Bob Lutz Discusses Park Avenue; GMInsidenews Makes National TV!

[ponchoman49]

Quote: "We are studying the low volume import (of the Park Avenue).... to reestablish the Buick Flagship. In terms of ride & handling and interior appointments, it would return Buick truly to the Luxury class, where Buick actually belongs."

Notice exterior styling wasn't mentioned. The China Park Ave is a yawner and too plain to be a NA Buick. It needs considerably more exterior flash and curves to be noticed here.

[philr]

I did notice too, and I think that not differentiating it from the Statesman by using different body panels and exterior trim didn't help. I guess that this car was planned to be produced in very low volume like the Royaum and GM couldn't justify using other body panels for a low production vehicle sold only in China. If GM would have considered making it a global car at the beginning, differentiating the car from the Holden would have been possible.

Not so long ago (in the early nineties), the Park Avenue was one of GM's global luxury cars. It was sold in many European countries.

Note the trim variations of the European model.

[mikmak]

I've tried to watch it 3 times now and it resets everytime, halfway through the Hyundai story. :angry:

[importedtuna]

Originally Posted by mikmak

I've tried to watch it 3 times now and it resets everytime, halfway through the Hyundai story. :angry:

Sounds like a corrupted download. You used right click "save target as" or tried to save locally, right? Try to download again.

[scasnare]

RealPlayer (if that's what you tried) doesn't always play nicely with all computers.

You might try the Windows Media version http://www.autolinedetroit.tv/media/autoline/1119.wmv or the podcast (mp3) version http://www.autolinedetroit.tv/autoline/podcast.htm .

[njtex]

Thank You Email sent, I love the show and your question helped spark an even more insightfull dialog than usual and added to the show overall.

It's great to hear that Buick has the ambition and means to become a true luxury market competitor again.

Great job Ming!!!

[IMPALAon20s]

i don't think there was ever a doubt about buick, just which direction they would go, and how long it would take was the only questions. its pontiac that alot of people see as having potential for going under the chopping block.

[njtex]

Hey Ming, I just received a thank you note back from the show in response to my thank you note to them. Seems like your question to Bob Lutz was a hit and they are planing to renovate their web format accordingly in the near future. Way to go!

[Ming]

Thanks guys, that's great. Remember just a few weeks back Bob said on the GM Fastlane Corporate Blog that "we don't discuss future product". Having John McElroy pose the question on-air was great. Hopefully we'll see Rick Wagoner or Ed Welburn or someone else on there soon. Maybe Jim Bunnell would be a good candidate since he's heading up the BPG revival.

[Koasterking]

Ming is famous! Anyway, congrats Ming. I couldn't see the video on-line because it was taking forever to DL, but I did catch a re-run today. I really can't wait to see what will come of thie for Buick and cadillac.

[SierraGS]

Originally Posted by Ming

Thanks guys, that's great. Remember just a few weeks back Bob said on the GM Fastlane Corporate Blog that "we don't discuss future product". Having John McElroy pose the question on-air was great. Hopefully we'll see Rick Wagoner or Ed Welburn or someone else on there soon. Maybe Jim Bunnell would be a good candidate since he's heading up the BPG revival.

Ming, you may want to get word out that this weeks Motorweek has video of the Shanghai Auto show with video of the Riviera, Park Avenue and Volt.

They all looked great.

Motorweek is on Saturday mornings on the Speed Channel

An upate, looks like Speed Channel has NASCAR on all day this Saturday 5/19, but MOTORWEEK is on some PBS stations, the show coverage is not long but you get a good look at the PA, it looks more aggressive on video.