LUCERNE = WOW

[Guest my3buicks]

Got to see the new Lucerne at the Pittsburgh Auto Show this evening, WOW - I initially liked the pictures that I had seen, but the car in person is really beautiful. The hood/front end is especially nice, very elegant/sophisticated but still gracefully sporty. The tail end which I was ho-hum about from the picturs works much better in person - side profile is very sleek. Interior is very upscale and seems to be finished very high end. The car on display was silver and was a 6 cyl. I heard lots of good comments as I hung around the car for a while just to listen. My 13 year old son was onj his own looking around, and the first thing he said when we met back up was wow, wasn't the new Lucerne sharp - thought that wasn't to bad considering all the "young" cars there. Buicks overall display was very nice - Buick has a stable of very nice vehicles when they are all sitting there. The representitive from Buick said teh "Invicta" should be seen in 2007, and nothing positive on the Velite yet. She also siad the Solstice was a kick in Buick pants from GM and is a sore spot at GM - she said with all the success the Bengle had on the show circuit Pontiac got it. Again really impressed with the Lucerne.

[JohnD1956]

I saw the pictures in the other posts. I too am impressed. I wold like to get a new car this year, and was waiting to see what the Lucerne looked like. But then they said in the other forum that we have to wait till the fall for it to hit showrooms?

And those comments about the Solstice, Bengal and Velite have really made my blood boil. These GM exec's need a slap upside the head.

JohnD

[Centurion]

Keith, thanks for the enthusiastic report. The response to this car has been generally very positive, and I think there's a great opportunity for this car to succeed in the marketplace.

It sounds as though the Buick representative was refreshingly knowledgeable regarding upcoming product plans.

Yes, John, the word I've heard is that production will begin in October.

[Guest Skyking]

I think they could have, at the least, picked better names for their new line-ups.

[Guest sintid58]

I did see the Lucerne and loved it. One thing I can say is thank god it doesnt look like the ugly Chrysler 300. I think as far as looks go it is straight on to compete with the Lexus. However Buick and GM are going to make some large inroads into the image problem we have with Buick. Also while I was at the display I sat in all the Buicks and I think the Lacrosse is a very nice car. I had a freind from work with me and he is all Ford all the time. He is now driving the Century I had when I came out here and he has been very impressed with that. He looked at the LaCrosse and liked it very much. Out of all the cars I sat in (as Much as I dislike SUV's I hate to say this) the one vehicle that felt immeadiatly like home was the Rainier. I loved the seating the ease of entry and think they have made the interior very classy. The van(Terraza?) was not impressive although it was needed by buick. Out of all the cars at the display that car was getting the most attention from moms with their kids along. That is definately needed by Buick. There was a steady stream of younger families looking at them but I thought the interior looked cheap compared to the Rainier and from what I could see of the Lucerne. They advertise the van as a premium Vehicle from Buick and the bean counters at GM need to get out of the way and let Buick be the premium brand not the almost there brand again.

[Reatta Man]

That car must look a WHOLE lot better in person than it does in the photos.

[NTX5467]

When I saw the pre-production LaCrosse and then (reluctantly, for general principles) got inside a Rainier at the new car show last year, I just went "WOW" when I settled into the Rainier's driver's seat. I was impressed, especially when compared to the Trailblazers and such. Kind of the same reaction I had when I first sat in a Roadmaster Estate Wagon, er rather sunk into the rear seat. What a way to go!

The particular Rainier was black and had the graphite leather in it, but it was sooooo much nicer than I suspected it to be that I think anybody would be like one as a luxury vehicle.

I concur with the "bean counter" dialogue. Spending another $15.00 in production cost that would make an extra $50.00 MSRP more than justified seems like a win-win situation for Buick AND General Motors.

There's one local new car show coming later this week, but the Buick website does not list the Lucerne as scheduled to be there. Maybe we'll be surprised . . .

Enjoy!

NTX5467

[Guest sintid58]

The Lucerne was not mentioned on the Chicago Auto Show site either so I would think that it will be making the rounds. I already said how much I liked the looks and the feel or the Rainier interior. I haven't been in any of the other GM models in this line so can't compare. I was however in the Chevy so called Sport Utillity van and think they could have done much more to diferentiate between it and the Buick. The Tereazza or what ever it is called should have felt as good and comfortable as the Rainier their is no reason it doesn't because the sitting position is similar. Just poor planning again by GM.

[Guest my3buicks]

I felt the Terraza jad a nicely finished interior the dark piping gives it a nice upscale look - I compaired the interior of the Terraza to all other "luxury" Mini Vans and it was by far the nicest - Made the Chrysler T & C look cheap in compairison and that is probably it's main competition - nothing remotely luxury with the "foreign" (for what that word is worth anymore) the Honda, Toyota etc are just plain dull inside. I would have like to see a little more difference on the outside of the Terraza from the other GM's but I must say the Chrome wheels are sharp. Also while AWD is availble on most of the other Mini Vans/Sport VAns whatever you want to call them anymore I here it's hard to find the others in AWD where as the Buicks almost all seem to ahve it. I will say though that my next new vehicle will be a Rainier - would love to see a trim option on it with the dark piping on the seats and more woodgrain accents used. Hey maybe a Joseph Abboud edition!!!!! Yes, that's it, I want one!!!