1997 in motoring

	… 1987 ; 1988 ; 1989 ; 1990 ; 1991 ; 1992 ; 1993 ; ; 1994 ; 1995 ; 1996 ; 1997 ; 1998 ; 1999 ; 2000 ; ; 2001 ; 2002 ; 2003 ; 2004 ; 2005 ; 2006 ; 2007 … ;
	Art ; Archaeology ; Architecture ; Literature ; Music ; Philosophy ; Science +... ;

Last updated September 27, 2019

1997 in motoring deals with developments in the automotive industry that occurred in 1997, listed by country. The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles.

The automotive industry comprises a wide range of companies and organizations involved in the design, development, manufacturing, marketing, and selling of motor vehicles. It is one of the world's largest economic sectors by revenue. The automotive industry does not include industries dedicated to the maintenance of automobiles following delivery to the end-user, such as automobile repair shops and motor fuel filling stations.

United Kingdom

A year after launching the Ka city car, Ford produced another car from its Fiesta chassis in the shape of the Puma – a 2+2 compact sports coupe with distinctive styling. Its entry-level 1.4 16-valve Zetec engine was sourced from the Fiesta, but the larger 1.7 unit was seen only in the Puma and was significantly more powerful than the Fiesta-sourced engine.

The Ford Ka is a small car manufactured by the American manufacturer Ford Motor Company from 1996 to 2016, as a city car, and from 2016 onwards as a subcompact car. It entered its second generation in 2008, being produced by Fiat in Tychy, Poland. A third generation was introduced in 2016.

Ford Motor Company American automobile manufacturer

Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker that has its main headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobiles and commercial vehicles under the Ford brand and most luxury cars under the Lincoln brand. Ford also owns Brazilian SUV manufacturer Troller, an 8% stake in Aston Martin of the United Kingdom and a 32% stake in Jiangling Motors. It also has joint-ventures in China, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and Russia. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is controlled by the Ford family; they have minority ownership but the majority of the voting power.

The Ford Fiesta is a supermini marketed by Ford since 1976 over seven generations. It has been manufactured in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Mexico, China, India, Thailand, and South Africa.

Vauxhall stopped production of its Calibra coupe range after eight years while the Corsa is given a facelift in the Summer. The Sintra MPV also launches and is based on a GM-design from the US. The model is soon panned for its dull styling, poor build quality and worrying crash-test results which saw it withdrawn after 2 years on sale.

Vauxhall Motors Limited is a British car brand, which is a fully owned subsidiary of French car manufacturer Groupe PSA. Vauxhall's vehicle lineup is identical to that of Opel, but the Vauxhall brand is exclusively used in the United Kingdom and Isle of Man. Vauxhall is one of the oldest established vehicle manufacturers and distribution companies in the United Kingdom. Its headquarters are in Chalton, Bedfordshire, on the northern outskirts of Luton.

Italy

Alfa Romeo 164 production ceased after 10 years. Its successor was the 166 saloon the following year. ^[1]

The Alfa Romeo 164 is a four-door executive saloon that was manufactured by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo from 1987 to 1998 and designed by Pininfarina. The predecessors of the 164 were the Alfetta, and its Alfa 6 derivative. It was superseded by the 166 in 1998, after a total of 273,857 domestic and export 164 units.

The Alfa Romeo 166 is an executive car produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo, between 1996 and June 2007. The car was designed by Centro Stile Alfa Romeo, under the control of Walter de Silva, and was facelifted in September 2003.

Fiat facelifted the Cinquecento city car after six years on sale and gave it a new name – Seicento. The Seicento was a reworking of its predecessor with curvier detailings, and with the standard 700cc engine being dropped and the continuing 900cc unit being available with "Citymatic" semi-automatic transmission – with a normal manual-style gear-lever but no clutch.

The Fiat Cinquecento is a front engine front-wheel-drive, four passenger, three door hatchback city car, manufactured and marketed by Fiat from 1991–1998 over a single generation.

The Fiat Seicento was a city car produced by the Italian company Fiat, introduced at the end of 1997 as a replacement for the Fiat Cinquecento, although it was also based on the Cinquecento. The Seicento did not differ much from its predecessor, retaining the same engines, chassis and general dimensions, although it did gain a minor 90 mm in length.

France

Citroën stopped ZX production after seven years to make way for an all-new car – the Xsara. The Xsara was a conventionally styled 5-door hatchback while the coupe offered a 2.0 "VTS" version which was capable of nearly 140 mph. The ZX would continue alongside it for a while an estate version would launch the following year. The end of the year saw a facelifted Xantia launched.

Citroën is a French automobile manufacturer founded in 1919 by the French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën, and part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group since 1976.

The Citroën ZX is a small family car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën between 1990 and 1998.

The Citroën Xsara was a small family car produced by the French automaker Citroën from 1997 to 2006. The Xsara was a development of the Citroën ZX and Peugeot 306, which shared a platform and running gear.

Peugeot gave the 4-year old 306 a major facelift in May while an estate version launched at the same time. An estate version of the larger 406 would launch in July replacing the nearly decade-old 405.

Renault launched a cabriolet version of the Megane.

