wildcat

The GM plant in Lordstown, OH halted production Friday, June 23 due to a shortage of airbags from TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. Production was expected to resume the evening of Sunday, June 25. To read more details, click here.

avant1963: Ha! Good eye. To anyone wondering about the cost of the Buick Enclave, Mr. Williams stated, "Buick says the Enclave will be loaded with luxury features, and will sell at an average price in the mid-$30,000s . . . No detailed pricing . . . [ has ] . . . been released yet.

Auto writer G. Chambers Williams III has written a piece discussing the forthcoming Buick Enclave. To read the entire article, "Beautiful Buick en route," click here.

The Toronto Star has reviewed the Buick Lucerne and has identified "three stars" and "three strikes" about the car. To read Brian Moore'e entire (brief) review, click here.

VenSeattle: Plausible. Or could it be that GM wants Buick to have two new models (Enclave, LaCrosse Super) in showrooms around the same time, the most bang for the buck?

You don't need Josh to tell you that there are no plans for a Buick Bengal, no Buick Velite, no Buick Riviera. GM has no money for something like that. Please accept that there's no plans for a Buick convertible and stop creating a new thread every so often asking the same question.

Congratulations, Northstar! I hope that your job always gives you that satisfaction. Who among us wouldn't like to be around cars all day?

Bimmer325 and Croc: the rest of you: Hook, line, and sinker.

You're not alone about the Buick Estate Wagon. I had an '83 Electra Estate Wagon (loved it) and a '92 Roadmaster Estate Wagon. Honestly, I think Buick should offer a traditional large wagon. Who else does? It would match Buick's character and not overlap another GM product. Curiously, I stood on a street corner in Chicago today as a Suzuki Forenza was turning, and I said to myself, "That's a Buick Excelle in China." It doesn't have to be that vehicle, but I think GM is limiting Buick by only giving it large vehicles. In my opinion, it doesn't have to be large to be a Buick, any more than it has to be large to be a Cadillac or Mercedes or Lexus.

Why is it that we hear about dealers' complaints and pressure that led to vehicles such as the Torrent or the G5 and, in the future, Chevy and Saab Lambda crossovers (to go along with the Saturn, GMC, and Buick ones), but Buick doesn't seem to have the clout to get the Chinese GL-8 minivan instead of the Terraza, or the Chinese LaCrosse exterior instead of the NA one. Or to lobby for a Buick Excelle for NA. I'm not asking for a fourth or fifth copy of something rebadged as a Buick, I'm asking for superior Buick products, period. Cherrypicking the best from Chinese Buicks for potential offering in NA. Globalizing the Buick product. Also, I don't think it's a simple line of saying Buick should get luxury, Pontiac gets performance. Buicks, in general, should be powerful, substantial, and, yes, luxurious and comfortable. Or, as Paolino wrote, Buick will forever get criticized for non-class leading engines and powertrains. Especially now, if Buick is channeled with Pontiac and GMC, it should have as much "say" or "voice" as the reps of Pontiac and GMC have. Or is this what Wagoner meant when he said, "All brands are not created equal"? (Yet Bob Lutz only a few years back said "Buick is junior only to Cadillac." Remember?)

Buick's General Manager, Steve Shannon, has commented on Buick's future, in light of recent reports that Pontiac is considering an all-RWD line-up. To read the article, which appeared on wardsauto.com June 7th, 2006, click here. One of the statements made in the piece is "The new LaCrosse Super will include redesigned front and rear fascias, as well as other premium interior upgrades." But still no pictures yet.

The LWB model is perfectly boring for Buick - and yes, I am hoping to buy a Buick. (I say "hoping" 'cause if it's boring like this, I won't.) I am younger than their demographics, so perhaps they should be interested in my feelings. Buicks don't have to be boring. Buicks weren't boring, until into the 1970s. I don't think a new or future Buick should be bland, just designed differently from, say, Cadillac; but still a premium, stylish appearance. If Ford can be making "Bold Moves," then a premium car like Buick needs its own bold moves!

There was at least one source that said, basically, Chevrolet was to get one of everything everybody else is getting, even if they didn't want it! evok: Any reaction to the suggestion by VenSeattle of folding Pontiac and GMC into Buick, making Buick "Premium - Powerful - Professional" My opinion would be they'd never do it, because their attitude shows they care little about Buick. I would feel better about Buick's long-term viability within GM if they would talk about like they do other brands, or show they have a clue about what the Buick brand represents.

