Ford

While 2006 is the “year of the car” for Ford, it appears that 2007 will be the year of the truck and SUV. Earlier in 2006 the 2007 Explorer Sport Trac began arriving in showrooms. With rugged, new exterior styling and a versatile interior with rubber floor covering, the new Sport Trac also gets a V8 for the first time. The available 292-horsepower V8 is teamed with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Also available are a composite cargo box with two-tier storage ability, available hard tonneau cover, three integrated tool bins with drain plugs, and AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control. Joining the Sport Trac is the all-new 2007 Ford Expedition. Styling now matches closely with the F-150, including the signature three-bar grille. Inside are new seats, a revised dashboard and an array of available amenities. Ford also is increasing the Expedition lineup with a new Expedition EL. Almost 15 inches longer than a standard Expedition, the new EL adds 24 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the third-row seat. This makes the Expedition almost as large as the outgoing Excursion. The new Expedition will go on sale this fall.

Ford

Also on sale this fall is the all-new Edge. Aimed to compete in the hot crossover SUV market, the sleek and aggressively styled Edge debuted at the North American International Auto Show with a bold three-bar grille similar to the Ford Fusion midsize sedan. Powered by a new 3.5-liter 265-horsepower V6 engine and teamed with a 6-speed automatic transmission, the Edge will be available with front- or all-wheel drive. With seating for five, the Edge has a number of innovative features including the panoramic Vista Roof, laptop storage in the center console, an MP3 player jack and rear seats that fold at the touch of a button. While the Edge offers impressive performance in the crossover SUV segment, Ford and Carroll Shelby have joined together to offer something with considerably more performance—the Shelby GT500. The most powerful production Mustang ever, the new Shelby GT500 will boast a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 engine producing an impressive 475 horsepower. Available as a coupe or convertible, the GT500 has a bulging hood, a lower air splitter, Le Mans racing stripes, 18-inch wheels and, of course, the mean-looking Cobra badge in the grille. Meanwhile, the Ford GT high-performance supercar ends production after the 2006 model year. Additional Coverage: Ford Shelby GT500

GMC

Like its Chevrolet cousin, the GMC Yukon has been completely redesigned for the 2007 model year. The Yukon gets new exterior styling as well as increased interior refinement and improved interior quietness. With more power as well as better fuel economy, the Yukon is built on a new, fully boxed frame with wider front and rear track, coil-over-shock front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering and a new, premium interior. Noise-reducing components and materials are used throughout the body structure, including the headliner, door seals and dash area. Features include a power-release fold-and-tumble second-row seat, a remote start system, first- and second-row heated seats, ultrasonic rear parking assist, a rearview camera system, a touch-screen navigation system, power-articulating running boards and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with a larger 8-inch screen. The upscale Yukon Denali is also new and features fresh styling that further differentiates it from the standard Yukon with a chrome grille, new front and rear fascias, specific headlight design, unique taillights and extensive use of chrome trim. A power fold-and-tumble second-row seat, heated first- and second-row seats, a power liftgate, remote start and all-wheel drive are standard on the Denali. Joining the new full-size SUV later this year will be the completely new 2007 GMC Sierra pickup truck. Along with the fresh styling, the Sierra gets wider front and rear tracks, a new stiffer frame, updated suspension, improved brakes and an impressive array of safety features. Extended cab models feature rear access doors that open 170 degrees for easy access. Also available is an enhanced DVD player, navigation system, remote vehicle starting and automatic windshield wipers. Like the Yukon, the Sierra will be available in a Denali version that will boast a luxurious interior and a powerful 6.2-liter 400-horsepower V8 engine. The new Sierra is scheduled to arrive in showrooms later this year.

Honda

When Honda first introduced the Civic to America more than 30 years ago, it was a tiny subcompact hatchback. The Civic has grown considerably since then, and now Honda is introducing a new subcompact hatchback called the Fit. A far cry from that original Civic, the Fit is a stylish 5-door with seating for five and generous cargo space. The interior can be configured in a number of different ways with what Honda calls the 60/40 split Magic Seat. Seat bottoms can be folded up against the seatbacks to carry tall items behind the front seat; rear seats can be folded flat without removing the headrests for expanded cargo space; and front seats can be reclined flush with the rear seat to create a comfortable place to lounge (when the car is parked). Fit is well-equipped with standard features such as air conditioning, power windows and door locks, front and side airbags and side-curtain airbags. ABS is also standard. A Fit Sport adds a security system with keyless entry, cruise control and a 200-watt, AM/FM/CD audio system with 6 speakers and MP3/WMA playback capability. Fit is powered by a fuel-efficient 109-horsepower engine. MSRP for the Fit with a 5-speed manual transmission starts at just $13,850 (not including destination charge). In other news, the Civic Si sedan is slated to go on sale this fall. This will be the first time Honda has offered its performance-oriented Civic in two bodystyles. The 2007 model will be based on the Si Sedan Concept which was unveiled at this year’s Chicago Auto Show.

