5 sedans and wagons get traction control and sunroofs as standard equipment; the 9-3 SEs get flared fenders, sportier suspension tuning and a trunk-top spoiler for the convertible; and all base 2.0-liter 9-3 models get boosted to 205 horsepower--up from 185 horses for last year’s automatic transmission version and 200 horses for the manual models.

Saturn

New: At last, Saturn has a bigger car. Introduced earlier this year, the mid-size LS (for larger sedan) and LW (for larger wagon) are based on parent GM’s Opel Vectra platform from Germany. The base engine is a 2.2-liter, 132-horsepower four-cylinder, and there’s a 3.0-liter V-6 with 180 horses for the more adventurous buyer. The cars use Saturn’s polymer body panels to minimize dents and dings.

Changes: Energized by the arrival of the L-Series, Saturn also refreshed its S-Series sedans and wagons with new lower-body panels made, of course, of polymer. The S-Series cars also have new interiors, with more door-panel storage, new cup holders and a new instrument cluster.

In the Wings: A redesigned S-Series coupe comes next year as a 2001 model, and Saturn has been given the go-ahead to develop a sport-utility vehicle as a 2002 or 2003 model.

Subaru

New: The mid-size sedan and wagon lineup from Subaru, the only company with nothing but all-wheel-drive vehicles, has been revamped, re-engineered and subdivided into two families: Legacy, for those who keep to the asphalt, and Outback, for drivers who like to wander up fire roads and dirt tracks or want to look as if they do. The vehicles share dimensions, engines and full-time all-wheel-drive systems; the differences are in trim, suspension and equipment.

The Outback wagon and sedan are raised about an inch higher than their Legacy counterparts for improved ground clearance. The Outback wagon also has the raised roof line that separated it from its Legacy twin last year.

Outback and Legacy vehicles boast new bodies--wider, taller and longer than in the past--and the wagons have a new rear suspension to eliminate the shock absorber towers that intruded into the cargo space.

The mid-size Subarus also get a new generation of the auto maker’s unique flat-4 engine. It has the same 2.5-liter displacement and 165-horsepower rating as last year, but a new low-friction design provides a bit more torque and makes it available at lower revolutions than in the past.

Changes: Subaru’s small-car lineup of Impreza coupes, sedans and wagons gets minor styling changes and one new member as the rally-styled 2.5 RS coupe is joined by the 2.5 RS sedan. The RS models get the 2.5-liter flat-4 from the Legacy lineup as their standard engine and also receive a new limited-slip rear differential to help keep the power on the road. Subaru’s 2.2-liter, 142-horsepower flat-4 remains the standard engine for other models built on the Legacy platform, including the Forester, a crossover wagon with SUV styling. The Forester does, however, get the new limited-slip rear end.

Just to keep consumers on their toes, the Impreza group offers a second wagon with off-road capabilities, the Outback Sport, which wasn’t adopted into the other Outback family when it was spun off from the Legacy group.

Suzuki

Changes: Suzuki keeps things pretty stable for ’00. Its Esteem sedan and wagon get restyled front ends, and the 1.8-liter, 122-horsepower four-cylinder becomes standard, replacing last year’s 95-horse, 1.6-liter engine. The company’s sport-utility lineup grows to three models with the addition of the upscale, leather-clad Grand Vitara Limited.

The Rest: The Vitara and Grand Vitara SUVs and Suzuki’s 40-mile-per-gallon Swift economy car are basically unchanged for 2000.

Toyota

New: Toyota enters the new model year with a slew of offerings aimed mainly at a youth market that the company was in danger of losing with its reputation for dependable but not terribly exciting cars. (See Camry.)

The new “youth Toyotas” include the economical entry-level Echo sedan, the MR Spyder roadster (due in the spring as a price and performance competitor for the Mazda Miata) and the redone Celica sports coupe, with an edgy design influenced by Mercury’s Cougar.

The bubble-shaped Echo replaces the Tercel and features a new 1.5-liter, 102-horsepower, four-cylinder engine that delivers 30 miles to the gallon around town and 40 on the highway. Toyota has priced it to start at about $10,000.

