Friday, July 31, 2009

2011 Buick Regal - Spied

Buick is on the rebound in its home market, with the successful Enclave crossover and the appealing 2010 LaCrosse leading the charge. Could it continue with the reincarnation of the Regal? Spied on American soil was a camouflaged Chinese-market Buick Regal, itself a re-grilled and rebadged European 2010 Opel Insignia. Just what the covered-up Regal was doing here is anyone’s guess, especially considering that it’s already fully exposed on Buick’s Chinese website.

Buick Regal China
Buick Regal China
Buick Regal China
Buick Regal China
Buick Regal China
Buick Regal China
Buick Regal China
Buick Regal China
Buick Regal China
Buick Regal China
Buick Regal China

But speculation has been ongoing for some time about whether a Regal would reemerge to flesh out America’s Buick/Pontiac/GMC dealerships, and that possibility is even more likely now that one of those brands will soon evaporate, taking a huge quantity of mid-size sedan sales with it. Now, whether it makes sense to sell what is essentially a short-wheelbase LaCrosse alongside the LaCrosse is a marketing question we can’t fully answer. But if it is markedly less expensive than the $27,835 Lacrosse, it could play well to Camry/Accord/Fusion buyers. Factor in GM’s pending divestiture of Saturn—which was due to get a copy of the Insignia as its next Aura sedan—and the Buick version makes even more sense.

Could a Grand National Be On the Docket?

At a recent dinner with Buick executives, we were regaled with the typical marketing jibber-jabber about the “incredible” stuff that’s coming next, and when we asked specifically about performance-oriented Buick models, we saw sparkles in their eyes and got one of those typical “just wait ’til you see what’s coming next” lines that usually prompts a collective rolling of the eyes. But with the Regal redux looking like a real possibility, it would seem quite natural for Buick to bring back the vaunted Grand National (or Grand Sport) name, too—powered by, say, a turbocharged V-6, just like the beloved original that was sold in the mid-1980s. Of course, rear-wheel drive would be out of the question and a front-drive GN would be absolute heresy, but all-wheel drive could perhaps prove a somewhat amicable compromise. On one point, however, we will not give ground: it must be all black.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

2010 Buick Astra Spied in Germany

Bolstering previous rumors that General Motors may expand Buick's lineup with new models from its European Opel division, our spy photographers bagged these shots of a prototype Astra model fitted with Buick's trademark waterfall-style grille. The test mule that was spotted in Germany also featured slightly larger fog lights on the front bumper but other than that, we did not detect any other styling changes compared to the Opel - Vauxhall Astra that is scheduled to make its first public appearance at this fall's Frankfurt show.

We do know that GM's Buick unit is preparing to add the Astra to its Chinese market portfolio selling it alongside the Regal sedan that is nothing more than an Opel Insignia with a new grille and different set of badges.

But what about the U.S.? Prior to General Motors' decision to sell off its Saturn unit, it was believed that the new generation Astra would be built in North America and sold in the States under the Saturn brand.

Just before General Motors entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, several news agencies reported that the Opel Insignia as well as the Astra were being considered for Buick's North American range.

So what's the deal now with the Astra at post-bankruptcy GM? Well, to be completely frank, your guess is as good as ours. When GM's CEO Fritz Henderson says in June that the Pontiac G8 won't be rebadged as another model in the US and a month later, Bob Lutz says the opposite, stating in a magazine interview that the G8 will be reincarnated as the Chevy Caprice in North America, there's so much credibility that you can you give to any rumors or/and reports that surface.

But whatever the deal is, we reckon that a North American built Astra with a Buick badge accompanied by some serious marketing efforts could provide GM with a credible contender to the Mazda3 and its ilk.

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Tuesday, July 28, 2009

First Drive: 2010 Buick LaCrosse

First Drive: 2010 Buick LaCrosse

European imports beware, Buick is back and the LaCrosse is a worthy competitor A slew of technology packed in a youthful and stylish package will give Lexus and other luxury rivals a run for their money- if buyers take the time to notice.

AutoInsane.com First Drive: 2010 Buick LaCrosse

Not the Buick you’d expect

Lets be blunt for a moment. The outgoing LaCrosse was, for a lack of kinder words, boring. So ambiguous, dull, and utterly devoid of passion it’s surprising Buick didn’t include a pacemaker so owners could maintain a pulse whist behind the wheel of it. It’s remarkable then to ponder how for 2010 LaCrosse nameplate made its way onto a vehicle that can make your heart skip a beat, no external medical devices needed.

