The year 2007 will be remembered as the one in which Toyota Motor Corporation nudged past General Motors to become the world's biggest automaker.It is expected to sell 9.36 million vehicles as against 9.2 million by G.M. It already was the world's most profitable and valuable car maker. But this has come at a price. Lexus, Toyota's luxury brand has slipped to 5th place from last year's first in new car predicted reliability. Toyota has also slipped to third place in overall safety ratings. G.M. on the other hand has turned in the most improved performance which goes to show that with sufficient attention to detail, the American car companies are in a position to hold their own against foreign competition.
Here is a look at some of the cars, apart from Toyota, that caught the eye in the year that has just gone by.
2008 Audi R8 : Audi unveiled the 2008 R8, its first ever mid-engine sports car. The car has a 420 hp V8 engine and all wheel drive. It uses the mid-engine Lamborghini Gallardo platform and is positioned against the BMW M6, Porsche 911 and Aston Martin Vantage. It goes from 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds and sells for about $110,000.
2008 Cadillac CTS :The new Cadillac CTS may have been born and bred in Detroit yet it offers an alternative to more expensive foreign machines. It is rated as not just the best handling Caddy in history, but probably the best handling American sedan ever. Its top of the line 3.6 liter V-6 DI engine produces 304 hp and goes from 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds.It is priced at about $47,000.
2008 Honda Accord :The all new 2008 Accord, both the sedan and coupe versions, have the look of high performance machines and the moves to back it up.Its sleek exterior has been completely re-designed with an aggressive, sportier look. It is powered by either a 2.4 liter 4 cylinder engine or a 3.5 liter V-6 engine. It comes with Honda's Variable Cylinder Management, which is a fuel saving cylinder de-activation technology. It goes from 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds and is priced at about $ 31,000.
2008 Chevrolet Malibu :The 2008 Chevy now looks as good as the Camry and Accord. The expensive version is powered by a 252 hp double-overhead-cam 3.6 liter V-6 engine. It goes from 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds. It may be the most satisfying mid- market mid size sedan from GM for a long time. For about $20,000 it is a steal.
2008 GMC Acadia :GM has finally got it right with a fine crossover SUV with its Acadia. Powered by a 3.6 liter V-6 engine which produces 275 hp, it can tow up to 4500 pounds when properly equipped. It is priced at about $37,000.
2008 Infiniti G37 :This new generation coupe from Nissan is an updated version of the G35 coupe. It is directly positioned against BMW's 335i.It is powered by a 3.7 liter V-6 engine producing 330 hp. It goes from 0-60 mph in 5.2 seconds. It is priced at about $35,000.
2008 Volvo XC70 : The 2008 Volvo XC70 bridges the gap between a station wagon and an SUV.Powered by Volvo's latest 3.2 liter V-6 engine it produces 235 hp. Its off-road capabilities are improved and it has all of Volvo's trademark safety features. It is priced at about $35,000.
The year 2008 should be an exciting one as Toyota tries to cement its place as the world's number one auto maker while GM finally seems to be making the right moves to regain its lost position.