The MR Spyder is a mid-engine two-seater with a squared-off rear end, a 1.8-liter, 140-horsepower engine and a price tag expected to start near $18,000. The Celica comes in two flavors: mild (with a 1.8-liter, 140-horse engine) and spicy (wringing 180 horses out of the same 1.8-liter displacement). Other treats on the Celica include racetrack-quick steering and an optional automatic transmission with shift buttons on the steering wheel.

Toyota’s other new-for-’00 vehicle is the Tundra full-size pickup, introduced earlier this year. It comes with 190-horsepower V-6 and 245-horsepower V-8 engine options and in two-door and four-door extended-cab models.

Changes: The Avalon gets a new body and a roomier interior with overall styling that cements its place as Toyota’s luxury model and nudges it a tad closer to the Lexus line. Avalon’s 3.0-liter V-6 engine also gets a boost, to 210 horsepower from last year’s 200.

Elsewhere in the lineup, the Camry Solara coupe will come in a convertible version starting in the spring; Camry sedans get a restyled face and taillights; and Corollas get five more horsepower for 125 total. The Land Cruiser full-size SUV gets leather seats and a new traction-control system.

The Rest: Toyota didn’t have any time left over, so the Tacoma mini-pickup, RAV4 mini-SUV, RAV4 electric vehicle and 4Runner mid-size SUV are unchanged.

In the Wings: Toyota’s Prius, a gas-electric hybrid that the company has been selling in Japan for almost two years, arrives next summer as a 2001 model. That means that while Toyota beat the rest of the pack to the punch with a five-passenger sedan that gets 66 miles a gallon, Honda gets to market its two-seat, 70-mpg Insight hybrid in the U.S. without competition for almost six months.

Unlike the Honda, which always uses its small gasoline engine and kicks in the electric for extra power, the Prius will automatically switch back and forth, or use both motors at the same time, depending on the amount of power needed. Its styling is a bit more subdued than that of the aerodynamic Insight, but with its tall cabin, short trunk and high sides, the Prius won’t be mistaken for anything else.

Volkswagen

Changes: VW is resting after introducing a spate of new vehicles in recent years. For 2000 ,the changes are mostly in equipment. All VWs get a brake-wear indicator light; some new colors are available; and the turbocharged 1.8-liter, 150-horsepower four-banger from the New Beetle GLX becomes an option in the Golf and Jetta lines right after the first of the year. The turbo Beetle GLS model gets traction control as standard equipment, as does the top trim level of the V-6-powered GTI (the two-door version of the Golf).

The Rest: The Eurovan, the auto world’s original minivan, remains unchanged after its reintroduction to the U.S. last year. Other than noted above, the Cabrio (convertible), Golf, Jetta, Passat, GTI and base New Beetle models stay about the same as well.

In the Wings: The convertible Beetle. We thought it might be here by 2000, but it may take a year or so longer with demand still quite high, thank you, for the hardtop Bug. VW watchers are also waiting for the company to make its all-wheel-drive system available in the U.S. There’s a V-8 on tap for the Passat in 2001, and a luxury model VW as early as 2002 that the gang from Wolfsburg says will compete with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedans.

Volvo

New: The Swedish box maker has just about run out of square corners. And it has joined Toyota, Ford and a few others in the pursuit of youth. The result is the 40-Series, which offers both sedan and wagon (S40 and V40, respectively, in Volvo-ese). The vehicles have curves, continuing the break from slab-sided styling that Volvo started last year with its positively sinuous S80 sedan. The 40s also have great prices, starting at about $23,900, or nearly $4,000 lower than the least-expensive Volvo offered in 1999.

The 40s are considered entry-level cars, with the interior space of Audi’s A4. But they are Volvos, so the list of standard equipment is long and impressive. All-wheel disc brakes, anti-lock braking, front-seat side air bags and front seats that absorb energy to help prevent whiplash injuries are just some of the goodies.

Changes: The workhorse 70-Series sedan and wagon get some engine improvements for their base 2.4-liter, inline-5 engines, which increase output to 168 horsepower from 162. The base engine also pairs with a new five-speed automatic transmission. There’s an improved optional all-wheel drive for the 2.3-liter turbocharged models, and in that configuration, the inline-5’s power is boosted from a respectable 236 ponies to a racy 268.

The Rest: The luxury S80, new last year, gets minor trim improvements. The 70-Series coupe and convertible enter ’00 unchanged.