Leave it to Jay Leno to get people busting a gut at the debut of a massive SUV. Jay shared the stage with GM’s Vice President of North American Sales, Mark LaNeve, at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show to present the 2007 Chevrolet Suburban and its twin, the 2007 GMC Yukon XL. The Tonight Show host joked about the redesigned, nine-passenger SUV’s ability to carry a whole truckload of big guys up Brokeback Mountain. Missing the pop culture reference, LaNeve asked Leno if that crew would be towing anything. Leno assured him that the Suburban’s occupants would be trailering a boat, “a big one.”

Whether its towing boats, hauling a horse trailer, or transporting enough Christmas presents for a family of 50, the 2007 Chevrolet Suburban has the job covered. Available wit either rear- or four-wheel drive and LS, LT or LTZ badges (look for a Z71 version later in the year), Chevy’s biggest SUV moves its roughly 5,700-lb. mass thanks to one of two powerful V8 engines. The base motor is a 5.3-liter small block that pushes 320 horsepower at 5,300 rpm and puts out 340 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,200 rpm. For more giddyup, buyers of the 2007 Chevrolet Suburban will want to opt for the 6.0-liter motor, which is good for 355 horsepower at 5,400 rpm and 365 lb.-ft. of twist at 4,400 rpm (a 6.0-liter featuring variable valve timing is due later this year). A four-speed automatic transmission is standard. Recognizing consumers’ focus on efficiency, General Motors includes Active Fuel Management with both of these engines, a system that lets the Suburban run on four-cylinders when less power is needed, such as cruises on flat highways. Also noteworthy is the 5.3-liter V8’s flex-fuel status, which allows it to run on either gas or ethanol. GM is so sure of the benefits of ethanol, in fact, that it is leading an effort with the state of California, Chevron, and Pacific Ethanol to investigate the use of this alternative fuel in CalTrans fleet vehicles.

Besides the powertrains, the redesigned 2007 Chevrolet Suburban offers attractive new styling that mirrors that of the recently introduced 2007 Tahoe, including clean body lines and sporty smoked headlights. Inside is a simpler layout that drops the button-festooned interior of the previous truck and replaces it with a sleek and more understated look. Once on the road, GM promises that its new large SUV lineup will be markedly quieter. Among the features found on the Suburban are new audio and navigation systems and curtain airbags for all three rows of passengers.

Prices for the 2007 Chevrolet Suburban have not been released, but units will start to hit the lots during the second quarter of 2006 – just in time for a muddy, spring time romp up Brokeback Mountain.

Photos by Ron Perry