VenSeattle

So much for Toyota capping Scion sales at 150k annually At this rate, they may hit 100k and thats with 2/3rds of the line-up being fresh!

I didn't know you were a comedian! The last RL was on sale with minor updates for about 11 years. The current one? Just over 3 years. The current RL sold almost 2,000 a month for only a short period of time and never met Honda's annual sales expectations of 20,000 RL models a year. The best sales year was 2005 at 17,572... well short of Honda's goal. By 2006, sales were down 40%+. If Honda had created a competitive flagship to begin with, it wouldn't have needed to perform a major update in 2006 or 2007 (as they did.)

I know Honda dealers have been advertising $199 Accord lease specials all over the place here in the NW. It's very interesting to see sales down. However, more power/ less MPG doesn't work well with Honda customers. Ridgeline and Element are sinking. I don't think the compensation of extra FIT sales provide the same profit margin. Ford & GM have abandoned the minivan market yet Odyssey sales are still down??? by a lot? RDX is DOA. RL's replacement is needed yesterday, but is this the right time for Acura to launch the "First Evar" V8 Acura? Lexus is even having trouble peddling its V8 vehicles at the moment (or as with the GS V8 models, always.)

I'm curious too... from the pic Ted provided, I'm concerned about the plastics. The design looks nice enough, but PCS's comment saying the plastics were no better (if not a little) than the Grand Prix may have some merit.

Congrats! Looks great! My dealer loaned me one while they performed work on my car recently. I thought it was great. I really want to test drive a Super though.

Ted, in person, how big does the Riviera appear to be? Is there another coupe on the market that's similar in size?

Thanks Ted! The Riviera is beautiful! GM needs to make all of the sub-compact triplets for Chevrolet: Groove-Trax-Beat

Another bonus - 1933 Cadillac Series 452C All Weather Phaeton (V16)

Here are mine from the centennial tour while in Reno: 1904 Buick Model B Bonus pics from the show: 1954 Buick Wildcat II 1985 Buick Wildcat

IIRC, when Buick's 100th anniversary tour went around the Model B made by the Sloan Foundation was included on the tour. I saw the tour when it was in Reno. I'll have to check my picture archives to be sure.

It appears my promise will end like this... I'll probably purchase one more Buick before the brand is phased out in the US... Then it's time for me to move on... Mercedes or back to Infiniti?

I'm starting to sound like Ninety-Eight Regency... Where is he? Writing that gave me a headache.

Here's my direct response to PCS ---> Too late to be evasive. Your motive was all too clear. My comment had nothing to do with "Buick" or "the salvation of Camaro, G8, Zeta, or Alpha." Your comment was a direct response to my criticism of GME's recent actions that portray it to be uncooperative with other GM regions. To even insinuate that a vendetta could culminate against Buick over something so trivial, especially in an act of retaliation to slight criticism, shows a severe lack of integrity. Also, to suggest that Buick could be phased out so Pontiac (G8) could survive discredits the past several months of detail provided by you on how GM is methodically phasing out Pontiac. Even then, with the above being obvious…how does your suggestion even make sense??? 1) Buick is currently out of GME’s jurisdiction: GMNA & GMAP. Once GME has enough influence over those regions, the future of Camaro & G8 will be long decided. 2) Even if GME had the influence over GMNA & GMAP that would be necessary to accomplish such a feat, Buick could not be phased out of the North American market in time to make a difference for Alpha, Zeta, Camaro, or G8’s salvation. The NG LaCrosse is a finished product. The Enclave MLC is through 2013. Lucerne’s is 2010/2011. The dealership franchises would rebel and cause an uprising. Something to consider: . . 3) There is no direct link between the G8 & Camaro vehicles and Buick as a whole. Buick’s Zeta sedan will not be manufactured in the same plants as G8 & Camaro. Even if the Buick Zeta was axed, the rest of Buick’s line-up (Buick’s Lambda, Epsilon II, and possible Delta II based vehicles) have no bearing on the viability of Alpha or Zeta. Some other points to consider… 1) The case for axing Buick in NA is decreasing. The average buyer’s age dropped nearly 10 years between 2006 & 2007. 2) Buick’s operations in GMNA & GMAP combined were last reported as profitable. Sharing the same vehicles in both markets increases that potential. (Especially if Chinese Buicks are being exported from North America.) 3) If Buick is phased out, many Buick buyers (like many Oldsmobile buyers) would not buy another GM brand. The loyalty lies with the brand, not with GM as a Company. I, for one, would buy new vehicles elsewhere. I’m not interested in Cadillac, Saturn, or Chevrolet. Least of all, a G8 or Camaro. Something that you so added after I started this reply: Your comment about Buick being axed to save G8 & Camaro was not GM's message, but your own. As others have come to the same conclusion as I have, they're not related in the slightest.

Can't take legitimate criticism? Threatening comments or attempting to run off specific types of GM buyers isn't good for business.

This isn't the same Delta platform that's currently out. It's the NG Delta. Let's wait and see. It's supposed to be a lot better. :AH-HA_wink: And you know this will have tax credits and/or other government incentives on top of whatever GM plans to eat on the costs.

but they probably will by the time this engine makes it to the US... along with Traction Control and ESC.

This is more key than anything. I don't see a problem with the price if the car is worth it. $40k would be about where the "affordable" luxury-performance RWD Zeta-based Impala would have topped out at. Considering everyday people are buying $32k Accords & Camries, I see no problem with Chevrolet offering one of the greenest mass-produced cars in the world at $40k. There will eventually be other "volt" based vehicles that will help bring costs down. I'd love to see Buick's Riviera coupe concept turn into Buick's version of the two-door Volt. A luxury hybrid/electric coupe for around $50k? Pretty nice flagship for Buick. They'd probably sell every one of them at a profit too. It'd give Lexus' h-trim something to chew on.

I lurked for the first part of 2002... I was searching for relief from the infant stages of the TCC boards. I finally joined C&G and participated in discussions around June'02.

Remember TYD, Oldsmobile had a full line-up when they announced the "phase-out" of the brand. The steps to Buick's restructuring plan have always been announced as well... and the plan wasn't a "phase-out." We knew ahead of time that the Enclave would replace Rainier, Rendezvous, & Terraza. We knew LaCrosse would replace Century & Regal. We knew Lucerne would replace LeSabre & Park Avenue. For the time being, the plan is for Buick's two line-ups between China and the US to be unified. The first step was exporting Enclave to China. The next step is selling the same LaCrosse in both markets. If reaction continues to be positive, other models may follow (like a compact Buick, and Lucerne's replacement in 2011.)

That's true... actually BMW has worked closely with a company called General Motors on hybrid and hydrogen technology. Maybe GME should consider... oh wait...

Uhm... With that size of a waiting list, you may want to use your kid's name instead...

Wow! Sorry to hear but glad you'll be okay. Send Thanks to your son from us for being there to help while recovering!

I actually think it's kinds cool. It has the technology that puts us one step closer to a car that can drive itself.

Forgot to say, I actually like this. I'm also curious about pricing. Someone in my building just bought an H3... I see it every day. It's funny... the H3 looks better dirty than clean. The image I get from the H3 is of a tough little bitch that hates to be bathed. I think a cool commercial for the H3 would be of a husband/BF/partner walking out of his house just to find fresh muddy tire tracks leading up to the garage door... He gets upset and says something to the effect that he just hosed the driveway down... lol (kind of how a dog comes in from outside and tracks mud onto a fresh clean kitchen floor. )

Maybe GM will promise product at Oshawa in exchange for the building rights to Camaro, Grand Prix, Impala, etc so they could be built elsewhere... I can dream can't I?