When Toly takes a trip, it's a trip

Editor's note: This story was published in the March 27, 2000, issue of AutoWeek. Anyone looking to spend a car sort of summer in Europe should let Toly Arutunoff plan it for them. Though you'd need to spend more time than the typical vacation allows and a few more euros than the youth hostel requires, it would be one unforgettable time.

Mini may drop Paceman, Coupe, and Roadster

Mini may discontinue the Paceman, Coupe, and Roadster models as it seeks to trim its lineup, following the introduction of the third-generation Mini Cooper three-door Hardtop. Instead, the company plans to focus on three "pillar" models: the Hardtop, the Countryman, and the Clubman. The third model, the Clubman, is technically still speculative as the company presented a Clubman only in concept form at the Geneva Motor Show last week, but given the amount of real-world testing of Clubman prototypes observed, coupled with the production-ready appearance of the Clubman Concept, this model is virtually assured to reach production in its current form.

Jeep hides ad in 'Saturday Night Live' skit, sort of

Jeep did something over the weekend that we've never seen before -- probably because we're too young. It didn't place its product in a show, which has become more and more common. “We can take my Prius, it has navigation!” And it didn't quite make a commercial spot, in the traditional sense, at least.