GMI Exclusive: LaCrosse Engines, Details Emerge

[member12]

Originally Posted by t-rex

And if a certain Chinese website is accurate, it's a really long wheelbase! Like 116-117"! Looks like Epsilon-deuce can be stretched to a fullsizer! Looks like an Epsilon2 Impala just might be differentiated substantially from the Malibu!

Goodbye nasty GM massive front overhang!

Is Ep. 2 that much wider than the Ep 1?

The Saturn Aura and Chevy Malibu are much narrower than the Accord, or at least seem to be.

[zete]

AWD! Excellent. That will be a huge selling point in the snow belt.

I'd love to see GM take the Lacrosse and turn it into a limited edition Grand National. With AWD, suspension tweaks, and a turbocharged 3.6 it would be an awesome homage to the Grand National of the 80s. Some may balk, but my attitude is why not? And as nothing more than an "upper trim level" on the Lacrosse it would not have to go through crash testing, etc.

[npi]

Originally Posted by Michael_S

Hopefully Epsilon 2 makes more efficient use of internal space than Epsilon 1. But if that's the case, the cabin space difference between a LWB Epsilon 2 LaCrosse and the Lucerne will be basically nil. The Lucerne will become even more of an uncompetitive offering.

I'm slightly disappointed by the 3.0 liter engine. The 2006 and 2007 Accord V6 had an SAE certified 244 horsepower from 3.0 liter SOHC V6 without direct injection. The 2010 Ford Fusion will have a 3.0 liter DOHC V6 without direct injection making 240 horsepower.

GM is bringing a 3.0 liter DI DOHC V6 to market in for model year 2010, and it has 250 horsepower? Shouldn't DI give it a 10% edge? The LaCrosse should be making 250 horsepower from a DI 2.8, not a 3.0.



For the 4-cylinder Malibu. The Malibu V6 fuel economy is not competitive with the Accord V6 or Camry V6. It's not bad, but "not bad" is no way to steal more sales from the segment leaders and improve the GM brand image.

I agree completely. It seems GM is always 2-4 years behind the competition when it comes to DOHC engines, hey even Ford is better than them now. What a shame to see that a Honda engine has more HP/Torque than an American (although as far as I know these are German/British(Ricardo?) engineered) engine

[Buick Riviera]

TT HF V6 engine?

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by Rocket 88

Because: Buick is Back Baby! DRIVE BEAUTIFUL

In my book, Buick isn't "back" until I see the return of the Park Avenue... to this country anwyays.

Originally Posted by neshapop

Because Cadillac and Camry will be for old farts and geezers?

I hope this will remove old people's car stigma from Buick.

Now I am getting excited about the new one, back in 2006 we saw a few test fixtures for that HFV6 at Siemens labs. I guess it is true about 3.0L V6...

I have no problem with the return of Buick, so long as GM keeps Cadillac heads and shoulders above everything else.
As soon as there is parity in features and performance and style and luxury, Cadillac falters.

These features appearing in Lacrosse are wonderful, but they should have appeared in the Gen2 CTS at launch. And they should have been on STS and XLR long ago.

It seems GM has brought it's "A Game" to Buick (or at least given the Chinese more control). And that's something I wish GM would have done and continued to do for Cadillac.

[AMcA]

This is going to be a very sweet car.

Are the nice folks at Lexus worried? Naw . . .

But they ought to consider at least a show of concern.

[AMcA]

And while I'm on my soapbox:

Why isn't this car being called "LeSabre"?

Is it because the public (except in Canada!) has so lovingly embraced the LaCrosse nameplate? Is it because the public has already forgotten how they knew and loved 50 years worth of LeSabres?

Or is it just because they can't admit how stupid they were for killing off one of the best names in the business? You want to talk brand equity? LeSabre is thy name.

Yeah, I think that's it.

[CadiEldo67]

Glad to hear about the much needed improvements, but this car is going to make the Lucerne look like hell. Why would anyone buy a Lucerne after seeing this car? A 4 Speed Auto, 3.9 V6, huge price tag? What's the point? It will however compliment the Enclave and who knows, Buick may become a crown jewel of the GM empire.

An issue that I've encountered is that the 3.0 supposedly puts out 250 horsepower, and its probably going to have less torque than the current non-DI 3.6. Nissan's V6 puts out 270 and 290 horsepower (Altima vs. Maxima) and I'm just wondering if it makes sense to offer two V6 options, one that is 20 horsepower less than the highest output v6 in its size class, and one that puts out 20 horsepower more.

[Koasterking]

Sounds good so far. Can't wait to see it.

