When a hot new car is in low supply, dealerships get flooded with orders, creating both buzz and demand. The hope is that if the car is a hit, the factory will be able to ramp up production relatively quickly, but makers also know that low supply can create buzz around a new product. Of course, it is normal for automakers to have relatively modest targets when they introduce a new vehicle. There is still a long way for the Equinox to go, however, before it can match the sales volume of Chevy's biggest seller, the Silverado pickup, which sold 684,302 units last year. Spokespeople for Chevrolet say they expect between 60,000 and 70,000 Equinoxes to sell this year, and more than 100,000 in 2005. The car has already sold 16,496 units, with 8,945 sold in May alone, outselling Dealers maintain they cannot get Equinoxes in their showrooms fast enough. This completely new vehicle, which hit the showrooms in March, will fit into the Chevy SUV lineup beneath the midsize TrailBlazer. The Equinox, along with the new Malibu Maxx and larger midsize Colorado pickup, is proof that GM is also trying to jazz up its more moderately priced lines as well, not just rehashing existing models as it has done in the past. Great looks, lots of cargo room and competitive price. So far, the change has been most noticeable-and effective-in its Cadillac division, which by the end of 2003 had seen total sales soar 25.6% since 2001, when its current generation of vehicles, beginning with the hugely popular Escalade SUV, was first introduced. Incorporating bold lines and aggressive styling, GM cars are finally relying on more than racing stripes, chrome and mag wheels to give their cars a much-needed dash of sex appeal. No carmaker has made more strides than General Motors.

After years of complaints from the public about how European and Japanese cars just look better than American cars, Detroit seems finally to be getting with the program.

2005 chevy equinox interior