Enclave: For those yearning to make a statement on the road, Buick’s popular luxury crossover gets available 20-inch wheels for 2010, as well as several technologies that add value and convenience.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Buick 2.0T Lacrosse to launch soon
Buick 2.0T Lacrosse
The Buick Lacrosse is Buick’s latest fantastic sedan, it has the size and styling of a high end Lexus but has the price tag that we can all afford, even us mere CCT staff writers. The Chinese offerings are a 2.4l 4 cylinder model that is highly rated and also a flagship 3.0L V6, the latest model to join the line up will be the 2.0T which has a similar performance level to the 3.0L V6, but a starting price tag of just 250,000rmb compared to 300,000rmb.
The lower priced 2.0T model starts at 259,900rmb, where as a premium 2.0T model is selling for 287,900rmb.
The Lacrosse has already proved to be a popular model in China with Buick dealers commanding premium pricing for those that wish to skip the waiting list and pick up their Lacrosse a little earlier than others.
The 2.0T is from the Buick Regal, which is turbo assisted with direct injection which produces an impressive 220bhp and 350Nm of torque paired to a six speed gearbox. The 2.0T will propel the Lacrosse from 0-100kph in 8.2 seconds and has a top speed of 230kph whist cruising at 90kph will give it impressive fuel economy of 6.8L
Buick LaCrosse Gets New Alert System
Buick LaCrosse 2010
Buick LaCrosse 2010
Buick LaCrosse 2010
Buick LaCrosse 2010
The design was based on the 2008 Buick Invicta concept, and replaces the Chinese and U.S. models. States that the new Buick LaCrosse to be of U.S. combat Lexus
Buick LaCrosse 2010
Buick LaCrosse 2010
Buick LaCrosse 2010
Buick LaCrosse 2010
The 2010 Buick LaCrosse will be the first General Motors model to offer Side Blind Zone Alert, which, like other blind spot warning systems, helps you avoid bumping shoulders with other motorists when changing lanes. It's optional on 2010 CXL and CXS models equipped with the Comfort and Convenience package.
The system has radar-equipped sensors with alternating radar beams that cover about a lane's width on either side of the vehicle and about 10 feet back from the rear of the vehicle.
An orange icon on the LaCrosse's side mirrors icon lights up whenever the alert system detects a vehicle in the driver's blind spot — and flashes if the driver puts on the turn signal to indicate a move in that direction.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
2010 Buick LaCrosse CX 4-Cylinder
Now that you’re well versed in LaCrosse goings-on, let’s get to the specifics of the 2.4-liter CX. This 3800-plus-pound sedan is motivated by a mere 182 hp and 172 lb-ft of torque, but even so, the LaCrosse can get out of its own way. Beyond just moving this big four-door, the direct-injected 2.4-liter has enough power to facilitate safe passing maneuvers on two-lane roads. It’s rated for decent mileage, at 19 mpg city and 30 on the highway, so what more could you ask for? Well, that depends on what you’re seeking.
If you’re looking at the four-cylinder because it’s the cheapest way to get into a LaCrosse (at $26,995) and you desire a nice, comfy car wherein performance or mechanicals are of no importance, then by all means, go for it. But if you’re looking at the LaCrosse as an entry-luxury car, then you should step up to the 3.6-liter V-6.
During our drive in rural Virginia, the LaCrosse CX exhibited the same annoyances with its transmission that we’ve encountered in the Chevrolet Equinox equipped with the same powertrain. The six-speed automatic is obviously programmed for fuel economy above all else and thus is constantly changing ratios. Shift up, shift down, back up again, and back down; the box is as annoying as a twitching eyelid, swapping gears on the slightest incline or even gust of wind. It wouldn’t be so bad if the changes were seamless, but they are felt, and the transmission in our example even stumbled over itself a couple of times, causing a hard jolt in the cabin. Speaking of cabin disturbances, in fifth or sixth gear, we found that the 2.4-liter often sounded like a diesel, producing a low rumble that vibrated the floorboards. Our car was a preproduction build, so we hope this was an isolated case; all that NVH certainly contradicts the smooth luxury rep the LaCrosse is trying to cultivate.
We will admit that ordering the smaller motor does have a benefit beyond fuel economy, as the steering lightens up a bit with less weight over the front and offers better on-center feel than in the V-6 cars. The LaCrosse has a solid structure that can actually take a twist in the road with some confidence, although the huge A-pillars hinder visibility, especially in left-handers.
The LaCrosse, of course, isn’t intended as a performance machine. It’s supposed to be a luxury car where disturbances are minimal—if they’re there at all. But given our early disappointment with the refinement of this drivetrain and the fact that its fuel-economy gains over front-wheel-drive V-6 models are minimal—2 mpg city and 3 mpg highway—stepping up to a couple extra cylinders makes sense if you can afford it. We look forward to testing a production LaCrosse CX to see if that opinion changes.
Friday, March 19, 2010
2011 Buick Regal Introduced at Fort Lauderdale Auto Show
Buick revealed its new 2011 Regal Thursday at a media event at the Fort Lauderdale International Auto Show in Florida. The Regal has been around for decades and the newest version is definitely not your grandparents’ old Regal.
“Many of you have been asking us, ‘When is Buick going to have a sports sedan? No really, a true, authentic sports sedan?’ Christopher Ayotte, Buick national marketing manager, said. “And we think the answer is the 2011 Buick Regal.”
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Test Drive: Buick LaCrosse
By now you’ve seen the commercials where Buick calls out Lexus and claiming that their new LaCrosse is as good, or better, than the ES series. And not only is it better, that it’s cheaper, too. Sounds too good to be true, don’t it? We thought so too until we hopped behind the wheel of Buick’s new mid-sized luxury sedan. The car that was designed partly by GM’s Chinese arm—Buick’s are HUGE in China. Ask about ‘em—packs in a hell of a lot of luxury in a package that doesn’t look as if it was made for your grandmother. Read on to see if Buick latest offering is as good as they claim. Spoiler alert: it is…
PRICE: Base $33,765, As Tested: $36,560
POWER: 280 hp, 3.6L V6
MPG: 17 city/ 27 hwy
RIDE: The goal for the LaCrosse, as you can see by the commercials, was to go head to head with Lexus’ ES. But in order to do battle against their mid-sized, front wheel drive offering, they had to make sure the LaCrosse was just as comfortable to drive. And they’ve succeeded. The CXS we drove with the 3.6 L, 280 hp V6, was a smooth as any Lex we’ve driven. There’s a real sense of calm when you drive it. The six-speed automatic transmissions shifts smoothly, the road noise is kept to a minimum and the steering is nicely weighted to provide you with just the right amount of info. Not enough for you to confuse it for a sports sedan, but enough so you don’t fall asleep behind the wheel.
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