General Motors reportedly asked its Buick dealer network if they’d like their own version of the large rear-wheel drive Holden Statesman sedan that will be sold in China next year. Surprisingly, the Buick dealers weren’t interested, according to Automotive News.

Since both cars are about the same size and would be offered with V6 and V8 engines, dealers thought the vehicle would cannibalize sales of its front-wheel-drive Lucerne. Bob Lutz said the rear-wheel drive Buick “was firmly in the U.S. product program” until it was shown to dealers. Lutz added that the door is still open if dealers reconsider.

We can’t understand why any American luxury car brand would reject a modern rear-wheel drive sedan? We understand that most people don’t care about front- or rear-wheel drive. We also understand that the front-wheel-drive Lucerne sold nearly a 100,000 units in 2006. We also understand the fuel prices are up and the shine has gone off of Chrysler’s LX rear-wheel drive sedans. But we simply don’t understand why Buick would turn down a vehicle that would almost certainly increase brand sales. While the front-wheel-drive Lucerne would likely lose some sales if the Statesman was sold as a Buick, sales of both large sedans, which would target different buyers, should easily surpass the sales of the Lucerne alone.

## Source: Automotive News ##

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As General Motors realigns its brands, especially Buick, Pontiac, and GMC, many redundant models are getting the axe. With the decline in sales of traditional SUVs and the forthcoming Buick Enclave, GM will stop production of the Buick Rainier SUV in the second quarter. The move will trim Buick down to three or four models, about half of its lineup in 2005, but the brand will spend more to develop and sell its remaining models.

General Motors is focusing on Buick’s future as a luxury brand, and in addition to poor sales, the Rainier didn’t fit Buicks new image. Buick will focus on the Enclave crossover, in the brand’s battle with the other luxury crossovers like the Lexus RX and Acura MDX.

From what we’ve seen, the Enclave is a much better fit for Buick’s new focus and ending production of the Rainier is right choice.

## Source: Detroit Free Press ##

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Spy photographers caught this Buick LaCrosse during testing, but this is no standard model. With a unique grille, taped up fender “portholes”, and huge exhaust pipes, this can only be the V8 LaCrosse Super.

The Buick LaCrosse Super will feature the 5.3L V8 from the Impala SS, delivering around 300 hp, 18-inch wheels and Delphi’s MagneRide Suspension. With 0-60 mph times under six seconds, this isn’t your father’s Buick.

The Buick LaCrosse Super is expected to be available before the end of the year.

## Source: World Car Fans ##

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Buick today announced pricing for its 2008 Enclave luxury crossover, which will arrive in dealerships early this summer. The base front-wheel drive Enclave CX has a starting MSRP of $32,790, with the all-wheel drive model adding $2,000 to $34,790. The front-wheel drive Enclave CXL will start at $34,990, with the all-wheel drive version priced at $36,990. All prices include a $735 destination charge.

The 2008 Buick Enclave is powered by a 275-hp version of GM’s “high feature” 3.6L V6 featuring variable valve timing (VVT). The engine is mated to Buick’s first six-speed automatic transmission.

Full press release after the jump.

## Source: General Motors ##

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With 2006 coming to a close, Buick looks set to sell more vehicles in China than it will in the United States during the past year, according to Automotive News. Buick sold 206,582 vehicles in the U.S. during the first 10 months of the year — down 15.4 percent. During the same period, it sold 218,603 cars in China — an increase of 27.4 percent.

While the Buick brand has lost status in the U.S., the brand has maintained a reputation in China. GM is working to reverse the old-fashioned aura surrounding its Buick brand as part of its restructuring campaign to make Buick a more upscale brand.

## Source: MSNBC ##

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Early this week, General Motors unveiled the 2008 Buick Enclave at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The automaker released this video interview with the crossover’s interior designer, Michael Burton, a few months back. In the video, he talks about the design of the interior of the Buick Enclave concept car. During the video, he talks about the differences between Cadillac and Buick luxury.

Note: Video and sound are slightly out of sync.

Video after the jump.

## Source: General Motors via Winding Road ##

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Tiger Woods helped Rick Wagoner, GM Chairman and CEO, unveil the 2008 Buick Enclave on the eve of the Los Angeles Auto Show. We now have video of the Enclave’s unveiling event.

The 2008 Enclave is Buick’s first luxury crossover SUV and will share its platform with the GMC Acadia and the Saturn OUtlook. The Enclave is powered by a 3.6L 275-hp V6 and features seating for eight passengers

The 2008 Buick Enclave will be available in U.S. and Canadian markets, and arrives in dealer showrooms next summer.

Two videos after the jump.

## Source: General Motors ##

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Buick debuted its 2008 Enclave crossover to a standing-room only crowd of media and Buick dealers at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, one of the world’s most prestigious art and design schools. Tiger Woods, with GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner on the passenger side, drove the all-new Enclave crossover through a 35-ft. video wall. While Buick has enjoyed a long partnership with Woods, this is the first time Buick has joined with Woods for a vehicle premiere.

“The new Buick Enclave is just beautiful to look at inside and out,” said Tiger Woods. “The interior is so comfortable and there’s plenty of room for my sticks. I’m really excited for Buick and what the all-new Enclave means for the division and GM.”

More Enclave details and images.

More images and full press release after the jump.

## Source: General Motors ##

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General Motors today unveiled the production version of the 2008 Buick Enclave ahead of its debut at this week’s Los Angeles Auto Show. The 2008 Enclave was first previewed by the 2003 Centieme Concept that was shown at that year’s North American International Auto Show. General Motors unveiled the Buick Enclave Concept earlier this year at the same show. The good news is that the production version is basically a clone of the year-old concept.

