VenSeattle

Market Penetration... How many Mitsubishi dealerships exist in your region? How many BPG dealers? You have a dealership network selling 140,000 vehicles a year trying to deceive a buyer by comparing it to a dealership network selling 1.1 - 1.3 million vehicles a year (nearly 10 times the volume.) Wow... I'm convinced! I think I'll go dust off a Mitsubishi at a trailer park dealership 20 miles away from my house and test drive it. BTW... despite Fly's misgivings over the Murano, seriously, THANK YOU for buying a Nissan over a Mitsubishi.

I think most people have forgotten about these two topics recently posted: Chrysler lets dealers move unsold 2006s to used lot, Counted as a sale; heavily discounted Wonder if Chrysler allowed something similar for July?Terrible fleet numbers for GM, Ford, DCX, WTF happened?? Still ---- > Ouch!

Well, I think part of the problem is the headlights and grille come off two dimensional in pics (almost like the headlights and grille are vinyl appliqués on a flat characterless surface) when they actually have shape, depth, and style that create a distinctive appearance. I hope it works for you when you see the Lucerne Super on the road or up close in person.

Image: Killing Oldsmobile harmed GM and every GM division's reputation and image. Killing Oldsmobile has not proven to have had any benefit to GM. The current Turn around effort is in place because half-ass efforts (like killing Oldsmobile) did not successfully stabilize GM. Demand & Volume: You failed to mention the 1990's discontinuation of several Buicks: Roadmaster Sedan, Roadmaster wagon, Reatta coupe, Reatta convertible, Regal coupe, Century wagon, Century coupe, Skylark sedan, and Skylark coupe. Nine unique body styles across five separate models were discontinued without replacement in the 1990's. The Riviera was dropped in 1999. Wow! Amazing! Sales declined! But did they? Buick Brand sales: 1990: 426,512 1995: 494,782 1999: 445,611 Despite losing nine body styles and four models, Buick continued to find consistent buyers through the 1990's. Some years were up and some were down... but overall, Buick held its ground in the 1990s (and remained profitable) while GM, as a whole, was floundering. Also remember, throughout this hard time, the LeSabre remained the #1 selling large vehicle in America during the 1990's. Sales throughout the 1990's held around 150,000 on average. Throughout the 1990's and even now, Buick's resale value percentage has often been higher than Cadillac. Success: Buick is not the problem at GM. GM can/will be successful with Buick. Buick is continuing to prove as a viable and living brand. Killing another brand right now would throw GM's upper management into turmoil while creating huge upfront costs and myriads of negative press... All of it undermining GM's turnaround efforts.

Mitsubishi Year to Date Sales Ahead 17% - Off 1% in July CYPRESS, Calif., Aug. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) today reported July sales of 10,347 units, down 1% from last year's July volume of 10,502. Calendar year-to-date sales of 70,357 are up 17% compared to last year's first-seven-months total. Sales of the fuel efficient 2008 Lancer sedan and the Outlander crossover sport utility continue to lead the way: -- Lancer was the volume leader at 3,126, up 51% from last year's volume; and up 96% from last year's CYTD volume. -- Outlander closed at 2,282 units, up 293% from last year's volume; and up 176% from last year's CYTD volume. -- Based on Daily Sales Rate (DSR -- 25 days in 2006 vs. 24 days in 2007) MMNA July sales were actually up 3%. Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) is responsible for all manufacturing, finance, sales, marketing, research and development operations for Mitsubishi Motors in the United States. MMNA sells coupes, convertibles, sedans, sport utility vehicles, and light trucks through a network of approximately 500 dealers. For more information, contact the Mitsubishi Motors News Bureau at (888) 560-6672 or visit http://media.mitsubishicars.com. Link to Press Release