Germany

The Volkswagen Golf entered its fourth generation with the look of its predecessor, but was an all-new car. The Golf was initially sold as a hatchback only, with estate and cabriolet versions expected in 1998. Entry-level Golfs used 1.4 and 1.6 petrol engines as well as a 1.9 diesel, with more expensive versions including the 1.9 turbo-diesel as well as the four GTI models – 1.8 non-turbo, 1.8 turbo, 2.0 and 2.3 V5. A saloon version – the Bora – replaced the Vento in 1998. UK sales began in Spring 1998.

Audi launched a new generation of the A6, the name first appeared on a facelifted 100 in 1994. It was designed as a direct competitor for the BMW 5 Series. The A6 estate is called "Avant" and launched the following year.

Mercedes-Benz had an all-new model, the A-Class, its first front-wheel drive car in the Autumn with a choice of 1.4 or 1.6 petrol engines with diesels to follow later. It soon gained notoriety for failing an "elk test" where a test model overturned while trying to avoid the elk which forced Mercedes to fit Electronic Stability Control to all versions of it. The new car made Mercedes ownership more affordable than ever before.

Japan

The Honda Accord and the Toyota Corolla were updated for 1998.

Preceded by 1996 in motoring - the previous year	Motoring per year	Succeeded by 1998 in motoring - the next year

Related Research Articles

The Opel Vectra is a large family car that was engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel. In the United Kingdom, the car was sold under the Vauxhall marque as the Vauxhall Cavalier and later as the Vauxhall Vectra, from 1995 onwards. It has also been sold by Holden in Australasia as the Holden Vectra, and by Chevrolet in Latin America as the Chevrolet Vectra.

The Renault Mégane is a small family car produced by the French car manufacturer Renault since the end of 1995, and was the successor to the Renault 19. The Mégane has been offered in three and five door hatchback, saloon, coupé, convertible and estate bodystyles at various points in its lifetime, and having been through three generations is now in its fourth incarnation.

The Renault Laguna is a large family car by European standards, and was produced by the French manufacturer Renault from 1993 to 2015. The first Laguna was launched in 1994, the second generation was launched in 2000, and the third generation was launched in October 2007.

The Rover 200 Series, and later the Rover 25, are a series of small family cars and supermini cars (1995-2005) that were produced by British manufacturer Rover from 1984 to 2005.

The Volkswagen Polo Mk3 is the third generation of the Volkswagen Polo supermini car and was produced from 1994 until 2003, with a facelift at the end of 1999. It was available in hatchback, sedan and wagon body styles. Hatchback didn't share the same platform and Seat Ibiza, but saloon and estate models were rebadged Seat Córdoba.

This article 1984 in motoring deals with developments in the automotive industry throughout the year 1984 by various automobile manufacturers, grouped by country. The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the Earth's most important economic sectors by revenue. The first practical automobile with a petrol engine was built by Karl Benz in 1885 in Mannheim, Germany.

1989 in motoring includes developments in the automotive industry throughout the year 1989 by various automobile manufacturers, grouped by country. The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles.

1990 in motoring includes developments in the automotive industry throughout the year 1990 by various automobile manufacturers, grouped by country. The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles.

1991 in motoring includes developments in the automotive industry that occurred throughout the year 1991 by various automobile manufacturers, grouped by country. The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles.

1992 in motoring includes developments in the automotive industry that occurred throughout the year 1992 by various automobile manufacturers, grouped by country. The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles.

1994 in motoring includes developments in the automotive industry that occurred throughout the year 1994 by various automobile manufacturers, grouped by country. The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles.

1995 in motoring includes developments in the automotive industry that occurred throughout the year 1995 by various automobile manufacturers, grouped by country. The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles.

1996 in motoring includes with developments in the automotive industry that occurred throughout the year 1996 by various automobile manufacturers, grouped by country. The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles.

1998 in motoring includes developments in the automotive industry that occurred throughout the year 1998 by various automobile manufacturers, grouped by country. The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles.

1999 in motoring deals with developments in the automotive industry that occurred throughout the year 1999 by various automobile manufacturers, grouped by country.

This article 2000 in motoring deals with developments in the automotive industry that occurred throughout the year 2000 by various automobile manufacturers, grouped by country.

Ford of Europe AG is a subsidiary company of Ford Motor Company founded in 1967 in Cork, Ireland, with headquarters in Cologne, Germany.

2002 in motoring deals with developments in the automotive industry that occurred throughout the year 2002 by various automobile manufacturers, grouped by country.

The Rover R8 platform was an automobile platform used for the Mark I Rover 200 Series and the Mark II 200 and 400 Series, compact family cars produced by the Austin Rover Group, and later the Rover Group. The original Rover 200 Series dates back to 1984 with the launch of the SD3 213 and 216 saloons. The second generation was split into two distinct models: the 200 Series three- and five-door hatchbacks, coupé and convertible and 400 Series saloon and estate.

References

↑ "164 Production". digest.net. Archived from the original on 5 April 2007. Retrieved 25 April 2007.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[digest.net-1] "164 Production". digest.net. Archived from the original on 5 April 2007. Retrieved 25 April 2007.