Automakers are gnashing their teeth over how to deal with the second malaise era looming over us like an 800 lb gorilla with a stolen banana. The General's combatting the murky fog by playing switcheroo with some of its product plans — specifically plans for rear-wheel drive. Originally, the 2011 Buick Lucerne was to shift to rear-wheel drive, in an attempt to move Buick slightly out of stodgy territory and into crotchety. Speculation's been that the plan was nixed due to all the doom and gloom lately, but it seems that may be less than true as we're now hearing the next Lucerne's rear-wheel plans are still quite "Fred." As in not-yet-dead.
Motor Trend's Motor City Blogman, Todd Lassa, is reporting the news of the RWD Buick Lucerne's demise may have been greatly exaggerated. Along with a lot of background info, Lassa says the Buick will be staying rear wheel drive, but moving off the 118.5-inch extended wheelbase Zeta platform and onto the smaller "midsize" 114.8-inch wheelbase Zeta — the same as the Pontiac G8. So it'll stay rear-wheel driven, but shrinking a bit in the process.
Enthusiasts will hate the idea of a rear-wheel powered Buick, sure. Want to know what they'll hate even more? The Blogman's also reporting GM's plans for a rear-wheel drive 2011 Chevy Impala is still dead in the water. The world is a crazy mixed up place sometimes, ain't it? [Motor Trend]