Subaru Reports July Sales -- Subaru Tribeca Sales Up -- CHERRY HILL, N.J., Aug. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of America, Inc. today reported July sales of 15,438 total units. Sales of the redesigned 2008 Subaru Tribeca were up as the new models began arriving in dealer showrooms across the country. Subaru Tribeca sales in July were up four percent over the same period last year totaling 1,680 units. Subaru Legacy recorded 6,322 unit sales, while the Outback accounted for 4,338 units of that line for the month. Subaru Forester recorded a July total of 3,678 units, while the Subaru Impreza line posted 3,713 units for the month. The discontinued Subaru Baja also recorded 45 units in July. For a complete sales chart and additional information about Subaru of America, Inc. and Subaru vehicles, visit our media website at http://www.media.subaru.com. About Subaru of America, Inc. Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 600 dealers across the United States. Subaru makes the best-selling All-Wheel Drive car sold in America based on R.L. Polk & Co. new vehicle retail registration statistics. For additional information visit http://www.subaru.com. Contact: Lisa Fleming Subaru of America, Inc. (856) 488-5093 [email protected] Link to Press Release Web Document with Sales Chart

Audi Reports Sales Increase for July AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Aug. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Audi of America, Inc. today announced sales for the month of July. Audi sold 7,127 vehicles during the month, an increase of 1.7% from last year's figures. To date, Audi has sold 52,838 vehicles in 2007, an 11.3% increase over the previous year. Several key markets also recorded significant increases including New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Chicago. Audi Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) sales also are up for the year. CPO sales for 2007 total 15,088, an increase of 3.9%. AUDI OF AMERICA, INC. JULY 2007 SALES AUDI US SNAPSHOT -------YEAR TO DATE--------- July-07 July-06 Yr/Yr July-07 July-06 Yr/Yr Actual Actual % YTD YTD % change actual actual change A3 495 682 -27.4% 3,941 5,249 -24.9% TT 458 139 229.5% 2,110 680 210.3% A4/S4/RS 4 2,855 2,917 -2.1% 15,123 21,197 -28.7% A4/S4 Cabriolet 642 585 9.7% 5,082 4,418 15.0% A6/S6 815 1,652 -50.7% 6,829 11,039 -38.1% A8/S8 201 440 -54.3% 2,119 2,977 -28.8% Audi Q7 1,661 590 181.5% 12,634 1,900 564.9% Total 7,127 7,005 1.7% 52,838 47,460 11.3% Link to Press Release

Kia Motors America Announces Best July Sales Ever IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced record July sales of 26,690 units and the Kia Sorento had its best month of the year with 4,342 units sold. KMA remains on track toward another annual sales record with year-to-date sales of 181,082 units, a 4.7-percent increase over the same period last year. "Once again Kia has had a record sales month and is on track for its fourteenth consecutive record sales year," said Len Hunt, executive vice president and COO of KMA. "Consumers and media alike continue to recognize the quality and safety of our products as evidenced by our ever increasing sales growth." The Optima and the Sportage also had strong July sales. Optima saw 4,196 units sold, while Sportage sold 3,801 units, both increases over the same period last year. Kia Motors America -- the sales, marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation in Seoul, South Korea -- offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 630 dealers throughout the United States. For more information, including photography, visit http://www.kiamedia.com. MONTH OF JULY YEAR-TO-DATE Model 2007 2006 2007 2006 Rio 3,035 3,858 19,274 16,957 Spectra 5,773 7,206 42,927 43,279 Optima 4,196 2,496 24,977 21,764 Amanti 248 1,769 4,588 7,107 Sportage 3,801 2,923 27,958 20,650 Sorento 4,342 4,868 22,882 29,846 Sedona 3,073 3,309 26,258 33,404 Rondo 2,222 N/A 12,218 N/A Total 26,690 26,429 181,082 173,007 [url:"http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-01-2007/0004637408&EDATE="]Link to Press Release[/url]

