@Pessimippopotamus: actually it was a Pontiac that became a Saturn that became a Opel.
While they came out around the same time, (actually the GT came out first by a weird quirk if I remember right) the Sky was designed for Saturn and moved to Opel, not the other way around. #buicklacrosse
@Jim Topoleski: Well, if we want to go back that far, it's going to be
The Pontiac (Solstice Concept) that begat a Chevy (Nomad Concept) and a Saturn (Curve Concept) that never was, that begat a Vauxhall (VX Lightning Concept) that almost became an Alfa Romeo that became a Pontiac (Solstice) and a Saturn (Sky) that became an Opel (GT) that didn't become a Vauxhall and became a Daewoo (G2X) instead. #buicklacrosse
@tonyola: I had one of these. Only my wife's Datsun F10 was more industrial. On a hot day the vinyl seats would mold to your body; you literally had to peel the car off of you. #buicklacrosse
@Jim7: A Datsun F-10? Oh my. I haven't seen one of those in ages. Those had the biggest googly-eyes ever. The wagon looked at least semi-normal by Deep-Malaise-Japanese standards. The hatchback coupe was something else altogether. #buicklacrosse
@Taglane: It's not a terrible car, just one we're disappointed in. The performance is spot on for the segment, but the mechanical bits are let down by the soft ones.
@TampaRon: Hey Ron, have you driven it? I wanted to love this car, I really did. I think all the mechanical bits are great, but i'm disappointed in the interior finish. If GM wants to play in the luxe segment with Buick, they can't half ass it, and with certain aspects of the LaCrosse they did.
C&D agrees:
"Old Habits Die Hard
It’s not all beer and skittles inside, though, as we did catch a few lingering whiffs of cheapness. The most glaring is the in-dash info screen on cars without navigation. When a high-res, high-contrast screen can be found on a $200 base Garmin or TomTom navigation system, a pixelated display that looks like a refugee from a ’70s calculator is inexcusable in any car with upmarket aspirations. The screen looks especially cheap compared to the beautiful, multifunction display tucked between the speedo and tach.
We were also disappointed with a rear-view mirror that suggests GM will never understand how to gracefully shape black plastic, as well as the hard plastic used to form the exceptionally shallow map pockets and glove-box door. We also noticed a slight vibration from the seat coolers—which are among the most effective we’ve ever experienced—when the car is stationary, but it was unnoticeable once we got moving."
And just for the record, that sexy info pod between the gauges is not standard.
So just because the car isn't as good as we hoped it would be, we're not going to give GM a pass. I'm sorry, I might live in Detroit, but i'm not going to be a homer.
@Ben Wojdyla: Im OK with you pointing out the obvious flaws but seriously with at least 9 or 10 comments to the old factor in the first 4 paragraphs it makes me wonder if you really did want to like it or if it was just another Buick to hate?
If I'm in my Sixties, and am about to part with $40 grand of what money Madoff left me, I'd at least expect automatic approval for disabled parking, a medication dispenser, seats that detect where my Osteo is kicking the shit out of me and then they slowly release Ben Gay at an appropriate absorption rate, and a dashboard that chronicles nagging phrases from my spouse so if/when she croaks, the car will automatically nag me through the passenger-side stereo speakers. All Wheel Drive? Who the Hell do they think is coming to buy this thing, Kenny Block?
@Stillwelding: Fortunately, the G8's not really dead - it's just resting while GM ships over some Caprice front clips and badging from its Middle East/South African operations.
I'd also like to let GM know ahead of time that if they become financially solvent enough to bring us the ute, I'll buy a stripper model with the G8's LY7/LLT 3.6 in about five years.
I wasn't sleepy when I started reading the article and looking at it, but then when I finished, I had one of those "startle yourself" wake-up moments and wondered where I'd been for the last few minutes.
This car really had a chance to be decent, if Buick could just figure out what the hell it is supposed to be. I'm sure they'd be good at it if they had some general direction.
Could someone post something and get this off the front page?
I'd like to echo Fromabuick6's sentiment that it looks good (from certain angles-- the front isn't one of them) and the AWD system sounds like it could be pretty good.
Somehow its rear reminds me of the new Mazda6-- actually, I picked up much of the snoozey-yet good looking lines that I see in the new generation 6.
Actually, this car is what would happen if you made the current generation Mazda6 less good looking.
@fuzzy plecoroom: I'd like to hug you for the name change and high-five you for the comment. I think this is supposed to be a Lexus ES fighter, but I'm not sure it can be, given Buick's less-than-stellar image among the younger (middle-aged) folks it intends to attract by adding gadgets and firmer suspension. The problem is, in some ways, Buick and Cadillac have switched missions, with Cadillac producing sporty luxury saloons - sorry, sedans, been over here too long already - and Buick being limited to squishy luxo-barges. Which would be fine, if Buick was able to debut new technology as Cadillac did in days past.
The new Lacrosse is a new vehicle, from a company that has consistently offered solidy engineered cars for decades - it deserves to receive honest evaluation, not your ignorant skin-deep critique.
By the way - medium-large, four-door, front-wheel-drive sedan, good powertrain, interior with definite high and low points, bland and slightly ugly styling... hey, this thing is just an Accord with a higher MSRP, isn't it?
