Allure Gone?

[Thriller]

Well, it seems the Buick Allure (Canadian LaCrosse) is gone. I've been seeing ads on TV, but I frequently enough watch US TV, so didn't pay much attention, but yesterday I noticed Buick.ca at the end of the ad. I went to the site and, lo and behold, there is the LaCrosse.

So it makes me wonder a few things. Did GM brass decide that not enough Allures were being sold in Quebec to justify a different name plate? Did they think that the launch and subsequent coverage of the new LaCrosse would confuse Canadian buyers if they kept the Allure name?

I know it was an interesting thing in the first place to have the Allure in Canada, but was a bit surprised to just sort of find out about it this way. Personally, I prefer the Allure name over LaCrosse, regardless of the slang issue in Quebec.

[Guest my3buicks]

I thought they should have changed the LaCrosse name in the US aslo - the car was so much more than the old one, and a fresh start I thought it needed a fresh name.

[Dynaflash8]

LaCross, Lucerne, Allure......all the same junk. Buick can't survive building toy cars. It's time they bring back the LeSabre and Park Avenue, nice big cars that get 29-31 mpg on the road. They were crazy to stop building those cars, but I guess they were just too good.

[Guest my3buicks]

If you want a larger Buick, then why not the Lucerne? Similar in size to the Park Aves/LeSabre's they replaced. Let's face it, they could build the perfect car and you would ahve a problem with it, or some feature of it. Some like to only *****.

[Centurion]

The various GM fan sites reported the decision a couple of months ago to standardize on the LaCrosse name for all LaCrosse/Allure cars sold in the North American market. A few of the 2010 models were sold with the Allure nameplates, and owners have the option of returning their cars to the dealership to have them retrofitted with the LaCrosse nameplates. I suspect that the move is intended to help build brand identity, which makes perfect sense.

There were many who called for the 2010 LaCrosse to be renamed, but GM has come under a great deal of criticism for the frequent name changes. Perennial top sellers like the Camry and Accord benefit greatly from the name familiarity, and GM is beginning to recognize that the frequent name changes is not always beneficial.

Whether you like it or not, the earlier generation LaCrosse is actually a very nice car, and it scored at the very top of its market segment in quality and reliability. To the extent that there's some brand equity attributable to the quality of the old car, I think GM was wise to stick with the LaCrosse nameplate.

[Guest BJM]

Whether you like it or not, the earlier generation LaCrosse is actually a very nice car, and it scored at the very top of its market segment in quality and reliability. To the extent that there's some brand equity attributable to the quality of the old car, I think GM was wise to stick with the LaCrosse nameplate.

The old LaCrosse was a dog any way you cut it. Understyled from the start, it was a re-badged Taurus, circa 2000.

Buick has had some great show cars names recently, should have grabbed one of them. Or, you can say the Lexus crowd that might be looking at the new LaCrosse never knew there was an old LaCrosse.

The "quality" of the old LaCrosse is irrelvant. Buicks (and GM overall) have had good quality for years, the LaCrosse just extended the streak.

[Dynaflash8]

QUOTE: If you want a larger Buick, then why not the Lucerne? Similar in size to the Park Aves/LeSabre's UNQUOTE

Are you kidding?

Edited December 7, 2009 by Dynaflash8 (see edit history)

[lancemb]

Keeping the name is smart if it has good brand equity; otherwise you're throwing away years of advertising, and I think LaCrosse had decent brand equity (certainly not negative in most people's eyes anyway). This is why Alan Mulally (new CEO of Ford last couple years) immediately reversed Fords decision to drop the Taurus name and come out with the 500 nameplate. This was a guy who wasn't a "car guy" making a correct move that the industry insiders were too blind to see themselves. While not everyone has favorable views of all Tauruses, it was a top selling car in America for many years, and was revolutionary in design when it appeared in 1985. Think of the other cars from that era and it is clear how revolutionary it really was for the U.S. auto industry.

[Pete Phillips]

I agree with "Dynaflash 8" and with the comments about GM not building brand or name loyalty by foolishly dumping its well-respected, high quality car names that people could identify, e.g.: LeSabre; Park Avenue; Riviera.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

[Guest BJM]

I agree with "Dynaflash 8" and with the comments about GM not building brand or name loyalty by foolishly dumping its well-respected, high quality car names that people could identify, e.g.: LeSabre; Park Avenue; Riviera.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

Yes in that regard - what yuppie couple does not aspire to some day own a Park Avenue. Might sound old fashioned but it still sounds good to me (age 46)

[Reatta Man]

Please don't criticize the Lucerne until you DRIVE ONE!

