wildcat

This is what I wrote back in October to the Forum Feedback, and no one even had the courtesy of replying. You don't see the Current Buick Forum listed, unless you are logged in. Now does anybody care to fix it?

I suppose it's some kind of temporary glitch, but why do I not see the forum "Current Buick Models" unless I'm signed in? If I'm not logged in and merely viewing as a "guest," I can see the "Future Buick Models/Concepts" and other makes' similar discussion, but only when I log in does the Buick "Current" one appear. < strange science fiction sound effects >

The best part of that car is the Buick front end (which looks better than the NA Buick front ends, so far).

Interesting figures on automakers' profitability in NA, from CNNMoney.com. To view the article, click here. I hope Nissan's $2,135 profit per vehicle, vs. GM's loss, won't give the Kerkorian-York-Ghosn team more fuel for the fire.

It is my opinion that everyone viewing C&G should be registered, that there should be no "guests." I feel this way because whenever C&G has breaking news or a unique spy photo, the number of guests far outweighs the number of registered members. Perhaps it's no big deal, but I suspect that these guests are people who normally post to other car boards, and they merely view C&G to learn scoops and then share them with their usual audience. I guess I consider other websites as "competitors," and my loyalty is with C&G. To me, C&G has, arguably, at times, been the leading GM news website, and I hope that others will recognize and respect the site. What is your opinion? I think having everyone register would more accurately reflect the size of C&G's viewership, give a better idea of who is looking at C&G threads, allow everyone equal access to C&G topics, and potentially bring in more participants to the Lounge. Won't higher membership numbers convince GM and its press offices that C&G has a sizeable following, or make it easier to try to land advertising for the site? Thank you.

I still say you should make everybody register. Whenever C&G has some breaking story or scoop or exclusive photos, there are high numbers of guests looking. Wouldn't it be better to count them among C&G members?

Tom Walsh of the Detroit Free Press has written an article that Tiger Woods will participate in the launch of the Buick Enclave. To read the story, click here.

As I say, it's up to GM -- including design, marketing, and sales -- to make people, including younger ages, want a Buick. Just as the Enclave concept got very much positive attention and praise, I also think a smaller Buick CUV could work too, if done well. Aren't car-based crossovers one of the "hottest" market segments now? Didn't GM plan, at least at one point, to add 14 to their portfolio by 2009? All that I'm hoping for is fairness - if Buick, Pontiac, and GMC are partners in the sales channel, then each should, ideally, get the same number of vehicles. Not 5 for Pontiac and 3 for Buick. Wagoner and LaNeve said "4 or 5" Buicks, I didn't make the number up. GMC is trucks, not cars. Give GMC whatever you'd like (trucks, vans, I don't care). Just save the car-based crossovers for Buick. Similarly, GM has to talk up Buick's future, just as it has done ad nauseum about Camaro, GTO, Escalade, the new Saturns, Saab, E85, etc. So far, everyone has conveniently ignored my observation that GM has yet to do a feature about Buick on its Fastlane or FYI blogs. Not one, in what, more than a year since the forums were started? I'm sure in many ways that I'm not typical. I think more with my heart and mind and gut, rather than cold numbers. GM needs to listen to people who have bought Buicks in the past and intend to buy more, or will consider buying their first, in the future. But if GM didn't have loyal, patient customers such as me (and there are many on this board), it wouldn't have much. If average fans (not "insiders," including the one who seems to think his knowledge justifies being rude to others) weren't behind GM, industry analysts could talk 'til they're blue in the face, without anyone who cared, except maybe the beancounters. I enjoy reading the thoughts and listening and interacting with polite people who have passion and interest in GM vehicles.

VenSeattle: Thank you for one of the best posts I've read in support of Buick in a while. I understand what ehaase is saying, but correct Buick products and GM marketing have to fix that perception. (I've liked Buicks since I was a young boy, and after all these years of loyalty, I'm still not an old man, and I still like Buicks. So I'm part of the proof Buick is not "just" an old man's car.) GMC is a truck line. Give Buick the car-based crossovers.

I haven't bought my new Buick yet, 'cause I keep hearing about "the new, improved stuff" coming soon ( Velite and Zeta GMX-283 and Theta GMT-165 et al, that were canceled ). I own a Buick now and I'm waiting to replace it with the right new Buick... I can't blow the only money I have on a $40K Enclave, only to find out they're going to do a smaller Buick like they should. 91z4me: If you think Buick's been treated fairly, let's go count how many times Buick has been the subject of an article on the GM Fastlane Blog, compared to Chevrolet, Saturn, Saab, Pontiac, etc. Or on the GM FYI Blog.

Saturn and Cadillac each got more than three turnaround vehicles, and each brand was constantly talked about by GM. Buick has received neither. Buick seems to be dead last in priority and concern to GM. This is 2006. You mean it will be 2012 before GM has Buick's house in order? Better change "Beyond Precision" to "Beyond Waiting a Reasonable Amount of Time."

Motor Trend puts a chop of a possible Pontiac Grand Prix on its cover? Is that a r-e-a-l MT cover, or a chop itself?