GM Reports 320,935 July Deliveries Link to Original Press Release with full sales chart (Monthly comparison percentages are adjusted for sales days unless noted. Annual and calendar year-to-date comparisons are unadjusted.) GMC Acadia, Saturn OUTLOOK and Buick Enclave Lead Mid-Crossover Segment GM Sells 239,192 Retail Vehicles DETROIT - GM dealers in the United States delivered 320,935 vehicles in July, down 18.5 percent compared with exceptionally strong year-ago monthly sales. Of note, retail sales of 239,192 vehicles were up 14.5 percent compared with June 2007 with a substantial improvement in vehicle mix. Inventories were essentially flat compared with July 2006. "We expected the month would provide a tough year-over-year comparison since in July 2006 industry sales were exceptionally strong and we were aggressively liquidating past model year inventories," said Mark LaNeve, vice president, GM North American Sales, Service and Marketing. "On the upside, we are pleased with the continuing success of our new products, especially the GMC Acadia, Saturn OUTLOOK and Buick Enclave, which pushed our mid-utility crossover segment growth up more than 300 percent. As with many of our vehicles, these all-new crossovers offer segment-leading fuel economy, terrific performance and outstanding value. "We were encouraged by our improvement versus June and the marketing actions we have taken, including 0 percent for 60 months financing, have put us in a strong competitive position in a challenging industry," LaNeve added. "With a strong retail sales month for Saturn AURA, as well as outstanding growth for the new mid-size crossovers GMC Acadia, Saturn OUTLOOK and Buick Enclave, GM has a strong position in the marketplace for fuel-efficient vehicles in a number of segments," LaNeve added. GM has 24 vehicles in the 2007 model lineup that achieve an EPA-estimated 30 mpg highway or better. The GMC Acadia, Saturn OUTLOOK and Buick Enclave together had retail sales of more than 10,000 vehicles, pushing a significant retail increase in GM's mid-crossover segment. GM's retail sales in this segment pushed monthly performance up more than 319 percent, compared with the same month last year. The all-new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickup trucks - fuel efficiency leaders in their class - sold more than 59,200 vehicles in a very challenging industry environment. The Silverado and Sierra offer the best warranty coverage and residual values in segment, a winning combination for these products. "We're seeing increased residual values for our products by staying true to our turnaround and market growth plans. For customers, this means providing industry-leading products in terms of design, fuel economy, quality and performance," LaNeve said. "Interestingly, warranty coverage has increased substantially as a reason consumers cite when buying a new GM vehicle. Our 5 Year/100,000 Mile Powertrain Limited Warranty continues to be a better choice for customers. Our coverage focuses on the complete ownership experience and includes other provisions that our competitors do not offer, including transferability to the next owner, more complete coverage of parts, and coverage for new and certified used vehicles. In addition, GM offers superior complementary programs, like courtesy transportation and roadside assistance. In other words, GM takes care of the vehicle and the owner," LaNeve added. Certified Used Vehicles July 2007 sales for all certified GM brands, including GM Certified Used Vehicles, Cadillac Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, Saturn Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, Saab Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, and HUMMER Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, were 42,641 units, up nearly 9 percent from last July. Total year-to-date certified GM sales are 315,882 units, up 4 percent from the same period last year. GM Certified Used Vehicles, the industry's top-selling manufacturer-certified used brand, posted 37,355 sales, up 12 percent from last July. Year-to-date sales for GM Certified Used Vehicles are 277,493 units, up 6 percent from the same period in 2006. Cadillac Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles posted July sales of 3,026 units, down 4 percent from last July. Saturn Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles sold 1,537 units in July, down 15 percent. Saab Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles sold 638 units, down 26 percent, and HUMMER Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles sold 85 units, up 29 percent. "GM Certified dealers did a terrific job in July with sales of 37,355 units, up 12 percent from last year," LaNeve said. "More consumers are opting for the quality and peace of mind assurances that manufacturer certification provides, and GM Certified dealers are stepping up to deliver them the widest selection of quality vehicles at a tremendous value." GM North America Reports July 2007 Production, 2007 Third-Quarter Production Forecast Unchanged at 1.075 Million Vehicles In July, GM North America produced 254,000 vehicles (91,000 cars and 163,000 trucks). This is up 54,000 units or 27 percent compared to July 2006 when the region produced 200,000 vehicles (78,000 cars and 122,000 trucks). (Production totals include joint venture production of 13,000 vehicles in July 2007 and 13,000 vehicles in July 2006.) The region's 2007 third-quarter production forecast is unchanged at 1.075 million vehicles (377,000 cars and 698,000 trucks). GM also announced 2007 final second-quarter and revised third-quarter production forecast for its international regions. GM Europe - GM Europe produced 464,000 vehicles in the second-quarter of 2007. In the second-quarter of 2006 the region built 495,000 vehicles. The region's 2007 third-quarter production forecast is revised at 395,000 vehicles, up 6,000 units from last month's guidance. In the third-quarter of 2006 the region built 374,000 vehicles. GM Asia Pacific - The region built 571,000 vehicles in the second-quarter of 2007. In the second-quarter of 2006 the region produced 482,000 vehicles. The region's 2007 third-quarter production forecast is unchanged at 518,000 vehicles. In the third-quarter of 2006 the region built 433,000 vehicles. GM Latin America, Africa and the Middle East - The region built 233,000 vehicles in the second-quarter of 2007. In the second-quarter of 2006 the region produced 206,000 vehicles. The region's 2007 third-quarter production forecast is unchanged at 258,000 vehicles. In the third-quarter of 2006 the region built 215,000 vehicles. General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader for 76 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 280,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. In 2006, nearly 9.1 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.