To compare and contrast the “old” LaCrosse with the 2010 LaCrosse in any other words would be futile. While many previous-gen LaCrosse owners already have pacemakers, the 2010 model is one all by itself. A quick walk around the outside and it’s apparent Buick’s updated style is completely at home on a sedan. Crisp lines and smooth curves; all accentuated just a tad more than you’d expect and with a flair that doesn’t show itself in still photos. You’ve got to move around the LaCrosse to get the whole story because like many of the other recent cars to come out of GM design the more you look, the more you see.

Things get even better inside.

AutoInsane.com First Drive: 2010 Buick LaCrosse

For as stylish as the exterior on the LaCrosse is, the interior goes ten steps further. Open and spacious, you’d never get the feeling you’re behind the wheel of a mid-size sedan. From the hours we spent behind the wheel we’d even say it feels more open than the new full-size Ford Taurus. The dash has been pushed down and away from the driver leaving the center stack and controls within easy reach.

Riding on GM’s updated mid-size platform (the same that will underpin the future redesigned Saab 9-5), rear passenger room is even more impressive and for good reason. GM will sell nearly twice as many of the new LaCrosse in China, where the Buick brand has serious clout. Out east Buick expects 40% of LaCrosse buyers will choose not to drive, but to be driven around in. For that reason the 2010 LaCrosse’s platform has been stretched for more rear leg-room. Here in the states we won’t get fancy chauffeur oriented options like rear audio and ventilation controls, but we do get to keep the extra space. A dual rear mounted DVD entertainment system will also be avaliable.

AutoInsane.com First Drive: 2010 Buick LaCrosse

Technology for Gen-Y

To further place weight behind the idea that this car represents a whole new Buick, GM is including it’s most up-to-date technology in the 2010 LaCrosse. This means a larger updated navigation/multimedia screen and system, full USB connectivity, Harman-Kardon audio, heads-up display, magnetic ride control, and heated/cooled seats. On up-level CXS models Buick has included an extremely slick fully animated color driver-information-center in the gauge cluster. The new interface is one of the best in the entire industry, perhaps besting even BMW and Audi.

The cool stuff doesn’t stop there. Should you choose the navigation and multimedia system you’ll also get an option we’ve never seen on any other car in the industry. The ability to record and rewind live radio. It’s not exactly like Tivo but from the second you tune in an AM/FM/XM station the audio system will begin to buffer the program. You can then rewind or fast forward as you like. You can’t save radio programs to the included hard-drive, but it’s a small feature that owners will undoubtedly rave about.

AutoInsane.com First Drive: 2010 Buick LaCrosse

We’ve never been a huge fan of GM’s current multimedia system. It’s slow, buggy, and clunky- especially compared to Lincoln’s newest interface. However, this improved system fixes all of our concerns and more. Redundant control paths, from touch-screen to head-unit and even the steering wheel mean drivers can move through the interface easily and with very few steps. It’s easier to use than Lincoln’s SYNC, which heavily relies on voice commands, yet offers the same depth of control you’d find on a BMW without the tomfoolery of iDrive.

AutoInsane.com First Drive: 2010 Buick LaCrosse

Behind the wheel

When the LaCrosse launches later this summer you’ll be able to choose from one of two direct injection V6 engines; a 3.0L delivering 255-horsepower or a 3.6L producing 280-horsepower. By the end of this year a fuel-sipping 180-horsepower 2.4L inline-4 will be introduced as the standard engine in the CX. All-wheel-drive (for the first time ever on a Buick sedan) can be optioned on CXL trim levels and can only be paired with the 3.0L V6.

Both V6 engines provide ample acceleration but neither are neck-snapping, especially the 3.0L laden with all-wheel-drive. If you’re looking for a sporty drive, Cadillac may be a better choice. We were not able to drive the 2.4L four-cylinder I4 “fuel economy” option, but from the sounds of it we do have serious concerns 182-horsepower will be excruciatingly under-powered in a car this big.

