34 - Friday, February 21, 1992 — North Shore News Japan’s micro-cars too small to meet domestic standards From puge 3Q aluminum roof), a T-bar coupe, a Targa, or a full-blown convert- ible. Who said you can’t have everything? Personally, | think it’s simply amazing that you can buy a micro-sized convertible in Japan with all the safety and high-tech features usually only. expected from .larger, more expensive cars. Suzuki even offers Alto Works in Japan, equipped with a twin tur- bo-charged, intercooled DOHC engine with a full-time four- - wheei-drive system and anti-lock brakes — all for around $10,000! Which brings us to the prices of the Beat and Cappuccino. They both start around $13,000 (CDN), and go up to $17,600 wien ‘fully equipped. The *‘coffee” car costs slightly more than the Beat. Compare this to the Gea Metro convertible, starting at just over $12,000, and ‘the prices are very teasonable when you take into ac- count cll the standard features. Besides, you'll save on gas bills — they’re both thrifty at around 5.5 litres/100 km. You're probably wondering by now, as many Vanceuver Auto Shew visitors did, whether these cars will ever reach our shores. Unfortunately, the answer is no, since North America’s restrictive safety regulations make it im- pussible to market Kei-cars here. Their tiny bodies, in their present form, would never meet our crash test standards. But who knows, we may see micro-cars in a dif- ferent form in North America in the future as the technology con- tinues to improve cars’ crashwor- thiness. After all, Suzuki engineers thought they’d sever federalize the Geo Metro convertible (Metros are Suzuki-engineered), and yet it’s been done. Sure, we can’t own these super-mini convertibles here, but many of us at least had a chance to admire them at the show. Students get safe grad challenge THE BRITISH Columbia Automobile Association is challenging B.C.’s Grade 12 students to organize safe, dry graduation celebrations in an effort to have a fatali- _ty-free class of ’92. BCAA senior public affairs of- ficer Patti Bacchus says BCAA will donate a BCAA family “membership to each secondary ‘school holding a dry grad celebra- tion that is attended by at least 50% of the school’s graduating students. ‘In the last couple of years we’ve been hearing about student groups holding alcohol-free grad- uation celebrations. These celebra- tions can go on all night long and include lots of entertainment and fun without alcoho! or drugs. BCAA hopes this is a trend and wants to encourage it,’’ says Bac- chus. To receive a BCAA membership which can be used as a door prize at the celebration, students must submit their dry-grad plans to BCAA by April 30, 1992, by writ- ing to BCAA Dry Grad, c/o Pubiic Affairs, 999 West Broad- way, Vancouver, B.C. V5Z IKS. Dry grad plans must include names and phone numbers of dry grad committee members, date and location of event, and a list of event activities. FEBRUARY SPECIAL NGINE TUNE-UP ® Install new Autopar spark plugs © Check plug wires, distributor cap, rotor, cail, PCV vaive, belts, hoses, compréssion, air fitter and baitery © Adjust timing and idle — {NIA injected vehictes) 566°5 $7095 4 cyl. 6 cyl. $7495 8 cyl mileage warranty ‘on ail genuine Mopar/Autoparf lu parts installed inc! ding iabour. mad nte “Photo submitted THE SUZUKI Cappuccino has a unique, four-way roof system - a hard-top coupe (with an aluminum roof), a T-bar coupe, a Targa, or a full-biown convertibie. Noftshore 1992 MAZDA MPV STARTING FROM "700 -BLK-MARINE DR. | NORTH VANCOUVER 987- STARTING FROM FREE AUTOMATIC | TRANSMISSION | | or equivalent discount on 5-speed where applicable. Exclusively from North Shore Muzda. 7.9% financing OAC. * Some restrictions apply - call business office for details. tO, $395 P.D.L & FREIGHT EACH