Newer Buick production information.

Is there a source where Lucerne production can be determined for the V6 and/or V8 engine?

"Automotive News" usually has some production/sales information in their weekly issues. Not sure if they break-down the model splits, though. Have to get into their archives, somehow, though.

If I recall correctly, the Northstar V-8s were only available in the model years when the Buick 3800 V-6 was standard equipment. I don't recall seeing a V-8 option listed in the brochure for the model year when they started using the Chevy 3.9L V-6 (after 3800 production had ceased).

Considering the timeframe when the V-8 "Super" models were available, they would be in the significant minority, I suspect. But they ARE around. Even MORE rare would be the Lacrosse Super (with the 5.3L Chevy LS-family V-8 . . . which had many high-end options in that package and came with Michelin tires). This would be the first-gen Lacrosse, similar to the Chevy Impala SS V-8 and the Pontiac Grand Prix "high performance" V-8 cars. Chevy was the more mainstream in equipment, similar to the related police vehicles, Pontiac with the hard-core suspension package and different size wheel/tires on each end of the car, and Buick having the more luxurious performance model.

Hope this might help,

NTX5467

Just talked to Pete Phillips and he said an article that I put together on these newer cars is in the Bugle and at the printer.

Since the initial writing I have gathered some pretty good numbers and those may be enough for a follow-up article.

For a teaser, the Lucerne was made between 2006 and 2011, the V8 option was available all years, in 2010 there were only 417 V8 Lucernes made just under 2% of the total production.

Would this be a future collectable on rarity alone?

Are Buick Lucernes with V-8s uncommon in the other model years?

The first problem is getting good production number. GM Heratige Center sent a set of numbers and compared to the numbers on Wikipedia, they are 5 - 7% different.

In rough numbers, I would say the V8 Lucernes were built in small numbers, the 2006 is the largest at about 8%, '07 went to 4%, then they really went down to 1-2% of total production for the last 4 years of production.

The V8 Lacrosse was built in even smaller numbers.

The only Lucernes or Lacrosses's that may ever have any potential for collectors would be the "Super" models.

The Lacrosse Super was a 2 year car with roughly 2500 made in two years ('08-'09), it was the same car as an Impala SS with Lacrosse sheetmetal.

From the information I have compiled the Lucerne V8 and Super was a running change. If you wanted a V8 starting 2006 you ordered a CXL, 2008 model started the same but the CXL was dropped and the Super name added. There may have been a HP increase listed but it may not be more than a marketing scheme, as it seems to have the same equipment as the CXL.

There is some conflicting information, Example, I have a 2008 Lucerne document that does not list a Super (probably an early release) It indicates the CX & CXL were V6 only and if you wanted a V8 you had to order a CXS. Information received from GM Heritage Center shows the CXS (which they do not specify if it is a V6 or V8) & CXL V8 were both dropped after 2008 model.....their information shows the Super started sometime in 2008 and ran thru the end of production in 2011.

If anyone has factory documentation for the '09,'10,'11 Lucerne (especially the Super) I would like a copy.

Speaking of production numbers, does anyone have

model-year production totals for Buick for say, the last

20 years? The production numbers in the book,

The Buick: A Complete History are interesting, but I'd

like to see how Buick's fortunes have waned and possibly

started to come back in the intervening years.

I don't need breakdowns by model, though those would

be interesting too. Model-year totals would suffice.

The newest version I have of the Buick book is the 5th edition and its production information stops at 1996.

The listing in the BCA Roster stops at 2002.

I have feelers out to several sources trying to get the newer numbers.

Anyone here live in the Detroit area..... the Detroit Public Library probably has the production numbers.

Does anyone have access to WardsAuto Yearbook? The Detroit library said production numbers are listed there. What I don't know and the library does not say, does a 2012 yearbook have only the numbers for 2012 or do they also have the production numbers for earlier years. I know my local library will not have the yearbook but will call Austin however I don't think a tech city will have auto related publications.

I went to the www.wardsauto.com website and found archived production/sales numbers, but to get to them it takes a free registration (nationally) to get to them. Once there, it's only "cars" and "trucks", no individual model break-outs. At least in the page I was looking at. I'll do some more digging later on.

NTX5467

Speaking of production numbers, does anyone have model-year production totals for Buick for say, the last 20 years? .....

FWIW. The local daily fish-wrap had an article not too long ago about Buick production numbers. For some reason, I copied down the following:

- 1984 and 1985 production numbers peaked out @ +/- 1,000,000 for each year;

- 2009 domestic production bottomed out @ 102,000;

- 2012 China sales were @ 700,000.

Why is it that the drop in production says the same thing in regards to the drop in the BCA membership for that same time frame and beyond?

Ah so!

Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

1984 and 1985 was the "end of the line" for rwd, full-size Buicks . . . at that time. Many people knew that and purchased one rather than to be forced into fwd Buicks, a few years later. Plus the "Collector Series" LeSabres, playing into that orientation.

2009 was on the tail end of the "suspected" (at that time) recession. Even people "with money" weren't spending it on very much, as I recall. Gasoline prices were rising, which decreased miles driven, which affected MANY businesses just by itself.

Possible correlations between Buick sales and BCA membership might be possible, but I suspect more study might be needed. Interesting subject for speculation!

NTX5467

When you get the year-by-year production figures,

can you please post them here?

As far as Buick sales affecting BCA membership:

I think it would have to be a long, protracted decline in sales

(due to little interest in the new cars) before it was seen in

lessening interest in older Buicks. Such a scenario would be

reflected in fewer and fewer new members, while the older fans

still hang on.

Could it be like a chronically poor baseball team?

If a formerly top team has one or two bad seasons,

the strong fans hang on. When a team's poor record

goes on year after year (such as the Pirates' 20+

consecutive years of losing seasons!), the fan base dwindles.

But there's always the possibility of a turnaround!

Let Buick produce a flashy 4- or 6-passenger convertible,

highly styled and powerful, that catches the general public's eye.

And great reliable cars that everyone wants to own.

Wouldn't that make the job of recruiting for the BCA much easier?

With help and suggestions from several people I learned that most of the information I was seeking is published in Ward's Automotive Yearbook. After working my way up the food chain of local libraries, I found the University of Texas has them back to 1938. Today I made a daytrip to the UT found a parking spot only 3 blocks away and searched thru the 2002 -2014 Yearbooks to get lots of info on Buicks.

It will take me some time to get it presentable but I will then send it to the BCA office and Pete Phillips to be added to the BCA Roster.

The only thing I don't like is the way some thing were listed .... Example in post #7 the info I had on 2008 -09 Lacrosse with the V8 option was 2500 for the combined years. Ward's shows 51664 Lacrosse made in 2008 and they say 5.8% had the V8 (2996) and in 2009 18532 were made and only .7% had the V8 (129) that is a total of 3125 or 600+ more than I got from GM Heritage. Which numbers do you believe?

When they use %, one hundredth of a percent changes the number by 5 vehicles.... so if the rounded 5.76 to 5.8 that is 20 vehicles.

When you get those more recent year-by-year

production figures sorted out, Barney, can you

post them here as requested?

Thanks. It may be quite some time before another Buick roster is printed.

I just posted the Park Avenue production numbers on this discussion..... http://forums.aaca.org/f115/park-aves-1997-2005-a-386725.html