General idea understood; but why does Pontiac get 5 models [ G5, G6, mid-sized sedan (G8), Solstice, and possible GTO ], when Buick gets only 3 [ Epsilon II LaCrosse, Lambda Enclave, Global RWD Lucerne (Statesman) ]? Then Automotive News reports, in its Future Products feature, that Pontiac will be the "sporty coupe and convertible brand." Leaving what for Buick? Let's be fair! Wagoner and LaNeve said, to the effect of, rather than have a full line of 8 vehicles using half-hearted efforts or obvious badge engineering, wouldn't it be better to have 4 or 5 really good Buicks? OK, where are they?

Since GM evidently has trouble finding products for Buick, how about something smaller, more light-weight, more fuel efficient? Something AWD or a hybrid? They know Buick needs competitive, class-leading product, yet they try to drag Cadillac down to under 30K with a BLS in NA? I thought Buick was near-luxury. They blur the lines by giving GMC a car-based Acadia? I thought GMC would have only trucks. They have no money nor a platform for Velite?

That would make too much sense and provide too much continuity and not allow Buick's sales to drop further, in the interim before Enclave comes out.

Yes, someone indicated production starts October 2010 on the NG Lucerne. I hope they'll deck it out and re-name it Roadmaster!

One person says a convertible is in the pipeline, another says nothing in the foreseeable future. Make up your collective minds. And GMC gets the trucks.So... what does that leave for Buick? Just big, 4-door sedans??? You can't give Buick only vehicles which are in a diminishing market segment. Give them exclusive, class-leading product in a competitive area. Small vehicle? Hybrid vehicle? AWD vehicle? If Pontiac gets the sporty coupe/convertible cars, then no 4-doors for them. (What's good for the goose is good for the gander.) Drop any G8 idea and give it to Buick. Maybe they should drop the GMC Acadia ASAP. If it's car-based, let Buick have the Enclave so that it will be the only Lambda crossover in the B-P-G channel. Also, give Buick a small crossover, on Theta (or smaller). As usual, all this talk about what Saturn and everybody else gets, then crumbs for Buick.

Thank you to each person who helped to straighten this post out. Buick getting a convertible (having one in the pipeline) is w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l news! There's no reason to limit Buick to large, 4-door vehicles. (Please make something small, too!) Bye, Rendezvous; job well done. Bye, LaCrosse; job done. Bye, Rainier (alias "Bravada"). Bye, Terrazza < big dog bark sfx >. It would mean one more change, but in my opinion, Buick should drop "Beyond Precision" and, in light of what I hope is a styling renaissance, use "B U I C K... The Great American Beauty".

You're not an idiot. No self-deprecation, please. Signed, - Your Friend

Sorry, but I got lost in the discussion. I read the link in which Evok called into question the information GuionM has been sharing and suggested that he be more responsible in his posts, if he is to be considered an "insider." (GuionM said in that post that there'll be a Buick convertible, but not the Statesman and not imported from Australia.) So... is the thought that LaCrosse is done after the W-body, or that there'll be one on Epsilon II? Or is it Buick will have an Epsilon II but not necessarily named LaCrosse, and possibly it may be a convertible? I'm glad if GM is dropping the long-in-the-tooth W body and the LaCrosse name can go (since they screwed it up with Allure, and, in my opinion, is better suited for a crossover). As long as Buick gets a competitive, class-leading vehicle, whatever it may be. Just don't make it a half-hearted attempt and slap the "Velite" name on it, thinking it'll be good enough for the public.

I wish you were right. But what was that gray LaCrosse with dual tailpipes spotted a short time ago?

Because the person who posted it on the other site regularly has good information and is knowledgeable, and the person who called it to our attention here keeps up on things and is well-spoken.

ehaase: Yes, we both agree that what GuionM writes typically merits people's attention. But I hope he's forgotten about LaCrosse going to Epsilon II. Was my comment about G6 flat-out incorrect, or have plans changed? There was a period where Pontiac's future was in question and it may have been at that time that someone suggested that G6 would be dropped. But that, too, may have been when only the G6 sedan had been on sale.

I think we're getting worked up over nothing. I think this means the W-body only. GM sure has taken its time showing the LaCrosse Super. Have Lucerne's sales cannabalized LaCrosse's? I think so. trinacriabob: I agree, a big part of it is GM's fault. Is the LaCrosse on Epsilon II still a go? Shrink it so it's nowhere close to Lucerne in size. ocnblu: The Epsilon II LaCrosse should be a world of difference from the W-body LaCrosse, so maybe a name change is in order. Either Allure or Skylark's ok with me, but I'll stick my neck out and say they should name it "Wildcat," especially if this is Buick's "performance" car - and GM has promised Buick would have one. ehaase: Thanks for bringing this to our attention. But weren't there signs that GM might drop the Pontiac G6 so LaCrosse could go forward as B-P-G's mid-size? Is it possible the resurgence of G6 sales has influenced a change in plans?

Now wait just a cotton-pickin' minute! The article that Flybrian resurrected from Automotive News makes it sound like Terraza, LaCrosse, Lucerne, and the Velite concept were part of the $3 billion. But then one of the quotes of Mr. Lutz in that very same article seems to refute it (emphasis added): " . . . He says the Terraza was a very modest portion of the $3 billion investment, because it's basically a cosmetic makeover. 'It's not a unique product for Buick,' he says, adding the vehicles developed with the new investment are in the future. 'We're talking all kinds of stuff. Some stuff that maybe Buick has never had before.'" If they are vehicles in the future, then they don't include Terraza, LaCrosse, or even Lucerne. Would any of our insiders please help us sort this out?