With all that said, the work GM placed in making the LaCrosse smooth, isolated, and quiet paid off big time. Twenty-percent stiffer than the outgoing model, the 2010 LaCrosse feels lively yet composed on the street. Variable effort steering is surprisingly crisp and accurate.

Our favorite combination was the 3.6L powered CXS optioned with Buick’s real-time active suspension system and equipped with 19-inch wheels. Sliding the shifter gate over on the LaCrosse to sport strangely does nothing at all to the transmission, instead stiffening the steering and suspension of the car. It’s surprisingly noticeable and changes the feel of the car for the better.

AutoInsane.com First Drive: 2010 Buick LaCrosse

Conclusion

Sampling the 2010 LaCrosse on the winding back roads and city streets of Michigan gave us the impression that Buick is taking its reinvention extremely seriously. The styling and tech features will draw in the younger demographic GM is looking to attract but only if potential buyers take the time to see the value right in front of them. If Buick can get them in the door and behind the wheel for a test drive we think the car has the potential to be the brand’s next hit. That’s an enormously big “if”, because while the LaCrosse drives the pants off the Lexus ES350, how many import luxury buyers will really cross-shop a Buick? We’ll find out.

Monday, July 27, 2009

2010 Buick LaCrosse

2010 Buick LaCrosse
2010 Buick LaCrosse
2010 Buick LaCrosse
Buick is the first to acknowledge it lost touch with the pulse of its audience in the 1980s and 1990s, and over the last decade it has seen its average buyer age rise to somewhere in the mid-70s. But that's all set to change with the new Enclave already out and the brand-new 2010 LaCrosse coming this summer.

We got the chance to take the new LaCrosse for a spin at a GM press event in Detroit this week, and we can tell you in all seriousness: this is a really, really good car. It's not a hot-dog performer or an all-out technological luxury onslaught, but it does combine mid-size powertrains and pricing with large-sedan size and comfort, all with a healthy dose of style and luxury.

The exterior of the new LaCrosse has been plastered across the web since its debut at the Detroit Auto Show, and it's a fine new face to help Buick target a younger, more vibrant audience, but the interior is the real story.

Fans of Lexus, Acura and Infiniti often point to the shoddy interiors of American mid-luxury sedans as a major turnoff, but those fans won't have a word to say about the LaCrosse. In fact, most will find themselves envious of the solid construction, (mostly) whisper-quiet ride and superior switchgear found in the LaCrosse.

Unlike Lexus, which shows strong Camry roots in much of its center-stack material and layout, the LaCrosse presents a coherent image without letting the design down with flimsy buttons or cheap material. Aside from the Acura TL's oddball exterior, its interior is generally well-regarded, if a bit busy, and the LaCrosse is at least on par, while it outpaces the Infiniti G and M just as it does the Lexus ES and GS.

The comparison to the larger Lexus and Infiniti cars is apt - the LaCrosse provides ample room for long-legged six-foot-plus adults to sit in all four positions at once, with no skimping on headroom even with the sloping roofline and a panoramic sunroof. Shoulder, hip and bolster room in the front bucket seats is equally well-suited to larger adults.


The center stack layout and switchgear is solid, easy-to-use and attractive
That's not to say it's all peachy behind the wheel of the LaCrosse. Though you're being shuttled along in comfort with a pleasant view throughout the cabin, there's not a lot of motive force shoving you along even with the top-of-the-line 3.6L direct-injection V6 - the same basic unit found in the Cadillac CTS, though detuned a bit to 280hp and 261lb-ft of torque. There's also a good deal of tire noise, especially on the 19in-equipped CXS. It'll get to freeway speed just fine, and the jaunt from 50-80mph when passing is smooth and quick enough, but it lacks the urgency found in the V8-powered Infiniti M45 or the Lexus GS.

That may be a good thing, however, as the LaCrosse returns 17mpg city and 26mpg highway with the most powerful unit. The 3.0L V6 was also on hand to test, and we drove it paired with the optional AWD drivetrain. Rated at just 18mpg city/27mpg highway, it's not a huge step up in economy, but it's also not a huge step down in power or performance, taking 7.8 seconds to get to 60mph compared to the 3.6L's 6.8 second time. Observed fuel economy over a mixed set of fairly flat two-lane and highway driving was within the claimed range, with the 3.6L and 3.0L presenting very similar - almost indistinguishable - numbers.

