General Motors unveiled its 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade with the enthusiasm of a preacher at an old-fashioned revival. Know this, people! When they go on sale next year, GM's next generation of full-size sport-utility vehicles will deliver more capability, more room, more mileage, more safety features, and more standard equipment!
Granted, the static inspection GM allowed afterward suggests the sermon rings true. The new Tahoe, Yukon, et al., promise to be even better than GM's current big SUVs, which already top the sales charts by a wide margin. But the preacher neglected to mention something, or at least glossed over it in his fervor: The once faithful may be leaving the tent.
With gasoline prices rising and alternatives to conventional sport-utility vehicles proliferating, few in the auto industry — or at GM, for that matter — expect big SUV sales to grow. GM has invested hundreds of millions, probably billions, to protect turf that could erode no matter how good its new full-size SUVs are.
"We are very aware of fuel prices and their impact on sales," says Mark LeNeve, GM's vice president of North American sales, service and marketing. "We still believe full-size SUVs remain a vibrant, profitable market. We also believe our new ones are compelling vehicles, and that we will maintain our market leadership.''
Market Dominance
There are 6.5 million full-size sport-utility vehicles registered in the United States, and 65 percent were built by General Motors. In calendar 2004, the Chevy Tahoe alone accounted for 26 percent of all full-size, truck-based SUV sales. Chevy's Suburban and Avalanche sport-utility pickup increased Chevy's share to more than 40 percent. The GMC Yukon and Denali added 20 percent. Throw in three versions of the Cadillac Escalade — the best-selling large luxury-brand SUV — and GM's share approached two-thirds of the market. Moreover, market research firms and groups like Consumers Union consistently rank GM's big SUVs among the best in quality and customer satisfaction.
Anyway you cut it, GM's current full-size sport-utilities, launched in model-year 2000, are king of the big SUV hill, even if the steady increase in gasoline prices and competition threaten erosion in that hill.
The New Hardware
The 2007 Tahoe, Yukon and Escalade are redesigned essentially from the frame up. If no particular improvement jumps out, that's because all of it is quite impressive.
It starts at the foundation. In both short- and long-wheelbase versions, GM's next-generation full-size SUVs will be slightly larger: 3 inches in length, 3 inches across the front track and 1 inch across the rear. The frames are fully boxed, with hydroformed sections front and rear and nearly 50-percent more resistance to flex, according to GM. A new front suspension design uses coil springs over shocks, and rack and pinion steering. Vice chairman Bob Lutz, the consummate car guy among automotive executives, insists GM has met its development objective: "Dynamically, these are the best body-on-frame trucks ever. The difference from [the 2006 models], which are already quite impressive, is remarkable.''
We'll see when they let us drive one. For now, we can all see the exterior design. The 2007 Tahoe, Yukon and Escalade look leaner and more athletic than the 2006s, and the relative proportion of the wheels to the body is more attractive. They are cleaner, with fewer add-on pieces or cladding — even the Chevy Avalanche. They're also more aerodynamic. The windshields are more steeply raked, and GM says that a general smoothing of body surfaces and more precise panel fit contribute to a class-leading 0.36 coefficient of drag — compared to, for example, 0.43 for the Toyota Sequoia, or 0.41 for Nissan's racy-looking Murano crossover.
There is more differentiation than ever between brands. Chevy, GMC and Cadillac have entirely different front fascia and rear trim. Cadillac's Escalade has its own doors and side panels. Tahoe and Yukon models get standard 17-inch wheels, with options up to 20 inches. Escalades start with 18-inchers and go all the way to 22s.
It's Nice in Here
If one thing stands out in GM's full-size 2007 SUVs, it's their interiors. Even the preproduction vehicles shown had tight panel fit and impressively rich materials. Cadillac's design is much different from the other brands, but there's nothing truckish about any of them. All come standard in duo-tone, and there's no exposed hardware anywhere inside — not even under the folding seats. The dashboard sits lower and further forward than it does in 2006 models, creating the impression of more space and better forward visibility. There's more fore-aft travel for the front seats and more recline range in the second row. There's also considerably more storage space in the center console and glovebox.
