Beijing: Buick Invicta Concept revealed

[lam]

Originally Posted by nsap

Similar to what the current LaCrosse does, if not a thousand or two higher.

No decsion on pricing has been made.The most likely price of the new Lacrosse will be in the $28,000-$29,000 range.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EA1Lzfh7hU

[Hitman1970]

Originally Posted by lam

No decsion on pricing has been made.The most likely price of the new Lacrosse will be in the $28,000-$29,000 range.

That will leave plenty of pricing room for a quality small Buick in the future when CAFE compliance demands it.

[I-Love-Pontiac]

Originally Posted by lam

No decsion on pricing has been made.The most likely price of the new Lacrosse will be in the $28,000-$29,000 range.

If they can make it for that cheap, this thing will sell like crazy. Thats how much an Avalon costs... and this looks a hell of a lot nicer than an Avalon. Heck it looks nicer than an ES. And that's $34,000 (and usually sell for way more than that).

[CharlotteFirebird]

Originally Posted by Joevette

is this on the same platform as the new vectra/aura? they shouldn't change a thing about this car, besides make the door handles classy when added on.

Yes. The same platform. EP II. The current Malibu is the last EP I. At least that's what I think.

[nsap]

Originally Posted by lam

No decsion on pricing has been made.The most likely price of the new Lacrosse will be in the $28,000-$29,000 range.

I understand that. They don't settle on pricing until a few months before the car goes on sale.

The car is meant to be under the next Lucerne, which is going to go slightly up-market to the current one, but GM has been good about not raising prices too much on new models. So its safe to guess this car will cost a few thousand more than the current LaCrosse.

[sprsprt]

Originally Posted by TriShield

The average age of a Buick buyer is still 65. ... I highly doubt I'll ever see someone in their 20s actually buy one.

I bought mine when I was 29, a friend bought his when he was 24, another is 26 and on his second Buick.

[NINETY_EIGHT_REGENCY]

Originally Posted by BigThreeForever

Outstanding! And so near to a production model, too . . . . !

Now I understand what Bob Lutz meant when he said the LaCrosse's successor would be a very special car.

I especially love the front three-quarter photograph, and the trad-Buick "sweepspear" flanks. Muscular, curvaceous, taut and unmistakeably American. I love it!

The reinvention of Buick is really beginning to gather momentum. What a shame GM couldn't have reinterpreted Oldsmobile in a similarly effective manner.

Still, as a loyalist of the Tri-Shield division, I am just as pleased as can be that there at last seems to be the possibility of a Buick revival.

GO DETROIT!

I agree on the Oldsmobile comment. That is so dead on accurate.

[ohmywrd8]

Beautiful. Now was this designed by the Chineese? I'm still a lil confused about this.

[lam]

Originally Posted by nsap

I understand that. They don't settle on pricing until a few months before the car goes on sale.

The car is meant to be under the next Lucerne, which is going to go slightly up-market to the current one, but GM has been good about not raising prices too much on new models. So its safe to guess this car will cost a few thousand more than the current LaCrosse.

Keep in mind that GM wants Buick as a Luxury brand.The average transition price of the Buick Enclave is $39,000,plus Bob lutz has said the days of pricing Buick along with Chevrolet is over>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EA1Lzfh7hU

[AdmiralViscen]

The current Lacrosse is already $2000 over the current Impala. If the new Lacrosse is $2000 moree than that it'll be $6000 over the Malibu, yet still undercut the ES by $6000, which is exactly what Lutz is saying will be the case in that video.

[61BelAir]

Wow, thats one of the best looking Buicks of all time! The Enclave Concept was pretty much unchanged for production, lets hope the Invicta follows that same formula! Very, very nice.

[lam]

So most likely the base price of the new Buick Lacrosse wil be in the $28,000-$29,000.

[jason4225]

Originally Posted by I-Love-Pontiac

If they can make it for that cheap, this thing will sell like crazy. Thats how much an Avalon costs... and this looks a hell of a lot nicer than an Avalon. Heck it looks nicer than an ES. And that's $34,000 (and usually sell for way more than that).

They are going to have to make this cheaper than many of us would expect. It looks like it is going to be a beautiful car and I hope it will compete, sales wise, with the ES. Unfortunately at the end of the day it is still a Buick, and it is going to have huge hurdles to overcome in that area. Look at the Aura, great car with diappointing sales (and yes I know there are many reasons for that), Malibu, another great car, but could be selling better.

GM is going to be having many more great cars come out over the next 5 years or so, but they still are going to have the perception problem to overcome in order to get conquest sales from the other automakers.

BTW, I love the looks of the concept and hope they don't stray too far for production. It is kind of funny how many people hammered on the spy photo from a few days ago, but are loving the concept. It's amazing when you see the car cleaned up, in a much better color, with better wheels, and you actually see the whole car (even if it is just the concept) how much better many peoples opinion gets.

[djo165]

Originally Posted by MonaroSS

If we look at the inset of the concepts grille and compare it to the prototypes grille we see under the red arrows that the top of the grille bars sit out much further on the concept than on the production prototype. This is again due to airflow. Those 'teeth' like tops of the grille on the concept would be like forcing air through a comb, it would cause a break-up of the laminar flow needed. The prototypes much smoother softer grille will interfere with airflow much less and get better fuel economy.

Thanks for the nice analysis, MonaroSS.

I like the front end of the concept car, but based on that spy pic, I fear the production version will be too watered down. I think they should stick with a grille that protrudes a bit more. It looks bolder and more aggressive. I'd also use the lower front fascia from the concept. Or at least something different than the lower front that's visible on that spy pic. It looks too generic as is, and too much like a Malibu.

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by hidden_bull

Seriously GM... Please please please please fix the air vents!!!!
If they are to be vertically oriented... make sure the vents on the side are ALSO vertically oriented!!! Or vice versa!!
It makes for a very annoying aesthetic otherwise.

Other than that... that's an impressive interior.
Makes the Cadillac interiors look like crap.

Originally Posted by ohmywrd8

Beautiful. Now was this designed by the Chineese? I'm still a lil confused about this.

What's so confusing about it?
The Chinese know what luxury amenities and designs they and the world want.
American designers have failed to incorporate such globally accepted luxury design cues in American cars, that's why the American counterparts look so darn dull.

I say... if the Chinese can design a Buick (or whatever GM car) to be far more attractive than anything an American can design, so be it.
GM and customers who buy GM will be far better for it.