."Prowler Silver" debuts as the new color for the 2000 model year.
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"Without question, Prowler increases traffic in our Chrysler/Plymouth showrooms and generates awareness and consideration for all of our vehicles including Chrysler 300M, LHS, Concorde, Town & Country, Plymouth Voyager, Breeze and Neon," said Martin R. Levine, DaimlerChrysler's Vice President of Chrysler/Plymouth and Jeep®.

2000 Prowler Silver

Photo: DaimlerChrysler

For the 2000 model year, Prowler Silver makes its debut, replacing Prowler Purple in the color palette. Two other colors offered this year include Prowler Black and Prowler Red. Black bumpers are now standard with all colors. Significant improvements for 2000 include enhanced overall ride characteristics. Engineers improved the two-seater's ride by reducing friction in the rear suspension. Specifically, rubber bushings were replaced with cross axis ball joints in the rear suspension lateral links. With reduced friction, engineers recalibrated the front and rear Koni shocks and reduced spring rates. The front spring rate is reduced 10 percent while the rear spring rate is reduced 20 percent for a smoother ride.

In addition to reduced spring rates, Prowler offers a new generation of Goodyear Eagle GSD EMT runflat tires which were designed specifically for the 2000 Prowler. The new design features a revised sidewall belt architecture and a stickier front tire compound that ultimately improves the car's "grab" of the road and contributes to the improved ride and handling.

Inside, Prowler now features an electrochromic rearview mirror that automatically reduces glare. Built into the mirror is a mini trip computer that communicates compass information, temperature readings, elapsed time, and miles per gallon. Prowler's audio system now features AutoVolume, which adjusts volume based on the speed of the vehicle and can be adjusted for top-up or top-down. In addition, a mute switch is added to the vehicle's steering wheel mounted radio controls. A leather shifter boot and chrome bezel are added to complete the hot rod interior.

Prowler also features next-generation air bags that deploy with less force as well as a key-operated passenger-side air bag disable switch. Prowler first appeared as a concept car at the 1993 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Favorable response to the car prompted DaimlerChrysler to unveil a production version of the hot rod at the 1996 North American International Auto Show. Production for Prowler began in July, 1997. Prowler is manufactured at Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit and is built alongside the Dodge Viper production line.

Headquarter of Opel at Ruesselsheim

Clear growth in vehicle sales has also resulted in a considerable increase in turnover. Company sales revenues jumped from DM 14.25 billion to DM 16.31 billion in the first half of 1999. This represents an increase of 14.5 percent. The company was able to increase the number of new car registrations in the German market in the first half of 1999 by 13,500, to 281,300 units. This represents an increase of 5 percent. After a decline over the last few years, the brand has stopped its negative trend in the German car market and has been able to stabilize its market share at last year's level of 13.8 percent. In May and June 1999, this figure was almost 15 percent.

The Astra, the Corsa, the Frontera and the new Zafira compact van, which was launched this spring, all contributed significantly to this positive development in Germany. Astra registrations grew by 31 percent in the first half of 1999, to 128,300. For the sixth consecutive year, the Corsa dominated the sub-compact vehicle segment with 56,800 units sold in the first six months of this year.

The Opel/Vauxhall brand has registered a clear upturn in Western Europe as well. In the first half of 1999, new car registrations rose to 888,000 units, from 797,000 units in the year-ago period. The brand was able to actually reverse the decline in market share in Western Europe of the past years and achieved a turnaround in 1998 with an increase from 10.6 to 11.0 percent in the first six months of 1999.

In the month of June alone, 155,000 new car registrations represented a 21 percent increase compared to the same month in 1997. During May and June, Opel/Vauxhall was again the leading brand in Europe.

In the 1998 fiscal year, Adam Opel AG improved turnover by DM 260 million, achieving a new record of DM 30.3 billion. Operating results were negative, however, due to a decline in sales of 33,000 vehicles-also because the Astra model changeover-increased expenditures in product improvement programs, research and development, as well as higher depreciation as a result of extensive investments in new production facilities, mainly in Bochum.

Including dividends and gains from profit and loss absorption agreements as well as transfer income, Adam Opel AG was able to show a considerable net income of DM 576 million. A year earlier the company had suffered a loss of DM 228 million.

Opel Executive Director of Finance, Hennig A. Klages, predicts that the competitive stakes in the German and European automobile industry will remain high in the medium term. He described the return to operating profits and the safeguarding of sustained profitability as the company's main targets.

Achieving this should be helped in no small way by the introduction of attractive new models and a clearer definition of the brand. The new Management Board member in charge of Engineering, Hans H. Demant announced that the model offensive started in 1997 will continue. With this in mind the company had already increased spending in research and development by 21 percent up to DM 1.8 billion in the 1998 fiscal year. According to Demant, the new models for this and next year will be the revised flagship, Omega, the Opel Coupé, the Speedster as well as a new microvan called Agila in the small car segment.

FM 12

Photo: Volvo

"Our launch of the FM12 model at Auto Shanghai '99 is an important step into the Chinese market. With this model we are introducing new technology which will increase our customers' competitiveness", said Mr Gary Wu, Head of Marketing and Sales at Volvo Truck China Corporation.