GM claims big SUVs are used more frequently to transport children than any vehicles on the road. If that's true, it's no surprise the company is trumpeting safety in its 2007 models. They provide more effective energy-absorbing crumple zones and an advanced rollover detection system, according to GM. They're also equipped with curtain-style head-protection airbags spanning all three rows of seats, and a first in trucks: rear-impact sensors that trigger the seatbelt pre-tensionors to limit whiplash injuries in a rear-end collision.
Three body styles on two wheelbase lengths; light- and heavy-duty models (Suburban and Yukon XL); seven powertrain combos; and two-, four- or all-wheel drive — there will be a lot of choices among GM's full-size 2007 SUVs, and even the least expensive models will come with lots of stuff, including three-zone climate control, tire-pressure monitoring, and a power rear liftgate designed to keep hands clean. Options will run the gamut: advanced DVD entertainment, power fold-and-tumble second-row seats and a rearview video camera.
Small-Block Glory
GM's full-size 2007 SUVs will get power from a range of V8s similar to those currently available: a 4.8-liter generating 290 horsepower, several 5.3s, and 6.0s producing up to 355 horsepower. The high-power news is a 6.2-liter variant for the Escalade and luxury Yukon Denali, with an anticipated 400 horsepower.
Most of the engines have aluminum blocks; all share the Gen IV architecture introduced in the 2005 Corvette, with engineering tailored to the demands of a truck. The 6.0 and 6.2 will deliver a significant increase in power compared to the previous premium engines, thanks to high-flow cylinder heads developed for the LS7 V8 in the Z06 Corvette. Both also feature something few might have imagined a few years ago: variable valve timing in a cam-in-block engine.
GM's pushrod VVT uses a spline-type phaser to turn the camshaft relative to its drive sprocket. Given the single cam, intake and exhaust valve timing change at the same rate with a fixed relationship, but GM says the VVT helps improve fuel economy, reduce emissions and optimize the balance of low-end torque and high-rpm horsepower.
Given the trend in gas prices, and recent public opinion polls suggesting American drivers are more concerned with fuel economy, GM is particularly sensitive to the issue. It's response? Its full-size SUVs are already the most fuel-efficient available, and the 2007 models increase the edge. The company expects all variants to exceed 20 mpg in the EPA's combined mileage rating.
Further, GM's PR staff is trying its best to focus on fuel-saving technologies built into its next-generation big SUVS. The premium models get new six-speed automatic transmissions. Most still get four-speeds, though the company says the six-speeds will be installed across the board as its capacity to build them increases.
Advertising will focus on GM's Displacement on Demand technology. The 5.3 and 6.0 V8s — the most popular choices — are equipped with the system, which deactivates four cylinders under light-load conditions to reduce fuel consumption. All 5.3s can run on E85 ethanol, which theoretically can reduce gasoline consumption 85 percent. And the company promises new dual-mode hybrid technology in calendar 2007. The system is being developed jointly with BMW and DaimlerChrysler, and uses small motors in the gearbox rather than larger ones inline with the combustion engine. It will reportedly be much less expensive to build, while delivering a 25-percent improvement in fuel economy.
In any case, the new frame and powertrains in the 2007 models increase towing capacity to 7,200 pounds (two-wheel drive) and 7,700 pounds (four-wheel drive) in short-wheelbase versions, and to a class-leading 9,800 pounds with the long wheelbase.
A Tough Sell?
General Motors will begin building its full-size 2007 SUVs late this year. The Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon will go on sale during the first quarter of 2006; the Cadillac Escalade and long-wheelbase versions, including sport-utility pickups, will follow by June.
The proof will come in the driving, but all indicators suggest GM's 2007 Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon and Escalade will be the best full-size SUVs yet. But does "best" mean people will buy them in the same quantity as their predecessors?
Vice chairman Lutz insists GM hasn't bet the farm on its next generation of big SUVS. He claims recently introduced cars like the Chevy Impala are being well received, and that the Chevy HHR and Pontiac Solstice roadster are "sell outs." Obviously, GM is one very big farm. But if it gets the acreage currently occupied by Tahoe, Yukon and Escalade right, the likelihood of a viable harvest increases.