In practice, the 3.0L unit feels more willing, presents a sweeter - if somewhat quieter - exhaust note and exhibits less vibration than the 3.6L unit, all adding up to an experience that many buyers are likely to choose.

Not yet available - it will enter production sometime in the fourth quarter - is a 2.4L four-cylinder engine rated at 180hp and expected to manage 20mpg city and 30mpg highway, though final numbers haven't yet been announced.

Getting back to the driving impression, steering feel is excessively light in normal models, but with the CXS package, the 3.6L engine is paired with a 'sport mode' setting that tightens damper settings and firms up steering to a level that feels just right - and makes us wish it was that way in every trim. Even in sport mode, however, the dampers don't provide a harsh or jarring ride, so buyers with the scratch for the CXS model would do well to give it a go before writing it off as too 'hardcore'.

Handling is as you'd expect from a slightly front-biased 4,000lb front-driver, with the inside rear wheel unweighting and the front diving into what would likely be terminal push past 0.7-0.8g. The AWD car helps to ameliorate this by sending up to 85% of the drive to the rear wheels and skewing the weight distribution rearward by another percentage point, but it's still not enough to make this car into a real performer.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Buick Park Avenue and Riviera Concept



In America, this statement would be followed by "Now pass me that joint," or maybe just a simple check for a pulse. In China, where Shanghai GM president Ding Lei spoke the words above, it's completely understandable, and seeing China's new Park Avenue sedan, I'm even inclined to agree. This is just the most recent case of "why don't we get that here?" from one of the big three, and I'm adding it to the list of desirables, right under the Euro Ford Focus, the Ford Mondeo, the Chrysler 300C Wagon, and a list of Holdens. Actually, the Park Avenue, like the maybe-coming Pontiac G8, is a Holden. It uses the same Aussie-developed rear-drive platform, Buick-ified with luxury features like four massaging leather seats and rear tray tables. Yet, we're stuck with the LaCrosse and Lucerne, two mediocre sedans based on aging front-wheel-drive architectures. The worst part? A few months ago when GM showed the Park Avenue to Buick dealers, they said they didn't want it because Buick customers like front-drive. Sorry, but most Buick drivers won't be drivers at all in the coming years. It's time for a change. Buick needs to make a better-late-than-never competitor to the Chrysler 300C, and this Park Avenue could be it.

To show that China has indeed become Buick's most important market, the brand is showing a Riviera concept at this week's Shanghai show. Yes, we get meaningless names like Lucerne and LaCrosse and China keeps the classy Park Avenue and toys with a Riviera revival. Nice. Only a teaser image of the gull-winged concept has been released, but it looks like it's going to be beautiful. The good news? The Riv is expected to continue touring after the Shanghai show, and will probably be shown at next winter's L.A. and Detroit shows. But then again, American Buick dealers probably won't like it.

Friday, July 24, 2009

GM plans to expand Buick, Chevy to boost sales

Buick
General Motors Co.’s top sales analyst said he is confident the company can make up the sales it will lose when it sheds four of its eight U.S. brands.

Mike DiGiovanni, GM’s executive director of global market and industry analysis, said Wednesday that the Chevrolet and Buick model lineups will be expanded to pick up a lot of the lost sales from Pontiac and Saturn, the biggest sellers of the scrapped brands.

Along with Chevrolet and Buick, GM has decided to focus on the Cadillac and GMC brands. As part of its bankruptcy restructuring, the automaker is phasing out Pontiac, and selling Saab, Saturn and Hummer.

A lot of recent Pontiac sales, DiGiovanni said, were to fleet buyers such as rental car companies. GM can cover those with the remaining four brands.

Buick and Chevrolet should be able to make up for lost retail sales to individuals with expanded lineups, DiGiovanni said, declining to identify what models would be added.

“We’re going to grow Chevy into new niches that they are not in now,” he said during a conference call held to talk about GM’s global sales. “We will expand the Chevrolet portfolio.”

GM, which controlled 20 percent of the U.S. market in the first half of 2009, plans to retain an 18 or 19 percent share despite losing half its brands. GM sold about 143,000 Pontiacs, Hummers, Saabs and Saturns in the first half of the year, about 15 percent of its total sales, according to Autodata Corp.