As an owner of a 2000 Ultra, I have driven the Lucerne Super. It IS the Park Avenue Ultra and more.....LOTS more. More power, room, features, well-designed, laid-out interior, MUCH better sound sytem...and yes, ROOM.

To misquote Packard...."ask the man who has DRIVEN one!"

[LINC400]

I agree that the decision to constantly keep dropping names is not a good one. However, what I think is even worse is not using names at all. I have no clue what the new Lincoln MKS, MKZ, MKwhatever is except none of them have any right to be referred to as a Mark anything. The only way I can keep the Cadillacs straight is to think what the first letter is supposed to be CTS-Catera, STS-Seville, etc. And I am not a senile old guy that makes up the majority of their buyers.

[Guest BJM]

Please don't criticize the Lucerne until you DRIVE ONE!

As an owner of a 2000 Ultra, I have driven the Lucerne Super. It IS the Park Avenue Ultra and more.....LOTS more. More power, room, features, well-designed, laid-out interior, MUCH better sound sytem...and yes, ROOM.

I loved driving my mom's LuCerne on a recent 1100 mile trip. I almost started a seperate Thread about why Buick has given up on the LuCerne. This is Thrillers Thread on the Allure name so my comments are LaCrosse based.

[Guest Skyking]

There were many who called for the 2010 LaCrosse to be renamed, but GM has come under a great deal of criticism for the frequent name changes. Perennial top sellers like the Camry and Accord benefit greatly from the name familiarity, and GM is beginning to recognize that the frequent name changes is not always beneficial.

QUOTE]

They should have hung onto LeSabre, Invicta and Electra. Just what were they thinking? Now people can't even relate to Invicta. It's like DeSoto.:confused:

[Thriller]

Jake - I'd hardly call it my thread...I just started it.

I recall a lot of folks (at least initially) preferred the name Allure to LaCrosse. Again, I wonder how it will play out in Quebec. I was just surprised I guess since I hadn't heard nor seen anything about it. Not that I follow automotive news all that closely.

[Thriller]

Hardly my thread...I just got the ball rolling.

I was surprised in a sense because I hadn't heard anything about it. Of course, it will save a few dollars in not having to maintain another set of badges. I wonder how it will play out in Quebec...I guess we'll see.

[Dynaflash8]

The two LeSabre Limited's and the three Park Avenue's I''ve owned have been beyond fabulous cars. A Lucerne or LaCross could not darken my garage. I was able to find a 2005 Park Avenue with 7,000 miles on it at a Cadillac dealership in 2007, so I upgraded for this last great car. I gave the 2000 with 100K miles on it to my daughter in Baltimore who drove my Dad's last car, a 1991 Park Avenue with 197K miles on it down here to Florida at 75 mph and never used a drop of oil, and traded me. We had one other Buick that exceeded itself too, a 1972 LeSabre Limited that my Dad bought new and everybody in my family owned at one time or another....it is still going with a friend with over 250K on it and has never had the head off, just three transmissions.

[John_Maine]

I agree with everything that's been said. GM dropped the usual Buick and Pontiac model names, yet brought back the Impala and Malibu. Doesn't make sense to me. I think name changes were contributing factors to the demise of Oldsmobile and Pontiac. I never liked the LaCrosse name - should have named it Allure to begin with. The other thing I objected to was GM's dilution of the names they did use. How many different versions of the Skylark did they make in the 80's? And then to put the LeMans name on that awful Daewoo version they sold back when.... Also, isn't Lucerne going to be phased out this year?

[Reatta Man]

So, Dynaflash, you are saying you have not driven a Lucerne? It sounds like you won't even give it a try......

[Guest BJM]

I've driven both the LuCerne and the Lesabre Limited as my mom had both. Plus I've driven other last gen Lesabres. Dynaflash is correct that the last gen Lesabres were well executed. As a four door, with 16 inch wheels, especially chromed, they were elegantly styled in and out.

I'd even look at the 2000 period Ultras with superchargers - nice cars.

I would not mind latching onto a 2005 with low miles and nice colors as a collector car.

But it's disappointing when Dynaflash jumps all over the LuCerne, which is equally as nice, just a different slant. Nice grille, rear hipper quarters. It lags in having a boring rear treatment and has not evolved in four plus years.

You can get 20,000 mile LuCernes for $17,000 around here while new Lacrosses cost, what? $35,000. That is an issue.