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GMC Envoy SUV Wagon represents height of luxury and comfort
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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ASH FORK, Ariz. -- Cruising I-40 west from Flagstaff on a cushy test drive, the luxurious sport-utility wagon follows paths of the historic Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe rail line and old Route 66 in descent from the Colorado Plateau of northern Arizona, as ponderosa pine forests in the White Mountains gradually cede to hardy high desert vegetation like juniper, yucca and sage.
What a way to go: Perched high on ultrasoft leather-bound buckets, driver and passenger tour the West in sublime comfort surrounded by trappings of luxury, with genuine Zebrano wood dotting doors and console and a symphony of melodic CD sounds flowing from six speakers of the deluxe Bose stereo system.
Warm light filters softly through a glass sunroof as sensors in the climate control system compensate for any heat gain and subtly maintain cabin temperature at a preferred level for comfort.
There's ample power available when needed to shoot around big simi-trailer rigs, and so many mechanical aids are at hand to maintain forward progress that you develop a sense of self-sufficiency and virtual invincibility.
The list of practical equipment is impressive -- traction for all wheels, anti-lock disc brakes, automatic load-leveling suspension, heated rearview mirrors, high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps, on-board trailer equipment including platform hitch and harness, even the latest in navigation and communication gear with satellite link to the global positioning system (GPS) and OnStar's staff on call to find roadside attractions or summon help.
What's the deal with such special wheels?
We're floating along in an Envoy, latest luxury vehicle to come from the GMC Truck Division of General Motors.
Envoy amounts to a sturdy mid-size sport-utility wagon where outfitters went positively manic in specifying every conceivable component for luxury, comfort and convenience.
But here's the secret surrounding development of Envoy: Peel away decorative body cladding and strip off tone-on-tone leather from cabin seats and the essence actually amounts to a maxed-out version of the 4-door Jimmy, GMC's familiar mid-size wagon.
Envoy, it seems, represents an ultimate interpretation of Jimmy as harbinger of future products while the line of GMC Truck gradually evolves into an array of deluxe wheels. In that process of repositioning GMC's image, the Jimmy badge is expected to fade away as too common a moniker.
So call this wagon the Envoy, not Jimmy, but realize that underpinnings of Jimmy remain as a solid foundation, following a generational redesign in 1995.
Envoy rides on a platform from GMC's compact truck, Sonoma, but it contains the luxury gear of a fancy sedan and serious 4-wheeler hardware of a rugged off-road warrior.
Its frame was boxed to improve torsional rigidity and bending stiffness, which in turn reduces squeaks and rattles normally associated with trucks. Then the passenger compartment was fortified with acoustic insulation to diminish road and powertrain noises.
Both Sonoma and Envoy share a streamlined new face this year incorporating aerodynamic corner headlamps and body-colored bumpers which meld into a smooth frontal wrap.
Envoy goes further to distinguish the exterior with a monochromatic paint scheme that unites all body cladding, bumpers, wheel flares, door handles, side mirrors and rooftop luggage rack.
The body-colored front bumper contains round fog lamps and integrated tow hooks, and at front corners new HID headlights mark the first application of this technology for a sport-utility vehicle. These gas arc tube lamps emit true white light that's almost triple the brightness of conventional halogen bulbs and they provide a broader and longer beam pattern to boost nighttime vision.
In back, a body-colored spoiler and high neon stop light mount above a unique new step bumper for easy access to Envoy's rear cargo area or roof rack.
The best thing about Envoy is that although it's born from a truck, rides on the chassis of a truck and carries the heavy-duty handling components of a truck, it doesn't drive or ride like a truck. Actually, it's about as easy to use as a sedan, but more convenient.
"Following extensive surveys of consumers, we concluded that Envoy must be luxuriously comfortable, quiet, roomy and also attractive," Roy Roberts, GMC Truck general manager, explained from the passenger seat during a test drive. "We established world-class standards for Envoy in categories of styling, quiet interior, ride quality and performance as linked to fuel economy."
In the power department, Envoy gets the reliable GM Vortec 4.3-liter V6 engine rigged with overhead valving and light-weight pistons. This year's version has aggressive horsepower -- 190 maximum -- with plenty of torque at hand to help when pulling a trailer to 5,000 lbs.
A 4-speed electronic automatic transmission serves as the sole shifter.
Envoy also has GM's Insta-Trac 4-wheel-drive system for on-demand traction with dashboard push-button controls.
The premium suspension package links to a built-in air compressor which automatically raises or lowers rear shock absorbers according to on-board or towing load.
As a novelty, the compressor has an auxiliary air valve in the rear cargo bay for inflating recreational gear like an air mattress, bike tire or sports ball.
An updated interior features ergonomic placement for analog instruments and dual airbags engineered with decreased power for added safety.
Tone-on-tone soft leather covers front buckets and the rear bench seat, with Envoy's signature stitched into headrests. Buckets contain a heat element and 8-way power controls, and the bench's backrest splits and folds for flexible arrangement of passengers and cargo.
In the back bay, a spare tire stows below deck outside to expand storage space inside.
Bonus equipment for Envoy ranges from a floor console with cellular phone and ceiling console with Homelink remote control functions to the Bose stereo with 6-disc CD changer, automatic climate controls, GM's passive PassLock theft deterrent system, plus power operation for all equipment and the dealer-installed option of OnStar navigation.
Such fine features appear with premium pricing, of course, as the entry figure for Envoy rises to $34,620.
1998 GMC ENVOY WAGON
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1998 GMC ENVOY Specs |
| Description: |
Mid-size luxury SUV wagon |
| Model Options: |
Mid-size luxury SUV wagon |
| Wheelbase: |
107.0 inches |
| Overall Length: |
183.8 inches
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| Engine Size: |
OHV 4.3-L V6
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| Transmission: |
Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
4WD |
| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
16/21 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 34,620 |
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