No one has ever answered the question of whether Buick actually received the promised $3 billion in product development. If they did and it's gone, it seems to have been spent poorly on mediocre or rebadged vehicles. Or is the money yet to be spent and will be used over the next 5 years (for Lucerne [statesman], Enclave, and Epsilon II LaCrosse)? Or was the money diverted to other GM concerns?

Consumer Reports magazine has reviewed the Buick Lucerne. To read the article, "First Look," click here.

As reported by John O'Dell in an Australian newspaper, there was relative calm. Here's what Mr. O'Dell wrote about "Buickman": "Even longtime GM critic Jim Dollinger, a management consultant and former top Buick salesman, seemed mellow. Although he accused Mr Wagoner of misleading shareholders and continued to question his ability to lead the company, Mr Dollinger said after the meeting that he was pleased with its tone and outcome. 'I thought there was a high level of audience participation and that it was productive,' he said."

Yes, Josh, that was a great preview, but now I'm hoping to see more of the rest of the car, how it integrates with the rest of the front end, the headlights, the portholes, etc. Does C&G have any more to that preview photo?

loki: Thank you very much! Those were perfect. Now can any eagle eyes spot anything of importance? For example, a higher roof line - or not? The slant of the hood? Does the front end seem to fit that grille that C&G previewed? I was presuming that the sheet did come off for those present at the event, but it had to go back on for the TV crew. Don't anybody say it looks like a Taurus with a sheet on it!

Jerry Flint has written his observations on Pontiac's place in GM. To see his article, "We Build Confusion," click here.

Before that video report disappears from the website, can one or two of C&G's more computer-savvy or Buick-friendly participants try to get a couple of screen captures of the LaCrosse Super? The best one may be at the very end of the piece (while the reporter states his name). It seems to show, albeit under the cover, a very rounded front end. At least it'd be something. Thanks!

What's to cut? They've already starved Buick of product. What appears to be three vehicles -- LaCrosse, Lucerne (Statesman), Enclave -- can't be costing them much money, since they're all based on something else. I suspect the Lucerne (Statesman) will be an easy rebadge of the Holden, though I was it were given a real stylish Buick appearance. How could it not be expected that sales will fall when Rendezvous needs refreshed, Rainier is a clone, and Terraza was 1 of 4 copycats to start with? GM doesn't even talk up Buick, despite its quality awards, or the latest, that rollover crash rating for the Lucerne. What do you expect? It should be a no brainer to take China's Buick and use them here, and I don't see why people say Pontiac could became a NA Holden, Buick can have something from them, too. LaNeve already said they didn't expect to grow the business with Buick or Pontiac. Doesn't Buick - Pontiac - GMC equal one good brand or sales channel?

But Paulie, that sheet is really elegant, refined, and quiet! You sure he wasn't talking about the Enclave?

No images of the LaCrosse Super were included, but a Flint / Saginaw / Bay City, MI TV station, ABC 12 / WJRT, reported about the two new Buicks on 6/5/06. To see their story, click here. [ EDIT ] P.S. - In case you didn't notice, for the next 7 days, you can click on the "ABC12 video report," listed under "Related Links," to see the LaCrosse Super hidden under a sheet and a sign reading "no photography."

Yes, that's true. Be ready if and when opportunity knocks. May you have luck on your side always, and lots of bottled water handy when in Death Valley! C&G is fortunate to have you as one of its participants. Now, more photos of vehicles with a tri-shield logo enclosed in a circle!

evok: Thank you for the additional information about the Milford Proving Grounds, including vehicle traffic, testing procedures, and the area where most of the spyshots are snapped. CD/BP: How competitive between photographers is it to get one of the prime shooting spots? Does anyone ever "hog" those prime spots, or are you on a friendly basis with "competitors"? I imagine you all know where the best locations to take photos are, but is it first-come, first-lucky? Just luck as to what day, time, etc. a car appears and who happens to have their camera ready? How do you know when to hang out around Milford or, instead, be out driving on public roads - all by chance, or whatever hits your fancy that day? Thank you for all the time you must invest in order to get some good spyshots. It must be very satisfying when you do get a good shot and sell it!