Granted, the static inspection GM allowed afterward suggests the sermon rings true. The new Tahoe, Yukon, et al., promise to be even better than GM's current big SUVs, which already top the sales charts by a wide margin. But the preacher neglected to mention something, or at least glossed over it in his fervor: The once faithful may be leaving the tent.
With gasoline prices rising and alternatives to conventional sport-utility vehicles proliferating, few in the auto industry — or at GM, for that matter — expect big SUV sales to grow. GM has invested hundreds of millions, probably billions, to protect turf that could erode no matter how good its new full-size SUVs are.
"We are very aware of fuel prices and their impact on sales," says Mark LeNeve, GM's vice president of North American sales, service and marketing. "We still believe full-size SUVs remain a vibrant, profitable market. We also believe our new ones are compelling vehicles, and that we will maintain our market leadership.''
Market Dominance
There are 6.5 million full-size sport-utility vehicles registered in the United States, and 65 percent were built by General Motors. In calendar 2004, the Chevy Tahoe alone accounted for 26 percent of all full-size, truck-based SUV sales. Chevy's Suburban and Avalanche sport-utility pickup increased Chevy's share to more than 40 percent. The GMC Yukon and Denali added 20 percent. Throw in three versions of the Cadillac Escalade — the best-selling large luxury-brand SUV — and GM's share approached two-thirds of the market. Moreover, market research firms and groups like Consumers Union consistently rank GM's big SUVs among the best in quality and customer satisfaction.
Anyway you cut it, GM's current full-size sport-utilities, launched in model-year 2000, are king of the big SUV hill, even if the steady increase in gasoline prices and competition threaten erosion in that hill.
The New Hardware
The 2007 Tahoe, Yukon and Escalade are redesigned essentially from the frame up. If no particular improvement jumps out, that's because all of it is quite impressive.
It starts at the foundation. In both short- and long-wheelbase versions, GM's next-generation full-size SUVs will be slightly larger: 3 inches in length, 3 inches across the front track and 1 inch across the rear. The frames are fully boxed, with hydroformed sections front and rear and nearly 50-percent more resistance to flex, according to GM. A new front suspension design uses coil springs over shocks, and rack and pinion steering. Vice chairman Bob Lutz, the consummate car guy among automotive executives, insists GM has met its development objective: "Dynamically, these are the best body-on-frame trucks ever. The difference from [the 2006 models], which are already quite impressive, is remarkable.''
We'll see when they let us drive one. For now, we can all see the exterior design. The 2007 Tahoe, Yukon and Escalade look leaner and more athletic than the 2006s, and the relative proportion of the wheels to the body is more attractive. They are cleaner, with fewer add-on pieces or cladding — even the Chevy Avalanche. They're also more aerodynamic. The windshields are more steeply raked, and GM says that a general smoothing of body surfaces and more precise panel fit contribute to a class-leading 0.36 coefficient of drag — compared to, for example, 0.43 for the Toyota Sequoia, or 0.41 for Nissan's racy-looking Murano crossover.
There is more differentiation than ever between brands. Chevy, GMC and Cadillac have entirely different front fascia and rear trim. Cadillac's Escalade has its own doors and side panels. Tahoe and Yukon models get standard 17-inch wheels, with options up to 20 inches. Escalades start with 18-inchers and go all the way to 22s.
It's Nice in Here
If one thing stands out in GM's full-size 2007 SUVs, it's their interiors. Even the preproduction vehicles shown had tight panel fit and impressively rich materials. Cadillac's design is much different from the other brands, but there's nothing truckish about any of them. All come standard in duo-tone, and there's no exposed hardware anywhere inside — not even under the folding seats. The dashboard sits lower and further forward than it does in 2006 models, creating the impression of more space and better forward visibility. There's more fore-aft travel for the front seats and more recline range in the second row. There's also considerably more storage space in the center console and glovebox.
