[nsap]

NEW YORK - To shed its stodgy image, Buick will drop two venerable names - Park Avenue and LeSabre.

A premium rear-wheel-drive sedan will replace the Park Avenue in 2006, say two General Motors sources. GM plans to develop the rwd sedan off the company's new Zeta global vehicle architecture.

Meanwhile, GM will find a new name for the LeSabre's replacement when it arrives next year.

Robert Lutz, GM's vice chairman for product development, said he eventually wants to position Buick against Lexus. But GM can't charge higher prices until Buick's brand equity improves, he said at the New York auto show.

"We have to earn the brand equity back by offering a luxury car bargain," Lutz said.

The LeSabre was introduced in 1959. The Park Avenue became a distinct nameplate in 1991. It previously was a trim line on the Buick Electra.


More

 

[chadbarb99]

A new Camaro is starting to look better and better with the new Buick being put on the new Zeta Platform.

 

[ab348]

All I can say is that they really need to move quickly. Yesterday I was visiting a dealer that was closed, just looking at some of what they had on the lot. They had a LeSabre Custom there and it had, without doubt, some of the worst-looking seats I have ever seen. Crummy upholstery, virtually no stiching pattern, absolutely atrocious. Plus 15" wheels that made it look ridiculous, all for $37K Canadian. Next to it was a $43K "Celebration" edition with leather and "White Gold" paint, which was somewhat better, but at $43K was facing some serious competition. Like what I saw on the adjacent lot, the new Acura TL at $40K Cdn, which has an exquisite interior, 17" wheels, and topped the Buick in just about every way. I hate to say it, but if I had $40K to spend, it would be no contest, because I'm not a fan of Honda, but I'd have to buy the TL. It's so frustrating - why can't GM use similar materials and give us at least a competitive interior?

 

[ponchoman49]

I agree, the LeSabre is overpriced. Way overpriced! With it's mediocre seats, dash and engine that still produces the same 205hp that it did in 1995! Your looking at 30 large for a Custom with leather seats and 35K for the Celebration. And the real painfull thing is the rear seat with it's lack of seatback map pockets, rear seat armrest and pass-thru and air vents. No you have to move up to a Limited for 33K to get this. And you also have to go to the limited to get a simple moonroof too! Yes, this car is in need of major updating. I am real shocked that it is the best selling full size, though that is due to lots of fleet sales.

 

[T-Keith]

26,590 Lesabre Custom, 32,635 Lesabre Limited. Prices have crept up in the last couple years, but that's not factoring in the major rebates and discounts. Also the Custom comes standard with tons of features. A camry or Avalon has less power and less options at that price.

I like the RWD flagship, but they need a good model to replace the Lesabre, which IMHO is one of the best family cars available today. Not much needs to change.

 

[azhimel]

Any talk about a Station Wagon based on that Platform?

 

[carMuck]

I think its time for them to bring back some exciting old names that have been forgotten. I'm thinking Electra or Invicta for this car.

 

[BigAls87Z28]

I think we all saw this coming. If Ive said it once, Ive said it a thousand times... Zeta is the future of GM.
So a nice lacrosse, a Velite, and a large Park Ave. Sounds good to me. I wounder if the LeSaber replacement will also be FWD?

 

[johnd89]

good news indeed!
hopefully the car will have a bigger v8 that the one on the bonneville gxp.

 

[ab348]

Originally posted by T-Keith@Apr 12 2004, 01:58 PM
26,590 Lesabre Custom, 32,635 Lesabre Limited. Prices have crept up in the last couple years, but that's not factoring in the major rebates and discounts. Also the Custom comes standard with tons of features. A camry or Avalon has less power and less options at that price.

The car I saw yesterday was simply uncompetitive with most anything in its price range. The only people who might buy it are seniors who want a bench seat and are unfazed by the price. But for the money, with those ugly seats and shrunken wheels, it doesn't matter what else it has - it's just not in the game. And the seniors I know these days are all pre-sold on Toyotas. They think they are the best cars. I don't necessarily agree, but if you gave me that Lesabre I saw yesterday there's no way I could convince them (or myself) it was a good buy. If GM put a few hundred bucks into better seats, upholstery and wheels they could be much more competitive.

 

[PeteSaturnSales]

Buick is going through an entire makeover with GM pumping $3BILLION into the brand.

Everything you know about BUICK is changing.

Regal= GONE
Century = GONE
LeSabre = GONE
Park Avenue = GONE

What is left? The newer Buick trucks Rendezvous and Rainier (Rendezvous isn't technically a truck, but they refer to it as such, in SUV terms)

LaCrosse is a stop-gap holdover of the W-Body platform with the intro of the new 3.6L VVT "high feature V6" but it will not stay around for long, IMO.

The current LeSabre and Park Avenue are 2 of the most comfortable road cars I have ever driven or ridden in. The venerable 3800 series II and L67 in the Park Ultra do a fine job of moving these large cars with a minimal amount of maintenance. Styling is subjective. I think the LeSabre and Park are two great looking large cars. Sporty? no. Comfortable and conservative? absolutely.

