NAIAS 09: 2010 Buick LaCrosse

[nsap]

NAIAS 09: 2010 Buick LaCrosse
Finally, an all-new Buick sedan.
www.gminsidenews.com
January 8, 2008

Specifications

Trims:

• CX FWD
• CXL FWD
• CXL AWD
• CXS FWD

Engines:

• 3.0L SIDI High-Feature V6: 255 HP/211 lb.-ft.
• 3.6L SIDI High-Feature V6: 280 HP/261 lb.-ft.

Fuel Economy:

• 3.0L: 18/27
• 3.6: 17/26

Features:

• Bluetooth
• USB Port
• Electronic Parking Brake
• Power Rear Sunshade
• In-Dash Hard Drive
• Ice Blue Ambient Lighting (lots of it!)
• Ultrasonic Rear Park Assist
• Push-Button Start
• Heated and Air Conditioned Seats
• Adaptive HID Headlamps
• Rear view camera
• Side Blind Zone Alert
• Rear Seat Entertainment System w/ 2 LCD's
• ...and more.

Sculpted design

Buick’s long heritage of leading designs, such as the Y-Job Concept, the Roadmaster and the Riviera, helped define American automobile design through the years, according to Ed Welburn, vice president of GM Global Design. Today, Buick design is a product of a global team and resources. Creative collaboration between designers in the United States and China, in partnership with the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC) as well as chassis and body engineers in Europe, resulted in the first General Motors vehicle to be created on three continents.

“The new LaCrosse is intended to represent modern elegance,” said Welburn. “Throughout the design, you experience a balance of contrasts. Both the interior and exterior have been designed with harmony in mind. The exterior balances taut, sculpted lines with sensuous accents and surfaces. Inside, smoked chrome accents, warm wood, first-class leather and materials combine with cool blue ambient lighting to create an inviting environment.”

The exterior design is faithful to the Buick Invicta show car introduced at the 2008 Beijing Auto Show.

“It is instantly recognizable as a Buick, with its signature ‘sweep spear’ body-side styling, portholes inside the character line on the hood, and waterfall grille,” added Welburn.

Luxurious interior experience

Inside, the two-tone interior is defined by a flowing, uninterrupted design theme that wraps around the instrument and door panels. Attention to detail is evident throughout the interior, including the analog instrument cluster, chrome offset by dark wood accents, and the contrasting thread and French stitching on the instrument panel.

Buick’s signature QuietTuning – an engineering process to reduce, block and absorb interior noise – provides a distraction-free passenger environment.

An unexpected, inviting touch is the cool blue ambient lighting throughout the cabin from the center console, instrument panel and door panels.

Intelligent personal technologies

The contemporary atmosphere of the cabin includes the digital connectivity and personal technology offered in the new LaCrosse. That includes features such as in-dash navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, an auxiliary audio input and a USB port. For rear-seat passengers, a power rear-window sunshade and a DVD entertainment system, with two display screens integrated into the seatbacks, is available.

LaCrosse’s intelligent technologies also work to deliver a 360-degree field of vision behind the steering wheel, for a greater feeling of comfort, security and safety. It starts with the available head-up display in the windshield, allowing the driver to monitor speed while keeping his or her eyes on the road. At night, the available adaptive lighting package can direct the high-intensity discharge headlight beams up to 15 degrees for enhanced illumination of the road and its curves.

LaCrosse offers Side Blind Zone alert that notifies the driver if a vehicle in adjacent lanes is traveling in the driver’s blind spot. The LaCrosse is also available with a rear view camera, with the display integrated into the navigation system screen.

The technology available on LaCrosse enhances a suite of standard safety features that is designed to meet the criteria for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 20 Star Safety Rating. Highlights include front-, side- and roof-mounted head-curtain air bags, StabiliTrak stability- and traction-control system. The safety and security of OnStar is also included for the first year of ownership.

Responsive performance

LaCrosse’s stiff body structure serves as the foundation for precise suspension tuning, safety and a quiet ride. Buyers can choose from a family of efficient, direct-injection six-cylinder engines and a fuel-conserving six-speed automatic transmission with tap-up/tap-down control.

The direct injection engines in the LaCrosse create more power with less fuel and reduce vehicle emissions through greater combustion control – particularly cold-start emissions that are reduced by up to 25 percent.

The 2010 LaCrosse will be offered in three models - CX, CXL and CXS:

* CX – equipped with a new 3.0L direct injection V-6, premium cloth seats and 17-inch wheels. The 3.0L engine generates an estimated 255 horsepower (190 kW) and 211 lb.-ft. of torque (286 Nm) and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
* CXL – also equipped with the new 3.0L direct injection V-6, adds leather-appointed heated seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, fog lamps, outside rearview mirror with LED turn indicators and puddle lamps, and 18-inch wheels. Intelligent AWD is available.
* CXS – equipped with a 3.6L direct injection V-6; real-time active-dampening suspension; perforated, leather-appointed, heated and cooled seats, and chrome-plated 18-inch wheels (19-inch optional). The 3.6L engine, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, generates an estimated 280 horsepower (209 kW) and 261 lb.-ft. of torque (354 Nm).

LaCrosse production will begin this summer at the Fairfax Assembly facility in Kansas City, Kan.

Photography
High-Resolution Images

[ChevyRules]

Best Buick ever and if I wasn’t dead set on buying RWD for my next car, I would consider this in a heart beat in black.

[HUMMER H3 4 ME]

WOW.


Looks stunning!

[hidden_bull]

Some live in-person photos here

[FenwickHockey65]

WOW.

Simply amazing...

Push-button ignition...HUD...nav. screen...this sure isn't your grandfather's Buick.

[avro206]

very nice!!

Would have liked the 3.6 a few more HP but I am really nitpicking

Except no AWD CXS?

[saturnista]

Sweet!

[jmlee0695]

Great job!! The interior is gm's best effort to date. This looks like a hit! The pics are much better than the leaked one from july. Bravo!!

[2648562]

It's a Buick. Good night. Actually it's not all that bad. Good night though.

[Blair1118]

Thats cool!!!!

[ausrutherford]

Wow that looks awesome...Take that Acura!

[PontiacBixler]

yes!!!!
AWD option!

It is a beauty! But why is it starting production so late???

[-World Class-]

My God, it's BEAUTIFUL. This has got to be one of the most fluid and graceful designs GM has ever put into a production car. Amazing job, GM.

[1979RS]

I just skimmed the specs and looked at the pics. Looks pretty slick!

[CamaroCrazy]

Let's try that in black!

I love that interior........