GM claims big SUVs are used more frequently to transport children than any vehicles on the road. If that's true, it's no surprise the company is trumpeting safety in its 2007 models. They provide more effective energy-absorbing crumple zones and an advanced rollover detection system, according to GM. They're also equipped with curtain-style head-protection airbags spanning all three rows of seats, and a first in trucks: rear-impact sensors that trigger the seatbelt pre-tensionors to limit whiplash injuries in a rear-end collision.
Three body styles on two wheelbase lengths; light- and heavy-duty models (Suburban and Yukon XL); seven powertrain combos; and two-, four- or all-wheel drive — there will be a lot of choices among GM's full-size 2007 SUVs, and even the least expensive models will come with lots of stuff, including three-zone climate control, tire-pressure monitoring, and a power rear liftgate designed to keep hands clean. Options will run the gamut: advanced DVD entertainment, power fold-and-tumble second-row seats and a rearview video camera.
Small-Block Glory
GM's full-size 2007 SUVs will get power from a range of V8s similar to those currently available: a 4.8-liter generating 290 horsepower, several 5.3s, and 6.0s producing up to 355 horsepower. The high-power news is a 6.2-liter variant for the Escalade and luxury Yukon Denali, with an anticipated 400 horsepower.
Most of the engines have aluminum blocks; all share the Gen IV architecture introduced in the 2005 Corvette, with engineering tailored to the demands of a truck. The 6.0 and 6.2 will deliver a significant increase in power compared to the previous premium engines, thanks to high-flow cylinder heads developed for the LS7 V8 in the Z06 Corvette. Both also feature something few might have imagined a few years ago: variable valve timing in a cam-in-block engine.
GM's pushrod VVT uses a spline-type phaser to turn the camshaft relative to its drive sprocket. Given the single cam, intake and exhaust valve timing change at the same rate with a fixed relationship, but GM says the VVT helps improve fuel economy, reduce emissions and optimize the balance of low-end torque and high-rpm horsepower.
Given the trend in gas prices, and recent public opinion polls suggesting American drivers are more concerned with fuel economy, GM is particularly sensitive to the issue. It's response? Its full-size SUVs are already the most fuel-efficient available, and the 2007 models increase the edge. The company expects all variants to exceed 20 mpg in the EPA's combined mileage rating.
Further, GM's PR staff is trying its best to focus on fuel-saving technologies built into its next-generation big SUVS. The premium models get new six-speed automatic transmissions. Most still get four-speeds, though the company says the six-speeds will be installed across the board as its capacity to build them increases.
Advertising will focus on GM's Displacement on Demand technology. The 5.3 and 6.0 V8s — the most popular choices — are equipped with the system, which deactivates four cylinders under light-load conditions to reduce fuel consumption. All 5.3s can run on E85 ethanol, which theoretically can reduce gasoline consumption 85 percent. And the company promises new dual-mode hybrid technology in calendar 2007. The system is being developed jointly with BMW and DaimlerChrysler, and uses small motors in the gearbox rather than larger ones inline with the combustion engine. It will reportedly be much less expensive to build, while delivering a 25-percent improvement in fuel economy.
In any case, the new frame and powertrains in the 2007 models increase towing capacity to 7,200 pounds (two-wheel drive) and 7,700 pounds (four-wheel drive) in short-wheelbase versions, and to a class-leading 9,800 pounds with the long wheelbase.
A Tough Sell?
General Motors will begin building its full-size 2007 SUVs late this year. The Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon will go on sale during the first quarter of 2006; the Cadillac Escalade and long-wheelbase versions, including sport-utility pickups, will follow by June.
The proof will come in the driving, but all indicators suggest GM's 2007 Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon and Escalade will be the best full-size SUVs yet. But does "best" mean people will buy them in the same quantity as their predecessors?
Vice chairman Lutz insists GM hasn't bet the farm on its next generation of big SUVS. He claims recently introduced cars like the Chevy Impala are being well received, and that the Chevy HHR and Pontiac Solstice roadster are "sell outs." Obviously, GM is one very big farm. But if it gets the acreage currently occupied by Tahoe, Yukon and Escalade right, the likelihood of a viable harvest increases.
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ford_flexer says:
12:25 PM, 06/09/2010
one thing i don't like about gm is that all there cars are identical