Hyundai

This automaker from Korea continues to grow at an amazing pace. Last year Hyundai introduced a new Sonata, Tucson and luxurious Azera. For 2007, there will be a new Elantra, Accent, Santa Fe and the brand’s first minivan, the Entourage. The Elantra is all new for 2007, with fresh styling, a roomy, upscale interior and a host of new features. All levels of Elantra get front and side airbags as well as airbag curtains. Anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) are also standard. Powered by a 138-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with 136 lb-ft of torque, Elantra is offered with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission. Leather seats are available and for the first time they can be heated. The new Elantra will be available as GLS, SE or upscale Limited when it goes on sale later this year. Joining the Elantra is the entry-level Accent 3-door hatchback, following the introduction of the Accent sedan for 2006. Like the sedan, the Accent 3-door features an upgraded exterior appearance with a chrome-accented grille, aerodynamic headlights, larger wheels and tires and smoothly integrated taillights. Power comes from a clean-operating 1.6-liter engine, and while the sedan was tuned for comfort, the 3-door has more of a sporty feel, with the SE getting a sport-tuned suspension and stiffer spring rate. Like the Elantra, the Accent is well-equipped with both comfort and safety features.

Hyundai

Hyundai is also introducing a completely redesigned Santa Fe, which is the first production vehicle designed at Hyundai’s design center in Irvine, Calif. The Korea-based company wants to provide SUV customers with segment-leading standard safety technologies and a high level of standard equipment at a very competitive price. Electronic Stability Control (ESC), anti-whiplash active head restraints and six airbags including side-curtain airbags are all standard equipment. Santa Fe will be available with a choice of two V6 engines. The standard 2.7-liter V6 is upgraded for 2007 and produces more than 180 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque. The 3.3-liter V6 is lighter, more fuel efficient and cleaner burning than the previous-generation Santa Fe’s 3.5-liter V6, while producing an additional 30 horsepower. Preliminary output estimates are more than 230 horsepower and 220 lb-ft of torque. Both powertrains are expected to meet the stringent Ultra-Low-Emission Vehicle (ULEV) emissions requirements. Joining the Hyundai lineup this spring is the all-new Entourage minivan. The seven-passenger Entourage is the automaker’s first vehicle with its Hyundai Hideaway third-row seat, a simple-to-use 60/40 split-folding rear seat that disappears into the floor when collapsed, giving passenger and cargo flexibility. The 2007 Entourage offers dual power rear sliding doors with power windows, an adjustable conversation mirror and a foldaway center tray table with four standard cupholders. This is in addition to the array of standard features now expected from a Hyundai. The Entourage is powered by a 242-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 engine teamed with a 5-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC manual control.

Infiniti

The sporty G35 sedan moves into its second generation for the 2007 model year. Unveiled at the New York Auto Show, the redesigned G35 features a sculpted hood with L-shaped headlights. The grille is more pronounced, which gives the new G a more aggressive, wider stance. Taillights are also updated and the trunk lid has an integrated spoiler, while prominent dual exhaust outlets complete the sporty appearance. Inside are styling cues and functionality taken from the M sports sedan, including a RearView Monitor, a touch screen navigation system with available real-time traffic and the “Infiniti Studio on Wheels by Bose,” combining the industry’s first 3-way front door speaker array using 10-inch woofers with an audiophile quality head unit. Under that stylish, new hood is the next-generation 3.5-liter V6 expected to produce more than 300 horsepower. The G35 can be equipped with either a 5-speed automatic or close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission. The new G features 4-wheel independent suspension with lightweight aluminum components and improved body stiffness, and is also offered with Infiniti’s “intelligent” all-wheel-drive system.

Jaguar

Starting the 2007 model year earlier in 2006, Jaguar has already launched the all-new XK roadster and coupe. Primarily unchanged since its launch almost 10 years ago, this second-generation XK is light years from where it had started. The most technically advanced Jaguar ever to be built, the 2007 XK uses the latest aerospace technologies alongside more traditional Jaguar skills to create a luxurious, powerful, highly advanced sports car with an aluminum monocoque body structure that is 31 percent stiffer (the convertible is 50 percent stiffer) than its predecessor with a 10 percent improvement in power- to-weight ratio due to impressive weight reductions. The all-new XK is visibly sportier than the model it replaces, but the design and shape remain true to Jaguar’s tradition of elegance, with a long hood, steeply raked windshield, large wheels and minimal overhangs. The distinctive oval grille opening, prominent power-bulge in the hood, and rear hatchback all echo the style of the classic E-type. But unlike that classic, under the new Jag’s long hood lurks the latest-generation 4.2-liter Jaguar V8 which produces 300 horsepower, teamed with a 6-speed automatic transmission with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Later this year look for the more-powerful XKR which is expected to boast a supercharged V8 engine producing around 400 horsepower.

Source:[auto msn]