The automaker emerged from bankruptcy protection on June 10 after a 40-day stay that wiped away much of its debt and other burdensome costs. But it survived because of $50 billion in aid from the U.S. government. Retaining market share and boosting sales are the keys to making money and repaying the government.

Yet Bank of America Merrill Lynch Research Analyst John Murphy, in a study of the U.S. industry released last week, called GM’s market share assumption optimistic and predicted a 15 or 16 percent range.

Murphy said GM will replace only 11 percent of its models each year for the next four years, far below the industry average of 18 percent. Newer models generally translate to better sales and market share, Murphy wrote.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

2010 Buick LaCrosse

On several occasions during this bleak period for General Motors, we’ve pointed out that GM has the engineering talent to go toe-to-toe with other high-volume car manufacturers (we already know they can do trucks). Exhibit A is the Cadillac CTS. Now we have Exhibit B: the Buick LaCrosse.

Last week we had the opportunity to drive several versions of the LaCrosse over a variety of roads in southeastern Michigan. The LaCrosse offers three engines, a 3.6-liter V-6 with 280 horsepower, a 3.0-liter V-6 with 255 horsepower, and a 2.4-liter inline-four with 182 horsepower. Normally, these engines power the car through the front wheels, but an AWD system is optional with the 3.0-liter engine. We drove both V-6s and sampled FWD and AWD drivetrains.

We came away from this rather surprised. Frankly, we often look at GM’s top efforts and think "almost." Usually, the exterior looks great, but the interior is a letdown. Or the engine is great, but the transmission is clunky. Or the drivetrain is good, but the handling is insipid. The LaCrosse isn’t like that. There is essentially nothing significantly wrong with this car, if it is viewed through the eyes of the target customer. In other words, the LaCrosse is fully competitive with the Lexus ES350 and Acura TL. No excuses, no "almost." Whether the LaCrosse is better than an ES or a TL is a matter for another article, but the significant point is that anyone shopping for an ES or a TL could legitimately cross-shop the LaCrosse.


LaCrosse

LaCrosse

LaCrosse shoppers will want to know about the design. Styling is always a matter of the eye of the beholder and all that. But having looked carefully at the LaCrosse, we’d say it is far less bland than the ES (or the slightly out of segment Infiniti G37 and BMW 328i sedans). At the same time, it isn’t as edgy and weird as the Acura TL. The most controversial part of the LaCrosse is probably the grille, and we can only say that it looks better in person than it does in photos.

The LaCrosse interior is also very well done (interestingly, it was conceived in Buick’s Chinese studios). The shapes are fresh and pleasing, lacking the conservative concept of the Lexus without seeming odd. More surprising is that the quality of the materials seems better than on most of the competition. A little less glossy wood and chrome would be more to our taste, but given the example set by Lexus perhaps this is a category necessity. Again, final judgment awaits direct comparison, but nothing about the Buick design jumped out as an important faux pas, whereas we’ve been put off by materials and detail design on many a Lexus and Infiniti of late.

Interior comfort is also excellent, with firm and supportive seats (these aren’t sports seat, but they aren’t supposed to be). Over several hundred miles, we didn’t really think about the seats, which is a compliment. Rear seat room is also very good, and is certainly better than in the BMW 5-Series, our standard mid-size whipping boy. Headroom in the LaCrosse works for six-foot or slightly taller adults, and legroom is very good. The rear feels spacious as well because the front seats are fairly far away. Our only complaint was that the foot space under the front seats was a little tight. The other interior issue that we noticed was that the A pillar (around the windshield) was rather thick and slightly intrusive, a common problem on swoopy designs in our safety-obsessed world.

LaCrosse

LaCrosse

Design and comfort are nice, but the question on your mind is probably “But does it drive like a Buick (e.g. marshmallow, bowl of Jello, land yacht etc.)?” And as you probably guessed by now, the answer is “No."

The LaCrosse ride and handling mix is modern and in a way outstanding. First of all, springs and dampers are nicely firm. The car doesn’t roll much, and certainly doesn’t float or wallow. The suspension definitely has a stiffer setup than the typical Lexus fare. Like almost all modern cars, the LaCrosse will understeer when pushed, but the predominant sensation from the car is one of balance.