“Enclave is the new face of Buick and everything we want in future Buicks,” said General Manager Steve Shannon. “It’s an absolutely stunning, high-quality crossover SUV that delivers all the product attributes that define the new Buick – a confident ride, relevant technologies, more luxury features, elegant design and a quiet, comfortable and well-crafted interior. These are the hallmark traits of future Buicks.”

The 2008 Buick Enclave will be available in CX and CXL trim levels, with eight exterior and three interior colors, front-wheel or all-wheel drive, a new 275-hp 3.6L V6 VVT engine mated to Buick’s first six-speed automatic transmission. The Enclave CXL rides on standard 19-inch wheels, while the CX gets 18-inch wheels.

With the production Enclave sporting a virtually identical exterior to the Enclave concept, the interior also retains many of the design elements of the concept. The Enclave appears to continue on GM’s committment to high quality interiors.

More photos and full press release after the jump.

## Source: General Motors ##

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General Motors will continue revamping its product lineup with the debut of several new vehicles at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The show will feature all-new vehicles from Buick, GMC and Saturn — the Enclave (concept shown), Yukon Hybrid and Vue, respectively. GM will also resurrect Cadillac’s Platinum Series cars and unveil special-edition Saabs to commemorate the brand’s 60th anniversary.

Several of the vehicles GM will debut at Los Angeles Auto Show will focus on efficiency, with the automaker debuting two of the four hybrid models that will launch in 2007. And Chevrolet will highlight two hydrogen fuel cell models — the Sequel and the Equinox Fuel Cell — offering a look into petroleum-free transportation.

Full press release with full list of GM debuts after the jump.

## Source: General Motors ##

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Following Ford’s move, General Motors is abandoning the minivan business when production of its existing models ends, according to The Detroit News. GM has scrapped plans for redesigning its minivans for the 2009 model year. Instead, GM will focus on its Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave crossovers, with eight passenger seating.

“We do believe it is a declining segment,” said GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz. “Our new crossovers, Acadia, Outlook and Enclave with their three rows of seats and economical V-6 engines, can meet the same customer needs, minus the ‘Soccer Mom’ stigma.”

Ford has decided to exit the segment completely, and produce a people mover crossover based on the Ford Fairlane concept, arriving in early 2008. However, Lutz says that GM has made no official decision to exit the segment completely or permanently, but company insiders said there are no plans for new models after GM closes its last minivan plant in Doraville, GA.

This is just another blow for workers at GM’s Spring Hill, TN plant, which was expected to build the axed minivan. The Saturn plant has already lost the Ion, which will be replaced by imported Opel Astras, and the Vue, which will now be built in Mexico). GM likely will find new vehicles for that plant, company officials said.

## Source: The Detroit News ##

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On Saturday, Nov. 18, General Motors will begin its Red Tag Event, the automaker’s year-end clearance sale. The Red Tag Event will run through Jan. 2 and not include Cadillac, Hummer and Saab. The Chevrolet Corvette and Pontiac Solstice also are not included in the sales event. The sale is similar to the promotion GM ran at the end of last year.

“What a consumer will see is a Red Tag hanging from the mirrors,” spokesman John McDonald said. “It will list the MSRP and then the price the consumer will pay after the incentives. The dealer decides how much the discount will be.”

The program covers 2006 and 2007 models and the discount could be up to $2,000 per vehicle. The program also includes most existing incentives on vehicles, which could mean more than $2,000 of incentives.

GM will advertise the sale aggressively in print and on TV, radio and the Internet, using the same tag line as last year’s promotion: “See some red, save some green.”

## Source: Automotive News ##

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Despite all the hallmarks of a classic bootleg video — grainy images, muffled audio and unsteady camerawork, we were nearly certain that the “hidden camera” video of Tiger Woods and the new Enclave was a fake. With the Buick logo at the end, it didn’t take a lot of intuition to come to that conclusion. General Motors today ‘fessed up to the viral marketing effort.

David Darovitz admitted that “the video was shot two weeks ago in Los Angeles to build excitement for the Enclave’s world introduction Nov. 28 at the Los Angeles Auto Show.”

“We wanted to do something different,” Darovitz said. “The idea was to make it look like a video stolen from an advertising shoot. We knew we weren’t going to fool anybody. We just wanted to do something different that would create buzz.”

Mission accomplished.

## Source: The Detroit News ##

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General Motors has revealed/leaked a viral marketing video for the forthcoming Buick Enclave. Starring Tiger Woods, the video shows a “behind the scenes” look at Tiger filming an upcoming Buick Enclave ad. According to Tiger, he’s “never seen anything like it on the road.”

Check out the video after the jump.

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In addition to General Motors lineup of customized trucks and SUV, the automaker will bring a collection of customized passenger cars to this week’s SEMA show. Most of the cars will be customized Buick Lucernes, including the Lucerne CST by Stainless Steel Brakes Corp, Lucerne LUX SS by Trents Trick Upholstery, Lucerne QuattraSport by Performance West Group, Spade Kreations American Racing Lucerne, Lucerne CXX Luxury Liner by Rick Bottom Custom Motor, MTX Audio Buick Lucerne, D3 Signature Series Buick Lucerne, Lucerne by Rick Dore Kustoms, Lucerne by RIDES Magazine, Lucerne by Fesler Built, and Lucerne by Concept 1.

More details about the Lucerne CXX Luxury Liner and photos after the jump.

## Source: General Motors ##

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