Seems
that Buick has always been the General Motors brand that
was a bit more upscale than most of its brethren. Smooth,
supple. Whisper quiet. A step on the way to attainment.
A counterbalance to the snobbish European nameplates that
careened around corners with
Teutonic bluster. Now, as it replaces the aging staple,
Park Avenue, Buick comes out with the fresh, trendy and
tightly-aligned all new Lucerne for 2006, with a stop-in-the-tracks
demeanor guaranteed to earn a second glance. This is one
good looking automobile, with a more polished presence than
Buicks we remember from the past. It also brings to Buick
the same performance-enhancing responsibility that CTS so
successfully brought to Cadillac.
A
subtle, but noticeable change in Buickdom is found
close to road level, where the largish gap between
tire and fender lip found on many GM vehicles
is simply gone. Designers won a long-fought battle
with engineers to be more daring in design for
a sculptured, Autobahn-capable appearance where
rubber meets the road. The change also lends a
taut look to the strikingly uncluttered exterior.
You sense luxury, speed and handling combined
into one package.
There's
still a reminder of Buick's noble past. A stylized chrome
porthole badge sits on either side, with three indentions
indicating a six-cyl version, and four-indention plaque
designation for the V-8 powerplant, returning after a long
auto absence. Powering this full-size, front-drive sedan
for five or six, is the staple 3.8-liter, 3800 Series III
V-6, generating 197-HP. The available 4.6-liter Northstar
V-8 (standard for CXS) churns out 275-HP. Both use newly-adopted
industry horsepower standards. Underneath, paired with other
stability controls, is the first use of GM's Magnetic Ride
Control on a Buick that instantly changes from supple to
firmer controlled ride as conditions demand. The segment-first
dual depth front airbags customize crash protection along
with a side curtain system.
Inside
there are sensuous stretches of dappled wood trim, perforated
leather for breathability and flashes of chrome melding
into a luxurious backdrop for driver and passengers. Buick's
traditional hush-hush quiet can be broken quite nicely by
the available nine-speaker, 280-watt Harman Kardon sound
system with XM Satellite radio, MP3, front-mounted jack
and hands-free capability. Factory remote start, heated
and cooled seats, DVD navigation, rain sensing wipers, heated
washer fluid system (a Buick first), and rear parking assist
confirm its upscale status. In three, well-trimmed versions
(with a price range from the mid-20s to mid-30s), Lucerne
suggests a trip into primetime territory that could give
its European competitors a rush.
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