There are choices in the handling package, as well. We drove the maximum supreme CXS with adjustable damping and compared it to the mid-line CXL. The CXS in sport mode is clearly firmer, and in normal mode is still not soft. CXS ride quality is quite good, with excellent isolation of crumbly pavement. By comparison, the CXL is well damped, but on the soft side and gives a slightly better ride on horrible pavement. We tried at CXL with AWD and found the balance to be enjoyable. None of these suspensions is even vaguely reminiscent of the LeSabre.

LaCrosse

LaCrosse

With all this goodness on the table, don’t be confused into thinking the LaCrosse is a BMW 3-Series competitor. It isn’t. The LaCrosse handling has too much FWD weight bias, and the wheelbase that gives that nice rear seat room takes a little agility away.

The V-6 engines that we sampled work very well. Both are direct-injection powerplants, and thus mix decent power with acceptable fuel efficiency. While the 3.6-liter has somewhat more torque and a little more top end power, we thought the 3.0 was almost as good and would be the preferred engine for the target market. Neither engine makes the LaCrosse into a rocket sled, and like most V-6s the engines need to be wrung out a bit to really get moving. No four-cylinder engines were on hand (this is a fourth quarter addition to the line), but past experience says that a four can work very well in this kind of car, and Buick believes this DI powerplant can deliver 30 mpg on the highway. We’d wait to try that one if we cared at all about fuel mileage and price.

The LaCrosse CX (which we didn’t drive, but it is a CXL with different trim) starts at $27,835. The CXL with AWD starts at $32,570. A top of the line CXS loaded with options will be around $39,000. As usual, you have to actually configure a car the way you want it to be able to compare prices (we’ve noticed for example that mid-line domestic cars often have a list of standard equipment that requires checking option boxes on a BMW).

All in all, the LaCrosse is an impressive car. It shows what GM can do, and is a direct counter to those who whine about the cars themselves (though one or two cars does not a trend make). Unfortunately, it is still a Buick, and it remains to be seen if GM can make owning a Buick as sexy as it was in 1953.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

2010 Buick LaCrosse

The Buick LaCrosse in camo was caught on public roads. The next-gen LaCrosse shares its Epsilon II (the Malibu is an extended Epsilon, not Epsilon II) underpinnings with the critically acclaimed Chevy Malibu, the interior will be very similar as well. Close inspection of the pics shows some similar dash characteristics between the two models, though the ‘Bu is all about the curves while the Buick is more strait-laced. Seats in the preproduction LaCrosse are two-toned much like that of the up-level Malibu, but the two appear to have a different basic shape.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

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Spy Shots: Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer caught naked

Opel's Insignia OPC is one of those "available elsewhere" cars that's got us licking our chops. The Insignia is headed to North America as a Buick, and enthusiasts everywhere hope the hotshot OPC version gets widely propagated. What's not likely to make any trans-Atlantic journeys is a wagon version of Opel's performance-enhanced sedan. Spy-shooters have nailed an Insignia OPC Sports Tourer running about uncamoflaged, and the wagon's got its sights trained on Audi's S4 Avant.

Built up from familiar General Motors pieces, the Insignia OPC Sports Tourer uses componentry we've seen before. The 2.8 liter turbocharged V6, six speed manual, and all wheel drive system with eLSD torque vectoring is a recipe cooked up by the Saab Turbo X, albeit Opel's version is spicier, with 325 horsepower on tap. Euro-flavored performance wagons are a delectable treat, but it doesn't look like the Insignia OPC Sports Tourer will be added to Buick's menu for North American automotive diners.

Pontiac G8 could live on, sans Pontiac... but don't hold your breath


Pontiac G8 GT - Click above for a high-res image gallery

The brand's demise next year will mark the end of the Pontiac G8, but there's a faint glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel for the Aussie-built sports sedan. Speaking with Automotive News, Tom Stephens, General Motors' vice chairman of global product development, said "there's still discussions on" resurrecting the G8, "but Chevrolet already has several sedans. How many sedans do you need to cover the waterfront?"

His comments don't imbue us with much hope for the G8's future, particularly after GM CEO Fritz Henderson has clearly stated that no Pontiac models will live on within the "new" GM. Although there's a groundswell of enthusiast support for the General to replace the Impala SS – due to be killed next year – with the G8, or possibly offer the rear-wheel drive sedan as a Buick model, the idea doesn't seem to be gaining traction within the automaker.