Blue Macaw Takes Wing. GM's Hot Trucks Dominate the Road. Ford Gives Ranger a New Edge. Strip the Covers Off VW's New Colorado SUV - And More in This Week's Edition of TheCarConnection.com

24 July 2000

Blue Macaw Takes Wing. GM's Hot Trucks Dominate the Road. Ford Gives Ranger a New Edge. Strip the Covers Off VW's New Colorado SUV - And More in This Week's Edition of TheCarConnection.com

    DETROIT, July 24 There aren't many secrets in the auto
industry.  But even so, when General Motors decided to go ahead with a
controversial experiment in lean production, it chose out-of-the-way Rio
Grande do Sul, Brazil.  Now the plant is ready to begin supplying Brazilians
with high-quality, low-cost "popular cars" that could give GM a commanding
edge in this emerging market.
    But the real influence of Project Blue Macaw could come in places like
Lansing, Michigan, and Russelsheim, Germany, where GM is getting ready to
adapt the Brazilian plant's breakthrough manufacturing techniques.  Will Blue
Macaw take wing?  Check the lead story in this week's edition of
TheCarConnection.com.
    Then stand back, as TCC strips the covers off Volkswagen's upcoming
Colorado, a stylishly macho performance SUV co-developed with Porsche.  TCC
has an exclusive spy shot in this week's edition of Caught in the Web.
    Trucks rule, but there's a big battle underway to dominate the hot and
profitable market segment.  Check TCC's report on GM's new heavy-duty trucks,
and see why TCC's reviewer proclaims them "king of the hill."  On the other
end of the trucking spectrum, Ford's new Ranger is living life on the "Edge."
With its muscular cues and macho powertrain, can the Ranger Edge appeal to hip
young buyers?  TCC will give you a chance to decide for yourself.  Then join
TCC for a ride in Hyundai's slick new Elantra, and fly high in the Saab
Viggen.
    Have you ever wondered what makes for a really good advertisement?  How
does a good ad get to be a good ad?  And why does most advertising really
suck?  TCC's new marketing columnist, Jim Burt, knows his way around the
smoke-and-mirrors.  Check out his debut column on TheCarConnection.com this
week.
    Roger Penske rarely folds a hand.  So why has he sold off his share of
Detroit Diesel?  And why did DaimlerChrysler pick up the cards?  That's just
one of the stories in the news in this week's issue.
    Check out TCC's weekly car tips.  Get more maintenance help from TCC's On-
Site Mechanic.  You'll find all this and more at TheCarConnection.com,
including buying, selling, and leasing tips; and a wide range of news, views,
and reviews from the automotive world's top columnists and correspondents.
    TCC will help you find the right price for new and used cars -- and give
you the tips you need to be a smarter shopper or seller.   Whatever you're
interested in, TCC has everything automotive on the Web's Automotive
Authority, http://www.TheCarConnection.com .
    Web users can also access The Car Connection by going to the PR Newswire
site http://www.prnewswire.com .