Does anyone know when Gm will show the next LaCrosse?

[Chaz_23]

Pfff... They could have just put the 3.8 SC in there, get the same or more power and save billions.

[crazyjkz]

Great to see the long-rumored 3.0HF DI V6 FINALLY seeing production. GM should use this competitive little-brother to the 3.6DI to power all of its future RWD Alpha-platform vehicles. And it might even be a good idea to use the 3.0HF DI as a mid-level V6 option to replace the anemic and unrefined 3500VVT in all of their Epsilon vehicles as a lower-cost V6 option with better fuel economy than the 3.6HF to slot in between the 2.4L Ecotec and 3.6HF. Just something to think about GM.

In any event I'm very glad to see the 3.0HF finally seeing use in a new GM vehicle and they should use the 3.0HF to replace any 3500VVT application just like how they used the 3.6HF to replace the 3900VVT applications, especially considering that the 3.0HF is supposedly cheaper to build than the current 3.6HF non-DI/DI V6. Therefore the 250hp 3.0HF DI V6 would work very well as a lower-cost V6 option in pretty much any GM model but with far better refinement and performance than the outdated 3500 could ever muster up.

This is what GM needed and I'm glad to see that they are finally getting their V6 lineup in proper order. All they really need is the 3.0HF DI and the 3.6HF DI because they are both two excellent V6 engines, and they should continue to allow the 3.6DI to replace the non-DI 3.6HF. Another great idea would be to consider a 3.8L or 4.0L version of the High Feature V6 with Direct Injection since the HF V6 block is expandable up to 4.0L, and a 3.8L or 4.0L version would be great for use in heavier full-size GM vehicles that could use the extra torque such as the Lambda SUVs, the STS/DTS replacement, Pontiac G8, Buick Lucerne, next gen Impala, etc. It would also help to better distinguish any vehicles that used a 3.8L/4.0L-version of the HF V6 from the other GM vehicles out there that use the 3.6HF. And now that the next gen Escalade is confirmed to be changed over to the Lambda platform then a 3.8L/4.0L DI HF V6 would be great as a base V6 motor for the Lambda-based Escalade along with any other full-size GM vehicles.

[Michael_S]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

I have no problem with the return of Buick, so long as GM keeps Cadillac heads and shoulders above everything else.
As soon as there is parity in features and performance and style and luxury, Cadillac falters.

I think GM has done far more damage to their profits and their reputation by keeping lesser products uncompetitive to protect higher brands.

Anything that makes the LaCrosse look like an attractive alternative to the CTS also makes it an attractive alternative to competitors outside the GM family. Kneecapping the LaCrosse to protect the CTS hurts Buick far more than it helps Cadillac.

Originally Posted by AMcA

And while I'm on my soapbox:

Why isn't this car being called "LeSabre"?

Is it because the public (except in Canada!) has so lovingly embraced the LaCrosse nameplate? Is it because the public has already forgotten how they knew and loved 50 years worth of LeSabres?

Or is it just because they can't admit how stupid they were for killing off one of the best names in the business? You want to talk brand equity? LeSabre is thy name.

Yeah, I think that's it.

I agree completely. GM took the market value of name recognition and tossed it in the trash. Right now "LeSabre" does not have a lot of prestige. But if the next few LeSabre models were good, people would forget about the disappointing models and GM could proudly use phrases like "over 50 years" in their advertising.

[PHAT-JAY]

Its nice, but it needs to be RWD, but Hey AWD will be okay if it is true

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by Michael_S

I think GM has done far more damage to their profits and their reputation by keeping lesser products uncompetitive to protect higher brands.

Anything that makes the LaCrosse look like an attractive alternative to the CTS also makes it an attractive alternative to competitors outside the GM family. Kneecapping the LaCrosse to protect the CTS hurts Buick far more than it helps Cadillac.

Oh you don't quite get it.
I have a severe problem in GM handicapping lesser brands, the way they have done for DECADES. I have no problem with lesser brands getting the features needed to compete!!!

The problem I have is that Cadillac no longer gets the most cutting edge of technologies, features, and luxuries.

You see, it's not the Lacrosse that is being kneecapped.... it's the CTS!!!

Which goes back to my age old argument: Cadillac just doesn't have what it takes to compete. And Lacrosse's feature set is proving it.

GM needs to treat it's highest brand as a highest brand. That's why Cadillac's got issues.

[AMcA]

Originally Posted by saturnista

any chance the delay could mean they are changing the name to Invicta since it really is a totally new car?

No, not Invicta. They built Invictas 40+ years ago, and not for very long.

LeSABRE. They need to call this a LeSabre.