Wow, a GM product that looks good and has decent powertrains, but cuts corners and ultimately misses the mark, destined to cannibalize sales of other GM vehicles and clog rental lots.
If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face was starred
If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face was unstarred
I would have bought this when it was the Aura replacement.
Sorry but Buick is too old fogy to me, I want a nice car thats cheaper than a Caddie, but not mundane like a Chevy. As a Saturn they had that lineup now, as a Buick they just are moving all of Saturns cars to the old man segment and changing the marketing.
11/10/09
11/10/09
What about the Vauxhall that became a Saturn that became an Opel that didn't become a Vauxhall and became a Daewoo instead?
11/10/09
While they came out around the same time, (actually the GT came out first by a weird quirk if I remember right) the Sky was designed for Saturn and moved to Opel, not the other way around. #buicklacrosse
11/10/09
The Pontiac (Solstice Concept) that begat a Chevy (Nomad Concept) and a Saturn (Curve Concept) that never was, that begat a Vauxhall (VX Lightning Concept) that almost became an Alfa Romeo that became a Pontiac (Solstice) and a Saturn (Sky) that became an Opel (GT) that didn't become a Vauxhall and became a Daewoo (G2X) instead. #buicklacrosse
11/10/09
Nothing is really new. Who here remembers the Buick Opel by Isuzu (yes, that was its official name)?
11/10/09
11/10/09
@Jim7: A Datsun F-10? Oh my. I haven't seen one of those in ages. Those had the biggest googly-eyes ever. The wagon looked at least semi-normal by Deep-Malaise-Japanese standards. The hatchback coupe was something else altogether. #buicklacrosse
11/10/09
11/10/09
Reuse.
Recycle.
Rebadge. #buicklacrosse
11/10/09
11/10/09
11/10/09
If it makes you feel any better; I never watched it. I just remember that from the commercials... #buicklacrosse
07/15/09
07/15/09
Another French-Canadian usage of "la crosse"? "Swindling." With the old model, this was very much truth in advertising.
07/15/09
07/15/09
07/15/09
07/15/09
07/15/09
07/15/09
C&D agrees:
"Old Habits Die Hard
It’s not all beer and skittles inside, though, as we did catch a few lingering whiffs of cheapness. The most glaring is the in-dash info screen on cars without navigation. When a high-res, high-contrast screen can be found on a $200 base Garmin or TomTom navigation system, a pixelated display that looks like a refugee from a ’70s calculator is inexcusable in any car with upmarket aspirations. The screen looks especially cheap compared to the beautiful, multifunction display tucked between the speedo and tach.
We were also disappointed with a rear-view mirror that suggests GM will never understand how to gracefully shape black plastic, as well as the hard plastic used to form the exceptionally shallow map pockets and glove-box door. We also noticed a slight vibration from the seat coolers—which are among the most effective we’ve ever experienced—when the car is stationary, but it was unnoticeable once we got moving."
And just for the record, that sexy info pod between the gauges is not standard.
So just because the car isn't as good as we hoped it would be, we're not going to give GM a pass. I'm sorry, I might live in Detroit, but i'm not going to be a homer.
07/15/09
07/15/09
All Wheel Drive? Who the Hell do they think is coming to buy this thing, Kenny Block?
/Яepudiate Sixties POLAЯ
07/15/09
07/15/09
I'd also like to let GM know ahead of time that if they become financially solvent enough to bring us the ute, I'll buy a stripper model with the G8's LY7/LLT 3.6 in about five years.
07/15/09
I wasn't sleepy when I started reading the article and looking at it, but then when I finished, I had one of those "startle yourself" wake-up moments and wondered where I'd been for the last few minutes.
This car really had a chance to be decent, if Buick could just figure out what the hell it is supposed to be. I'm sure they'd be good at it if they had some general direction.
Could someone post something and get this off the front page?
I'd like to echo Fromabuick6's sentiment that it looks good (from certain angles-- the front isn't one of them) and the AWD system sounds like it could be pretty good.
Somehow its rear reminds me of the new Mazda6-- actually, I picked up much of the snoozey-yet good looking lines that I see in the new generation 6.
Actually, this car is what would happen if you made the current generation Mazda6 less good looking.
07/15/09
07/14/09
07/14/09
I believe.. and Im sure thousands of others who have never set foot in here.. would agree...
That just because THIS emporer changes its clothes... and tries to sell it.. saying...
Oh we are totally new and fantastic!
Doesnt really mean.. a god damn thing.
07/15/09
The new Lacrosse is a new vehicle, from a company that has consistently offered solidy engineered cars for decades - it deserves to receive honest evaluation, not your ignorant skin-deep critique.
07/15/09
By the way - medium-large, four-door, front-wheel-drive sedan, good powertrain, interior with definite high and low points, bland and slightly ugly styling... hey, this thing is just an Accord with a higher MSRP, isn't it?
07/14/09
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
07/14/09
Sorry but Buick is too old fogy to me, I want a nice car thats cheaper than a Caddie, but not mundane like a Chevy. As a Saturn they had that lineup now, as a Buick they just are moving all of Saturns cars to the old man segment and changing the marketing.