Cleveland365.com::Connecting Our Community 24/7/365


	2007 Urban Elite Vehicles Of The Year

Email Article

Print Article

Comment

By: Cathy Jerome

Infiniti's impressive G35 sports sedan and the trendsetting Cadillac Escalade have been named 2007 Urban Elite Car and SUV of the Year by Automotive Rhythms Communications, LLC.

The Urban Elite Awards were created by Automotive Rhythms' President and Publisher Kimatni D. Rawlins to honor auto companies that include the all-important urban demographic in the design, marketing and execution of vehicles. Annually, new vehicles are lauded by mainstream media for their performance, safety features and innovative technology. But these vehicles are purchased by everyday consumers, not media outlets. Automotive Rhythms' goal is to award manufacturers who accomplish the mission of building intelligent and stylish rides that appeal to the urban marketplace.

Automotive Rhythms' Urban Elite Car of the Year, the 2007 Infiniti G series, rewrites the mid-luxury car book. Infiniti, a back-to-back "Urban Elite" winner, pulled out all the stops with this all-new G. For example, Infiniti's engineers benchmarked a $30,000 audiophile home system as they developed the G's "Mobile Studio" premium audio system. According to Rawlins, "This car exudes style and technology. The built-in "Music Box" hard drive allows you to rip CDs while you listen to them, and can store 150 hours of music – meaning long drives become concerts of your choice. And the 306-horsepower six performs like a V8. Couple it with the G's available "Intelligent" all- wheel drive system, and Infiniti breaks into Audi quattro and Subaru territory with luxury and a price point that can't be beat."

The redesigned Cadillac Escalade earns top SUV honors, propelling it back to the top as the SUV to make a statement of style, comfort, performance and luxury. According to Automotive Rhythms' Editor-in-Chief Brian Armstead, "The Escalade represents the pinnacle of General Motors' excellent large SUV range. We could have easily awarded this year's prize to cousins Chevy Tahoe or GMC Yukon, but the Escalade represents all that the "urban elite" aspire to: An interior that soothes, comforts and protects, the ability to travel to golf courses and nightclubs in style, and a road presence that commands respect and conquers any weather." The Escalade, inspired by African-American Lead Designer Ed Welburn, features a 403-horsepower V8, available 22-inch wheels from the factory, XM Satellite Radio, OnStar telematics and seven layers of chrome plating on exterior trim.

In selecting Urban Elite awardees, careful consideration was given to a very capable field of competitors. The Cadillac Escalade beat out the Acura MDX, Honda CRV, Dodge Nitro and Lincoln Navigator; while the Infiniti G took out the Saturn AURA, BMW 3 Series Coupe, Lexus LS 460, and Volkswagen Passat. Competitive vehicles were selected by Automotive Rhythms' seasoned team of writers. Selection was based on a five-point system with the following criteria:

* Urban Appeal: Is it suited for tough and trendy urban environments?
* Price Point: Does it represent the best value in its segment?
* Ability to Customize: How easy is it to "Flip?"
* Showroom Looks: Does it have influence as a base model?
* Street Buzz: What type of "Street Cred" and respect does it command?

Both vehicles will be shown at Automotive Rhythm's Urban Restyln' Salon during the 2007 Washington Auto Show January 24-29th. Automotive Rhythms is proud to honor these terrific vehicles with our "Urban Elite" Awards. Congratulations Cadillac and Infiniti!

DISCLAIMER: This article is the copyright of Cleveland365.com, and/or its author, and may be redistributed provided that the article remains intact, with this copyright message clearly visible. No articles may under any circumstances be resold or redistributed for compensation of any kind without prior written permission from Cleveland365.com.