Grand Vitara Chosen as Texas Small SUV of the Year; Texas Automotive Writers Association Selects Best of Class.BREA, Calif.--(AutomotiveWire)--Nov. 18, 1999-- After days of fierce head-to-head competition on street, sand and a grueling mud course, the Texas Automotive Writers Association (TAWA Tawa may refer to:
"This is a great honor for the Grand Vitara and Suzuki. The Grand Vitara is an example of exceptional value and our commitment to the American market," said Gary Anderson
Gary Anderson (born July 16, 1959 in Parys, Free State, South Africa) is a former American football placekicker. , vice president of sales and marketing at American Suzuki Motor Co. "While designing the Grand Vitara, Suzuki wanted to create an SUV that met the needs of the American people An American people may be:
On competition day, the November sun shone on the 49 trucks and SUVs lined up in front of the courthouse on the old town square in picturesque Granbury, Texas Granbury is a city in Hood County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,718. It is the county seat of Hood CountyGR6. . With anticipation, the TAWA writers listened to each manufacturer's presentation, noting the features described -- each knowing that it isn't the presentation that wins awards, it's the performance. At high noon High Noon western film in which time is of the essence. [Am. Cinema: Griffith, 396–397] See : Wild West , the writers took to the vehicles and the manufacturers' representatives squared-off at 10 paces. Road Course "That's how I like to road-test an SUV. Punch the accelerator hard and see if it can hold a tight curve," a journalist said as he accelerated through an arching curve on the rural Texas road. The Grand Vitara Limited Edition hugged the road and surprised driver after driver with its responsive, smooth, quiet ride. Hanging tight in the curves and zooming through the scenic terrain, the Grand Vitara Limited Edition answered all challenges with power and performance, topping the competition in the process. Sand Course Throughout the day, the sand course proved to be a challenge for many vehicles. Some trudged through the coned slalom, others bogged down as they tried to navigate the deep sandy mesa and a few were swallowed up, needing to be towed. Quick on the draw, the Grand Vitara hurtled from the hard pan and powered up the dunes. The V6 power and shift-on- the-fly four-wheel drive boosted the writers up and over the dunes, eliciting audible chuckles. Drive after drive, showdown after showdown, the Grand Vitara repeatedly proved its mettle. Mud Course "I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. if we're going to make it," said the journalist as she turned down the steep embankment of the tight first turn toward a mud bog that had already stranded a few larger 4x4 trucks. With delight, she pushed the accelerator and tore through the mud. "I can't believe we made it! I have to get one of these," she said as she conquered the course. The mud was deep on the winding course wrought with tight turns, deep ruts and a steep 15-foot hill. Journalists had their doubts that many of the small SUVs could handle the demanding course, and for some the course was too much. Through it all, the small but mighty Grand Vitara turned heads and changed opinions. All day, the Grand Vitara Limited Edition climbed the course's banked turns, two-stepped over the large ruts, powered up the steep hills and through the mud. When the day was done, the Grand Vitara reigned supreme over the small SUV category. New for 2000, the Grand Vitara Limited Edition comes equipped with a 155 hp, 2.5-liter, DOHC DOHC Department of Health and Children (Ireland) DOHC Double Overhead Camshaft (engine valve train architecture) DOHC Double over Head Camshaft , V6 engine, four-wheel anti-lock brakes and the choice of either two-wheel or shift-on-the-fly four-wheel- drive, both built into a sturdy body-on-frame. Exterior styling cues on the Limited Edition include gold badging, alloy wheels with gold trim, tinted rear privacy glass, roof rails, fog lamps, a hard spare tire cover and upscale black or white paint scheme. Standard refinements include a special driver's arm rest, power windows and door locks, keyless entry keyless entry: see lock and key. , air conditioning with micron air filtration, cruise control, daytime running lights, tilt wheel, AM/FM AM/FM Amplitude Modulation / Frequency Modulation AM/FM Auto-Mapping/Facilities Management cassette stereo with a six-disc CD changer Changer The name given to a clearing member that is willing to assume the opposite position of a futures contract within a larger alternative exchange, of which it also is a clearing member. and leather seats. The Automotive Division of American Suzuki Motor Corp. (ASMC ASMC American Suzuki Motor Corporation ASMC American Society of Military Comptrollers ASMC Association of Sales & Marketing Companies ASMC Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Conference ASMC Area Support Medical Company ASMC American Small Manufacturers Coalition ), Brea, was founded in 1985 by Suzuki Motor Corp. (SMC SMC Saint Mary's College SMC Santa Monica College SMC Solaris Management Console SMC Smooth Muscle Cell SMC Small Magellanic Cloud (also see LMC) SMC Safety Management Certificate (maritime shipping) ). ASMC markets automobiles in the United States through a network of more than 325 automotive dealerships in 49 states. ASMC's parent company, Suzuki Motor Corp., based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide automobile manufacturer. Founded in 1920, SMC has 134 distributors selling vehicles in 175 countries. |
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