First thing, the majority of Buick's lost sales over the past decade+ come from the reduction of models (Including this year - phase-out of Rendezvous, Terraza, & Rainier.) You fail to realize Buick and Cadillac are no longer about volume in the US. GM is targeting Chevrolet and Saturn as volume brands. GM is pushing for Cadillac and Buick to become (more) aspirational. Too much volume in the Premium market waters down the brand. GM does not require Buick to maintain 400k or 500k sales in the US to maintain profitability because Buick already achieves 500,000+ sales a year globally with the Chinese market. The consolidation of line-ups along with tightly focused attention to the premium segment will make Buick's vehicles competitive in today's luxury markets that have evolved considerably since Buick was considered a true premium competitor. No matter how many billions of dollars you dump into Chevrolet, their vehicles will not sustain the same profit margin that premium/luxury vehicles do. Chevrolet will always be shopped and scrutinized on price. Volume is one thing, profitability is another. Buick and Cadillac can become very profitable with their current volumes. They’re not far off (and still surpass many) other profitable luxury brands. When it comes to direct pricing and content, Chevrolet and Buick will not be interchangeable going forward. Historically speaking, that was only for a brief period anyway. Even now Buick's two sedans and Enclave CUV contain many features not found on any trim level in what you'd like to consider "comparable" Chevrolets: Memory seats (Luc & Enc), Magnetic Ride Control (Luc & Lax), load-leveling suspension (Luc), heated/ventilated seats (Luc & Enc), higher quality interior materials (All), quieter interiors (All), longer warranty (all), oscillating headlamps (Enc), and I'm positive I have left others out. And to highlight this point once again, Buick is profitable as a brand. For this past quarter, if it wasn't for the one time charges for Delphi, GM US operations would have been profitable as a whole as well. Why continue to scream "KILL" KILL" KILL" when GM's turn around efforts are showing serious progress - especially when that progress includes Buick(China)?

Yikes! I know this will spur a lot of debate locally over the SR520 Bridge replacement across Lake Washington along with the pending Alaska Way Viaduct replacement (SR99) Both are falling apart pending complete replacements. If we have a somewhat major earthquake within the next 5 years or so, both could collapse.

Back during the Snitz days, brand-specific moderators could ban members from different sub-forums if they created problems or constantly bashed without contributing anything to the topics. This policy may be revisited if it continues. (FYI... I was the Buick Forum Moderator.)

