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Customers interested in buying something new from the Buick brand have been left high and dry since the release of the Enclave CUV in early 2007. They won’t have to wait much longer. While we've seen it fairly un-covered and we've already seen a little tease, our sources tell us these renderings we've commissioned from the folks at KORSDesign are almost exactly what you should expect to see when GM reveals the 2010 Buick LaCrosse officially in November at the LA Auto Show. Check out the gallery of renderings below and then hit the jump to see our official spy report.
Although retaining the front engine/front wheel drive layout, the LaCrosse will now be perched upon GM's new Global Epsilon II platform. On the outside, the Buick LaCrosse is a radical departure from the frumpy vehicle of yesteryear and is now targeting a much younger audience in the same fashion as Cadillac a few years ago. Inspired by the Invicta concept car, the 2010 Buick LaCrosse carries much of the showcars design through to production. The most noticeable changes made from the Invicta are a higher DLO with less rake to the front windshield, smaller wheels and less tech in the headlights and taillights. The wheelbase has also been shortened from the concept car, but it’s not a very drastic change.
The biggest design departure from previous Buicks are the portholes. Yup, the "go-faster" holes have been relocated from the front quarter-panels onto the hood, nestled in a sharp inset crease. The traditional Buick waterfall grille has been reshaped and appears very modern in contrast to past Buicks, thanks to a machined finish with chrome strips on each of the slats, giving it a very jewel-like appearance. The headlights have a very strong design and pull rearward into the shoulder line.
The signature body line evokes classic Buick style, but the younger audience will most likely relate it to the Bentley Continental GT. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. The DLO features a chrome strip that wraps very delicately toward the C-pillar and finishes in a very BMW-esque “kink”. The trunk wraps neatly into the C-pillar and is perched fairly high. The taillights somewhat mimic the headlights in that they are stretched forward, wrapping around the rear fender and run into the shoulder feature line. Chrome strips on the taillight lens carry that line across the rear and around the trunk. A large chrome strip sits above the license plate surround and encompasses the bold Buick badge. Dual chromed exhaust ports sit within the lower bumper surface and are a nice detail reminiscent of current luxury cars from Europe and Japan — especially the new Acura TL. Expect 17- and 18-inch wheels to be offered as standard with 19-inch chrome rollers in the style of the Invicta concept cars to be optional.
The 2010 Buick LaCrosse interior will not lose anything in the translation from concept to production with the exception of material finishes. It will feature a hands free key with push button start/stop and ambient interior lighting.
Expect to see the 2010 Buick LaCrosse in person in November at the LA Auto Show and in Detroit in January for the Detroit Auto Show. The wait won’t be much longer from there as the LaCrosse is due to go on sale in early 2009.
Some say he has a tattoo of a Saleen S7 on his rear end. Others tell us he was born with a penchant for oil rather than his mum's milk. All we know is he's called the Auto Insider and he's always ready to provide the scoop from the other side of Eight Mile.
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