Automakers Wheel Out New Cars

While industry rival Ford Motor Co. has cut back on coupes amid declining sales, Chevrolet is sticking with them. The General Motors Corp. division on Thursday introduced its 2000 Monte Carlo, which goes on sale next fall.

"There's still coupe buyers out there who want an exciting brand," Chevrolet general manager Kurt Ritter said after the car was unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show's media preview.

The midsize Monte Carlo is the coupe version of the new Impala, which also shares its chassis and major mechanical parts with the Pontiac Grand Prix, Oldsmobile Intrigue, and Buick Century and Regal.

The new version borrows a few styling cues from the original Monte Carlos of the 1970s, including a long hood, blunt rear end, vertical taillights and the return of the "knight" emblem. But the overall look is a departure from the current Lumina-based Monte Carlo.

Coupe sales have been down sharply this decade as buyers have flocked to sport utility vehicles and sedans. In the last few years, Ford Motor Co. eliminated the Thunderbird and Probe coupes.

Ritter said Chevy expects to sell 70,000 to 80,000 Monte Carlos a year, up from around 65,000 last year. That compares with plans to sell about 200,000 Impalas. The cars will be built at GM's Oshawa, Ontario, plant.

Chevrolet will target the Monte Carlo to drivers in their mid-30s to mid-40s.

Other new models introduced Wednesday at the Chicago show include the 2000 Pontiac Bonneville sedan, Nissan's 2000 Maxima sedan, Toyota's Camry Solara convertible and a new Toyota sports car.

• Toyota's MR-Spyder is a mid-engine, soft-top roadster that will give the Mazda Miata some competition in the $20,000 to $25,000 price range.

  The announcement follows last month's strong indication by Nissan that it will revive an affordable Z-car in the next two years, and Honda's plan to introduce its S2000 roadster to the U.S. market next fall.

  The MR-Spyder will replace the MR2, a hardtop sports car that remains on sale in Japan but was pulled from the North American market in 1995 because of slow sales.

  It borrows some styling from its higher-priced competition: the circular fender flares look like they came off the new Audi TT, while the rear-end design looks a lot like the Porsche Boxster's, complete with big air scoops to cool the engine that rests behind the seats.

  The car will be built in Japan, but executives would not say when it might go on sale there or Europe. Toyota said the production version will be very similar to the concept car.

  The MR-Spyder will be powered by a new 1.8-liter, twin-cam, four-cylinder engine rated at 140 horsepower. It also features an unusual five-speed manual transmission that does not use a clutch. The driver can shift using a conventional center console shifter, or by pressing buttons on either side of the steering wheel.

• Toyota's convertible Solara will be produced in ambridge, Ontario, and go on sale in spring 2000. The convertible modification to the coupe will be done by ASC, which is opening a new plant near the Toyota factory.

  It is aimed at buyers who desire both a sports car and the room and comfort of a larger car. It will be offered with a choice of four-cylinder or V6 engines, a standard four-speed automatic transmission, a power folding top and a glass rear window.

  Toyota expects to sell only 6,000 convertibles a year. The coupe went on sale last fall; Toyota plans to sell 50,000 this year.

• Nissan said its larger, more luxurious 2000 Maxima sedan will go on sale in June. The car comes with a more powerful 3-liter V6. The styling is less bland than that of the current generation Maxima, featuring more distinctive front- and rear-end treatments.

  Mike Seergy, a Nissan vice president, said the car will be priced in the same low- to mid-$20,000 price range as the current model. He said Nissan expects to sell 110,000 Maximas a year.

• The Pontiac division of General Motors Corp. unveiled its redesigned flagship sedan, the Bonneville, which executives described as a sporty luxury car "with attitude." It shares its chassis and major mechanical parts with the Buick LeSabre.

  The new Bonneville has Pontiac's styling trademarks, including "cat's eye" headlights and lots of lower body cladding with sculpted "gills" to give it a more aggressive look. The car will come with a standard V6 engine that can be upgraded with a supercharger that boosts power to 240 horsepower from 205.

  The Bonneville is aimed at baby boomer families who "want a car that helps them look and feel young," said Mary Boland, Pontiac brand manager. The car will be produced at GM's Orion Township plant outside Detroit.

Written By Brian S. Akre, AP Auto Writer