The main point is retail sales are up 15%. Fleet sales can diminish. Many imports strongly rely on retail sales, like Honda. So if Honda and Acura sales are down, it is retail sales that are down. Same for several other import manufacturers. To me, this is a good sign that GM's consumer awareness and market strength is increasing.

Even with increased fleet sales (see articles posted in the forum confirming this), Toyota's monthly sales still decreased? Just wow! As for cars: Scion sales are off... Corolla is WAY off. Yaris & Avalon? No surprise there. Trucks: Highlander, 4Runner, Sequoia, Sienna, and FJ Cruiser all fell this month.

I always understood that the Enclave would be the first of the Buicks to be sold in both markets. It's great to know they're sticking by this. This will definitely improve Buick's content, sales, and image while reducing overall development costs. Bring on Buick's global Delta II, Epsilon II, & Zeta vehicles!

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but luckily for Buick, yours isn't the only one out there. Buick is profitable globally and sales are increasing even if not in the US at the moment. Enclave is the beginning of several things to change at Buick. The LaCrosse replacement and Zeta vehicle(s) will continue to move Buick further up market. This is why GM needs multiple divisions. If you're already a fan of other GM divisions, why should Buick want you or even go after you?

I'm still trying to interpret Lifetime Warranty... Are we talking about the vehicle's lifetime or the company's? Which will be longer?

Preferred: Compact Buick = Skylark Midsize Buick = Regal Zeta Sedan = Park Avenue Zeta Coupe/Convertible = Riviera Compact CUV = Rendezvous - The Pontiac G8 will be the Chrysler 300 competitor (and rightfully so... IIRC the Pontiac Bonneville was GM's original competitor to Chrysler's 300-Series.) The Impala will take on the Dodge Charger. The Buick Zeta will have a much higher starting price than the 300 and will also be larger than the 300.

My real life pics won't help either unfortunately... I recommend waiting till you see it in person. The "visual effect" is the equivalent to the 2003 refresh on the Park Avenue Ultra compared to the base Park Avenue. The grille is bold and catches the eye, but doesn't overpower the car.

I checked the pics that we took this past weekend... I'm not too thrilled about the pics of the Lucerne Super (specifically the angles.) The LaCrosse Super pics turned out somewhat better. The cars just don't seem to photograph well. I'll try to work on the pics and get some up before the weekend is out... I still think they'll look better (and more expensive) on the road than the current models.

I'm not going to pass judgment on Myershift... but I will comment that I think Dustin will be better off in the long run. The necessary bridges have been burned and he finally has the initiative to outwardly become the man he already is inside. Let's just hope he's ready for the journey.

You forgot to include a trendy Toyota Division/sub-brand: SCION

As soon as I have my photo editing software loaded back on my computer, I'll post some better pics. It really does look better in person. I think the grille is better integrated on the Super than on the CXS.

Real wood is only available in an optional "wood package" just like on the previous 300M & LHS. It looks like the 300 Limited will come with faux wood standard.

- A lot of people here still don't understand this. I've owned two Buicks with this engine and grew up in three Buicks with this engine. Is that sad? Should I be ashamed? My parents and I are a testament to the reputation of reliability this engine has. Do I think Buick could benefit from a new DOHC V6 providing it has similar reliability with better performance and fuel economy? Yes, but GM didn’t have anything of the such until recently. There are still tens of thousands of loyal LeSabre owners out there that look for this engine when they come in to trade. The 3800 will be dead in a few years, but it was not out of place in the Park Avenue or LeSabre, nor is it in the Lucerne. It's near time for this engine to be put to rest, but it has served GM and Buick well. It's reliable, inexpensive to maintain, and powerful enough to move two tons with little rev or effort. GM is making a wise move in how it phases out this engine. Many Buick loyalists would only give up the 3800 for originally Cadillac sourced/engineered engines like the 3.6l and Northstar. Not a bad concession as far as they are concerned. As a side note, I never personally bought a Buick for this engine, but it never inhibited me from my decision either.