north shore news AUTO Ford to continue to produce the Esce THE popular Ford Escort will still have a place in the Ford small car lineup, even after introduction this fall of the all-new Ford Focus. The 2000 Focus, which is sold alongside Escort in Europe and was named “European Car of the Year” by automotive jour- nalists, has recorded the best-ever first six. monch sales total for a car in’ its class in Britain. Ford Division President Jim O'Connor contirmed Tuesday that Escort pro- duction will be consolidated and continue at the Hermosilio Assembly Plant in Mexico early next year. “Keeping the four-door Escort sedan, along with the all-new Ford Focus, gives our customers expanded choice with the broadest small car lineup in the industry,” said O’Connor. “Escort is selling well (up 7% this year) and it also makes sense to utilize avail- able capacity at our Hermosillo plant.” Plans call for Escort pro- duction to end in June at Wayne Assembly to allow the plant to retool and pre- pare for the launch of the new Focus sedan and station wagon, which make their North America debut this fall. “We're in the enviable position of having two ter- rific small cars — each appealing to different: cus- tamers,” added O'Conner, “And when yeu consider that Mustang sales have been up 2b months ina row, Taurus retail sales are up 20% over the last three months, and our new 2000 Taurus will debut this fall, it’s clear our car lineap ts getting stronger by the day.” The Ford Escort recently earned a “Recommended Buy” rating from Consumer Reports magazine and is annually one of the best- selling cars in the United States, ranking fifth in 1998 with 291 936 sales. Escort has sold more than six million cars in the US. since it was introduced in 1980, Escort sales in) March 1999 were up 13%, and cal- endar year to date, Escort is the fitth best-selling car in the United States. »ZX2 ser an any-monrh record in March with about 9,800 sales. “We know fron experi- ence that there is plenty of room for beth Focus and Escort in our Ford show- rooms,” said O°Connor, “Particularly waile we're experiencing, one of the hottest aucomorive — sales cycles in industry history.” Sales of the new Focus across Europe have reached nearly 200,000 units and _March Focus sales ‘ excceded 60,000, one of the highest sales volumes recorded. With Mercury’s recent | COLLISION SPECIALISTS | ARA. AD CENTRE B.C.A.A. - ALL MAKE COLLISION REPAIRS “UFETIME GUARANTEE” Alternative transportation arranged TALKING x Estimates * YELLOW PAGES 299-9000 Consultation (7i4i5l5.. 985-7455 I DEROSA _}} AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES LTD. area 5 STAR SERVICE | FOR COMPLETE AUTO REPAIRS OF ALL MAKES & MODELS New & Used Hyundai Parts Huge Selection! announcement that the Tracer sedan and) station wagon are being dropped from the Mercury lineup and with the discontinua- tion of the Escort wagon, asenbly capacity at Hermosillo was freed up tor Escort sedan and Focus pro- duction, Friday, April 16, 1999 — North Shore News — 43 CORRECTION NOTICE In the Toyota BC Dealers’ Red Tag Sales Event flyer appearing in this paper today, the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price for the 1999 Camry CE, model BG22KP(B), should read $25,530. {It appears correctly on page 4).. Also, some vehicles are net exactly as shown. Your Toycta BC Dealers apologize for any confusion this may have caused our valued customers. North Vancouver's llery of Modern Art Now Open “\ love the juxtapesition..” “| thirk the way the artists blended the . Ba materials was inspired...” “Clearly, it signifies mankind’s eternal S need to move forward into the unknown...” Comments from art people in the know? Hardly. Raves from people who like German cers more likely. - Welcome fo the new Copilano Volkswagen Marketplace and New World of Audi, the first dual “new concep!” dealership not just in Canada but the WHOLE of North America. Come and see the fusion of mixed media on metal. aGs Among the masterpieces, you'll of course see the A4 1.8 Turbo and 2.8, the A6 sedan and Avant wagon and the A8. All available with the. legendary quattro all wheel drive system. _ You'll also take in the redesigned Jetto and Golf and the Passat sedan fecently named family sedan of the year) and wagon. But the crown jewels of the curreni exhibition are undoubtedly the new Audi TT and the New Beelte, now on display. Even if you don’t drive, culture yourself by touring the facility dedicated to the precision of German engineering.