New GMDAT Tosca Previews 07 Chevy Epica

A Thorough Update for GMs Substance-Rich High-Value Family Sedan

GM Daewoo Auto & Technology (GMDAT), General Motors Korean arm has just announced its latest creation, the Tosca executive sedan. It will be the budget divisions largest car to date, designed as a family sedan capable of transporting four or five people in plenty of comfort with the added convenience of a big trunk. If you know the GMDAT product lineup under the Chevy brand name (GMDAT cars are also sold under the Suzuki badge), which only includes the subcompact Aveo in the U.S., but adds the compact Optra and Epica in Canada and other markets, youll realize that the latter vehicle already fits this description (and its Suzuki twin, the

The Tosca will soon be available as the Chevrolet Epica and Suzuki Verona in Canada. (Photo: GMDAT)

Verona). Put the pieces of the puzzle together and it looks as if the Epica, and more important to us, the Verona is about to evolve.

But in case you havent, with the aid of a press release and a bit of global market clarity this whole messy lot can be made sense of. The Daewoo-badged Tosca is the Korean-market version of what will soon become the upcoming U.K. and Canadian market Chevrolet Epica. Under the golden bowtie, the car will be sold in Eastern Europe and

The new Epica/Verona was styled by GMs Asia Pacific Design and GM Daewoo Design director, David Lyon.

Russia as the Chevrolet Magnus or Evanda, and with the Suzuki Superman S on its nose, the Verona.

In terms of appearances, its a swift departure from the current ItalDesign styled vehicle, as GM has shifted the design process in-house. The new car was styled by GMs Asia Pacific Design and GM Daewoo Design director, David Lyon, in hopes that he will bring GMDATs cars style in line with other GM products. The Tosca is a combination of some of the industrys boldest designs, but put together in a way that skips out on the negatives and controversy.
From front-on, the new wraparound headlamps

The new wraparound headlamps dominate the cars nose.

dominate the cars nose; looking like a cross between those of the BMW 5-Series and the new face-lifted Saab 9-5. Theyre also the order of the day, as similar lights will be fitted to the just-announced Suzuki SX4 crossover compact ute. Around the side, the plain and otherwise undecorated profile is uplifted by a character line that runs on the upper half of the door - very much like that on the Acura TSX or many high end Mercedes-Benzes, while around back, clear, crystal-like lenses add a bit of flair to the standard notchback profile.

As a cost-saving measure, each of these South Korean-built vehicles will feature the same sheetmetal with only minor differentiators such as badges and grilles. The Epica will feature a large single, body-colored spar bisecting

For the global market, the powertrain continues forward with the unusual transverse-mounted inline-six layout.

its grille opening, and a big, golden bowtie at center. The Suzuki-badged versions will probably feature a more elegant chrome-plated grille like the one the Tosca wears, but with the Suzuki S badge at center. No doubt, Suzuki won the coin toss for the rights to the classier, more upscale look.

For the global market, the powertrain continues forward with the unusual transverse-mounted inline-six layout. Buyers lauded the previous Epica/Verona for its creamy smoothness, so if its not broke, why change it? It will be available in two configurations, a 2.0-liter and a 2.5-liter. GMDATs Italian designed but Korean-built 2.0-liter turbo diesel will also be in the cards, however, we in North America will only get the 2.5-liter I-6. Theres no word on output, but hopefully it will be increased from the previous 155-hp mill with 177 lb-ft of torque.

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