Auburn
Hills, Apr 02, 2002 - Thousands of consumers in cities
across the United States will have an opportunity to test-drive
some of the newest and most popular vehicles on the market today.
Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep® are touring together in a nationwide
event that kicks off in April. Route 2002: An American Road Trip
(Route 2002) begins on April 11 in Houston, Tex., and will continue
through December. The four-day stops in each of the Route 2002
cities will begin on Thursday and conclude on Sunday. Additional
stops on the Route 2002 tour include Philadelphia, Minneapolis,
Cleveland and Atlanta. A complete schedule of dates and locations
will be announced separately.
Route
2002 brings the thrill and excitement of on- and off-road driving,
on specially designed courses, while conveying safety and education
messages to consumers in an interactive and entertaining environment.
The event is divided into three driving programs: Dodge City,
The Chrysler Proving Grounds, and Jeep 101. Each driving program
takes place simultaneously but on separate courses. People can
drive six different courses in all, and are encouraged to drive
every course in order to best experience the tremendous capabilities
of all the vehicles.
In addition
to putting people in the driver's seat in a safe, educational
and entertaining environment, Route 2002 features a number of
interactive displays and lifestyle activities for members of the
whole family. Attendees can register to win a number of sweepstakes
and prizes including a new vehicle lease, trip giveaways, and
other consumer products. Route 2002 is free of charge and is open
to the public on a pre-registration basis. Interested consumers
can call 1-866-ROUTE-02 or can visit any of the three brand websites
(www.Chrysler.com,
www.Dodge.com
or www.Jeep.com)
for registration information (key word: Route 2002).
Invitations
for Route 2002 are mailed in advance to current and prospective
owners encouraging them to call the registration number to reserve
a time to participate. Sessions are scheduled hourly:
10 a.m.-7 p.m., Thursday-Friday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday; and,
9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday.
"Route
2002 is an excellent chance for people to come out, get behind
the wheel and experience the performance and capabilities firsthand,
whether someone is considering purchasing a Chrysler, Dodge or
Jeep, is already an owner, or just wants to test drive vehicles
they may not normally drive," said Jeff Bell, Vice President,
Marketing Communications, DaimlerChrysler Corporation. "Route
2002 is more than a test-drive opportunity. People who walk away
from the event will have improved their driving skills and will
be more prepared to handle potentially difficult driving situations
in the future."
Lou Bitonti,
Senior Manager, Global Corporate Events, said: "With all
the activities, games, displays and giveaways, there's something
for virtually every member of the family. Since Route 2002 is
free to all participants, it's a great alternative for people
looking for something different to do on the weekend."
In addition
to the driving courses, each of the three areas of Route 2002
will feature specific lifestyle activities, displays and products
that align with each vehicle brand. The three driving programs
featured on the Route 2002 tour are:
Dodge
City, the name of the on- and off-road course for the Dodge
brand. Consumers will be able to view the Dodge concept and historical
cars in each Route 2002 market and will be able to test-drive
the following vehicles: Ram 1500, Ram 2500, Durango, Dakota, Intrepid,
Neon, Caravan, Stratus Coupe, and Stratus Sedan. Drivers can time
their tire-changing skills in the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge, have
their picture taken with a NASCAR Intrepid and can take a spin
on the simulated Winston Cup Race game.
The Chrysler
Proving Grounds, named after the companys test track
in Chelsea, Mich., educates attendees on the rich heritage of
the Chrysler brand. The Chrysler Proving course of slalom curves,
tar strips, and other obstacles highlight the exceptional performance
and agile handling of Chrysler vehicles. This comprehensive test
drive course features Chryslers Sebring Coupe, Sebring Sedan,
Sebring Convertible GTC, 300M Special, PT Cruiser and Town &
Country minivan. Additional activities include an adult putting
green, a putt-putt course for kids and PT Cruiser photo opportunity,
to name a few.
Jeep 101,
the name of the driving courses for the Grand Cherokee, Liberty,
and Wrangler off-road and the Grand Cherokee and Liberty on-road.
The Jeep Liberty, one of the Jeep brands newest models,
delivers legendary Jeep off-highway capability with superior on-road
ride and handling. Once people have completed the rigorous Jeep
101 driving courses, they can check out the many Jeep activities
including a Jeep bike course and rock-climbing wall.
Those interested
in more information on the Route 2002 tour can call 1-866-ROUTE-02.