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Could a GMSV Chevrolet Tahoe crush Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series? Mega SUV with punchy V8 petrol and six-cylinder diesel - and 3600kg towing - a chance for Oz!

Would you take a GMSV Chevrolet Tahoe over the Land Cruiser 300 Series

The incoming Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series could face some unexpected competition in Australia, with the Chevrolet Tahoe SUV not ruled our for GMSV re-manufacturing for our market.

While the jumbo truck is not yet confirmed for our market, we understand it's the product that would be of most interest to GMSV, with Australia's passion for capable SUVs showing no signs of abating. It's also likely to be the only Chev-badged product on the GMSV's radar, with vehicles like the Suburban a less-ready fit for our market.

And with the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series set to ditch the popular V8 diesel of the LC200 - replaced by what's expected to be a 3.3-litre six-cylinder diesel and a brace of petrol engines - the Chevrolet Tahoe has another trick up its sleeve.

That trick, of course, is a booming V8 engine, with a 5.3-litre (264kW and 519Nm) and 6.2-litre (313kW and 623Nm) petrol eight-cylinder engine available. Also on offer is a LC300-rivalling 3.3-litre inline six-cylinder diesel, which would produce a considerable 206kW and 623Nm.

That diesel engine will be of particular interest to LC300 fans, with Toyota's new diesel donk expected to produce around 200kW and 650Nm - putting it on-par (or close enough) with the Chevrolet.

With all that said, if the Chevrolet Tahoe was to make it to Australia, there's also a real chance GMSV would stick to the petrol engine options, given it would be one of the few remaining eight-cylinder SUVs in this country.

Also impressive is the Tahoe's towing credentials, with the big Chev able to drag up to 3.6 tonnes, depending on its engine configuration. Add to that it's three rows of seating, it's 4WD system and its rugged reputation, and you've got a credible rival to the LandCruiser's dominance in Australia.

Will they or won't they? Watch this space.

Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist
Andrew Chesterton should probably hate cars. From his hail-damaged Camira that looked like it had spent a hard life parked at the end of Tiger Woods' personal driving range, to the Nissan Pulsar Reebok that shook like it was possessed by a particularly mean-spirited demon every time he dared push past 40km/h, his personal car history isn't exactly littered with gold. But that seemingly endless procession of rust-savaged hate machines taught him something even more important; that cars are more than a collection of nuts, bolts and petrol. They're your ticket to freedom, a way to unlock incredible experiences, rolling invitations to incredible adventures. They have soul. And so, somehow, the car bug still bit. And it bit hard. When "Chesto" started his journalism career with News Ltd's Sunday and Daily Telegraph newspapers, he covered just about everything, from business to real estate, courts to crime, before settling into state political reporting at NSW Parliament House. But the automotive world's siren song soon sounded again, and he begged anyone who would listen for the opportunity to write about cars. Eventually they listened, and his career since has seen him filing car news, reviews and features for TopGear, Wheels, Motor and, of course, CarsGuide, as well as many, many others. More than a decade later, and the car bug is yet to relinquish its toothy grip. And if you ask Chesto, he thinks it never will.
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