Buick has been due for a change for quite a while, but other than being long-in-the-tooth, I can't see any fault in the current lineup for most Buick buyers. [I say most, because I own the sportscar version, and I'm close to 1/2 the age of the median Buick buyer. I'm looking forward to the new stuff too!]

 

[AMcA]

Originally posted by bigals87z28@Apr 12 2004, 03:35 PM
I think we all saw this coming. If Ive said it once, Ive said it a thousand times... Zeta is the future of GM.

In the US . . . .

Everywhere else, it's way too big.

 

[spdwayGm]

I smell a return to Roadmaster? Can I get a wagon with wood side? Pleeeeze
Good job GM. :drevil:

 

[MCGARRETT]

I agree with Roadmaster for the Park Avenue replacement. It was that name that seemed to fit a RWD Full-Size Buick best.

But what about the LeSabre?

I was thinking about past Buick names...

2006 Buick Wildacat-too sporty for a LeSabre replacement
2006 Buick Super-Historic, but a little plain,
2006 Buick Special-Same
2006 Buick Centurion-To 70's, but a good name
2006 Buick Invicta-Again a nice name, but it sounds a little harsh.

I think that the Cielo concept car has a nice ring to it.....Spanish for "sky"

2006 Buick Cielo sounds pretty good.

Now that I think about LaCrosse would have worked for the LeSabre replacement and Cielo would have been better for the Regal replacement.


I think that this is the ideal set up...........

Buick Cielo-LeSabre replacement
Buick Roadmaster- V8 powered Park Avenue replacement
Buick Estate- Wagon version of the Roadmaster-V8, RWD/AWD-Dodge Magnum competitor.
Buick Riviera-The production version of the Velite.


I have read that the Park Avenue replacement will have both a V6 and V8 available, how about Wildcat for the V6 version and Roadmaster for the V8 model.

Please throw a nice coupe version of something out there Buick! Maybe a coupe LaCrosse to be sold alongside the more expensive Velite/Riviera? The coupe version of the LaCrosse can bring back the Regal nameplate. A coupe version of the LeSabre replacement would work too.

Any coupe please!

 

[Sal Collaziano]

Ehh.. "Roadmaster" is nice and all - but "Park Avenue" sounds more luxurious.. I'd love to see the big Roadmaster come back (I do own a '95 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham) - but I don't think the name would be right. If Buick wants to compete with Lexus, I think the names of the cars need to be on target.. I hope the Park Avenue name is replaced with something classy...

 

[BigAls87Z28]

Originally posted by AMcA+Apr 13 2004, 01:10 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (AMcA @ Apr 13 2004, 01:10 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-bigals87z28@Apr 12 2004, 03:35 PM
I think we all saw this coming.  If Ive said it once, Ive said it a thousand times... Zeta is the future of GM. 

In the US . . . .

Everywhere else, it's way too big. [/b][/quote]
Oz is gunna be the largest user of the Zeta chassis. Opel will also use the chassis.

 

[babershah]

The way Buick is thinking is good but is it realistic?

I mean even the Lacrosse doesn't offer a navagation system and will be only $2000 less than the LEXUS ES 330

I am sure the full size and flagship sedans will have a better interior than Lacrosse, when I saw Velite I started screaming I was like WOW WOW!!! is that a Buick???

Buick Velite would kick ***!!

COMPARING BUICK to LEXUS LINEUP
Lacrosse- ES 330 Luxury sedan
Flagship unnamed sedan- LS 430 Flagship
LeSabre replacement- GS 430 Full size sedan
Velite-SC 430 Prestige Convertible
Sports Wagon- RX 330 Crossover/wagon/SUV
Terraza- no competitor

Now all Buick needs it to kick Lincoln's butt
Lincoln will a very nice model lineup and Buick might LAG behind
Zephyr
LS
Mark LT
NEW Aviator
Flagship sedan for 2006
Town Car
Navigator

 

[Sal Collaziano]

Yeah, Lincoln isn't sitting on their asses either. They're working on some nice automobiles.. But I think Buick is on the right track to compete with both Lincoln and Lexus.. I really hope GM doesn't screw this up. Oldsmobile was on the right track with the Aurora.. What a shame.. But atleast we've still got Buick to root for...

 

[silverado_13]

I think that Riviera would be a good name for the buick Flag-ship. It's a classic buick name that I think people will like. I don't think that buick will directly compete with lexus because lexus is more of a high technology company for young people and buick is more of a big, comfortable car for older people. I don't see many young lawyers driving Park Avenue. They will compete because they are both luxury companies but it will be indirect because they have different places in the market.

 

[surferdude00711]

To get Buick going again they'll need to have one convertible (Velite) , one coupe(Riveria), and two sedans in production versions in the next line of Auto Shows. I'll pray tonight and everynight they can do this, because if GM can revive Buick they can keep Toyota at #2 forever.