GM and Toyota battle for #1

GM and Toyota battle for #1. Here's a look at what each has
planned.

By: Peter Johnson

2007 Toyota Camry
Whenever Toyota replaces the
Camry it's big news. The Camry is the best selling family sedan
in North America. The 2007 Camry is going to set a new benchmark
for performance, refinement, and efficiency within its class. To
be introduced later this year, the 2007 Camry will be available
with a hybrid power plant producing over 190hp. A 3.5L V6
producing 268hp will also be available. Toyota will be offering
a 6-speed automatic transmission on V6 models that is lighter
and cheaper to produce than the 5-speed auto it is replacing.
Now that's progress. Pricing for the 2007 Camry will not rise
compared to the 2006 model despite more standard features.
Toyota has made a strong effort at making the 2007 Camry fun to
drive. With increased torsional rigidity, the Camry moves with
confidence through twisty back roads. The interior is first rate
and no longer looks as dull as the previous generation. This is
a car to watch as it shows Toyota has not forgotten about
passenger cars.

2007 Toyota Tundra
Toyota is serious about building
trucks. So serious in fact that the Tundra will be built in a
new plant in the heart of truck country, San Antonio, Texas. The
2007 Tundra is going after the heart of the pick-up truck market
and taking on the best from Ford, GMC, and Dodge. The Tundra
will come standard with a 4.0L V6 and will have two V8 engines
available, a 4.7L and 5.7L. Equipped with the 5.7L V8, the
Tundra will be capable of towing 10,000 pounds. Although Toyota
realizes truck buyers are a very loyal bunch, they still plan to
produce 200,000 Tundra trucks in the first full year of
production. This is up from 120,000 they are producing of the
current model. Toyota sees some growth opportunities in the
truck market and that may be a difficult pill for the
competition to swallow.

2007 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra
Like
Toyota, Chevrolet (along with GMC) is preparing to introduce a
revised line of pick-up trucks. Based on what is known as the
GMT900 platform, GM is hoping that the 2007 Chevrolet Silverado
and GMC Sierra can maintain its position as a leader in this
class. The Silverado and Sierra twins will offer fuel saving
features such as DOD (Displacement On Demand) and a 6-speed
automatic transmission. GM was hoping to introduce an
independent rear suspension on the 2007 models but they decided
not to proceed with it due to budget cuts and a shortened
development time. The 2007 Silverado and Sierra will be critical
to GM's turn around plan over the next few years.

2006 Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon
The only 2006 on
the list, the Tahoe and Yukon are vital to GM's turn around
effort. Introduced in January, these vehicles show how serious
GM is about building thoughtfully designed vehicles that offer
increased fuel economy and refinement. The 2006 Tahoe and Yukon
are thoroughly updated with enhanced interiors made with
upgraded materials. The Tahoe and Yukon offer increased fuel
economy due to a variety of enhancements including an available
6-speed automatic transmission and a more aerodynamic profile.
GM is hoping the vehicles will sell due to how good they are
rather than incentives. So far the Tahoe and Yukon have been a
big success as GM is having a difficult time keeping up with
demand.

2007 Saturn AURA
As GM launches a full assault on
the full size SUV and truck markets, they haven't forgotten
about the family sedan segment. GM is placing a bigger focus on
its passenger cars as gas prices continue to rise and people
question whether they need a SUV or pick-up. The 2007 AURA is
based on the Epsilon platform shared with the Chevrolet Malibu
and Pontiac G6. This is a very important product for Saturn, as
it will showcase a new design theme for the brand. Replacing the
L-series, the AURA will offer the same power trains as the
Malibu and G6. Edgier styling and a more upscale image should
help Saturn bring more people into their dealerships. Why is
this vehicle important, you ask? Because it will test how
serious GM is at taking on Toyota, Honda, Nissan and others for
a bigger slice of the family sedan pie.

About the author:
Peter Johnson is the chief writer for
all-about-car-selection.com. For more automotive articles of
interest click here.