When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
From the article, though, there's three things I don't like about the new Lacrosse already.....the start/stop system for the V6 that can't be turned off (I never liked those systems, despite the fuel economy),
I believe under CAFE rules, having auto start-stop and not allowing it to turn off or on allows GM to gain credits. So I would expect the next gen of cars to all have it so it is not able to turn off.
I'm betting the grill shutters use an electric motor or resistor to where current has to be applied for the shutters to remain shut. IE if you have a short, the grills revert to open because there is no current applied. And when the car turns off, the grills open back up. Still not 100% fail safe(ie the gears/mechanism for the shutters might jam, happened all the time with pop up headlights). Hopefully GM is using better hardware/gears on the grill shutters than the cheap crap plastic gears on their pop up headlights back in the 80's/90's.
Exactly, just like how truck air brakes work. Air brakes are configured such that they are ALWAYS set and it requires air in the lines to turn them off. So if the truck is off or there is ever an air leak, the brakes are set by default.
You don't see the harm? The luxury automakers will simply go to all faux offering in nobody stands up and complains. I am not against a model like Avalon offering faux or even Land Cruiser. But if one were to pay a premium to buy a Lexus, they should get real wood, real leather, premium tires, premium everything. I am willing to entertain the argument of a Hybrid or Electric luxury car using synthetic materials that do not destroy the environment etc.
The Lacrosse offers synthetic leatherette, you have to pay extra for real leather, that is a shame. Just like what Lexus does with the ES350. The RX has standard faux. The IS has it, CT has, GX has. I assume the GS will have it soon?
I see luxury brands as something that is supposed to be special. I am not really all that excited that Lexus is built in the USA, nor am I impressed that the Cadillac CT6 Hybrid will be coming from China. The clothing brand Burberry makes some very nice expensive clothing, some of it says "Made in London" or "Made in Briton" but I still remember when I was about to purchase a pair of Burberry jeans, I then looked and saw "Made in China"....why would one want to pay a premium for that?
It's no different than having to pay extra in a BMW for rear view camera and Bluetooth streaming, when it's standard in a Honda. Until there are mass consumer defections, this will be the market. Car magazines take these luxury makers to task for all the myriad of nickel and dime options--it's not just consumers that complain--and they have voiced this for years. Until sales numbers go down, you can "complain" until you are blue in the face. I'm not saying I like it, or agree with it, but there is nothing at all I can do about it.
Definitely a large improvement over the previous model but let's not get ahead of ourselves, this thing will be a rental fleet queen and little more. Every time a new Buick comes out, even those from the bankruptcy days, the American press raves over them. They adored the current Lacrosse too, yet it didn't sell.
The comparisons to Lexus are asinine. The ES is a much better all around car with a luxurious and tasteful interior. This car's interior is over-done, gaudy, and without a doubt a GM parts bin special.
Btw I really think GM is shooting itself by keeping Buick around. A Cadillac that squared up with the ES could really succeed!
A Cadillac that squared up with the ES could really succeed!
You mean like the XTS, which is also FWD and has sold so well? I built both with similar equipment, and both came out to around $46k. In my mind, the XTS does square up with the ES.
I don't know that I at all agree the ES is a better car. I wouldn't say the ES is a better car than the previous Lacrosse, let alone this car. Have you driven one? Its a nice car. The ES has a better badge.
Whats gaudy about this interior? Its very elegant. The previous Lacrosse's interior was a weak point.
As for sales. The Lacrosse didn't sell? Says who? I see a fair number of them around. Sales look pretty good to me, I actually don't see Lacrosse's in rental fleets often. Most rental fleets use the Chevy Impala.
Yes, and as I understand it Buick is currently selling 5 times the vehicles in China that they are selling in the US. Hardly a reason for GM to discontinue the Buick brand, but then we all think we are the only country in the world that dictates business trends.
I see the current-generation LaCrosse here in the GTA quite often, so Buick must see a fair number, at least in South Central Ontario. But they all (or very many of them) have mis-aligned front and rear door window frames. That really bothered me; I hope they fix them for this new generation.
I see the current-generation LaCrosse here in the GTA quite often, so Buick must see a fair number, at least in South Central Ontario. But they all (or very many of them) have mis-aligned front and rear door window frames. That really bothered me; I hope they fix them for this new generation.
That's one of the reasons why I bought a Verano instead of a LaCrosse. The current Lacrosse rode smoother and had less engine noise with the V6, but its build quality did not impress me that much.....though Consumer Reports gives it a decent reliability rating. Nevertheless, the Verano seemed much more solidly screwed together.
You mean like the XTS, which is also FWD and has sold so well? I built both with similar equipment, and both came out to around $46k. In my mind, the XTS does square up with the ES.
False! Not only does the ES have a much lower starting price, but well-equipped it still comes out under $50,000. The XTS comes out at nearly $60,000. It has always been a DTS "replacement" rather than an ES competitor.
I don't know that I at all agree the ES is a better car. I wouldn't say the ES is a better car than the previous Lacrosse, let alone this car. Have you driven one? Its a nice car. The ES has a better badge.
Whats gaudy about this interior? Its very elegant. The previous Lacrosse's interior was a weak point.
As for sales. The Lacrosse didn't sell? Says who? I see a fair number of them around. Sales look pretty good to me, I actually don't see Lacrosse's in rental fleets often. Most rental fleets use the Chevy Impala.
Oh come on it's a fleet queen. The only non-fleet sales are to elderly midwesterners and Grade 8 GM employees.
Oh come on it's a fleet queen. The only non-fleet sales are to elderly midwesterners and Grade 8 GM employees.
Do you have some source for this?
I rarely see them in rental fleets when I rent cars, and the ones I see around are clearly driven by owners. The average age of an ES buyer is over 60 years old.
If you haven't driven one your statements that it is or is not as good a car as something else are pretty meaningless. I have driven the Lacrosse, and its every bit as nice a car to drive as an ES, perhaps even nicer. Where it falls being is build quality and the interior, but this is a new generation and both look to be much improved.
Your own distaste for GM cars is showing through here. 40-50k people a year buy these cars, and 100k+ people in China. Worldwide it sells a lot more than the ES so how does it "not sell"?
I rarely see them in rental fleets when I rent cars, and the ones I see around are clearly driven by owners. The average age of an ES buyer is over 60 years old.
If you haven't driven one your statements that it is or is not as good a car as something else are pretty meaningless. I have driven the Lacrosse, and its every bit as nice a car to drive as an ES, perhaps even nicer. Where it falls being is build quality and the interior, but this is a new generation and both look to be much improved.
Your own distaste for GM cars is showing through here. 40-50k people a year buy these cars, and 100k+ people in China. Worldwide it sells a lot more than the ES so how does it "not sell"?
Also, because I haven't driven a Lacrosse I can't have an opinion on it? According to your logic I can't have the opinion that Ferraris are fun to drive because I haven't driven one. I'm sure the Lacrosse drives like all other GM cars. While I haven't yet checked out this new one in person, I have spent some time with the current LaCrosse at auto shows and rental fleets and came away less impressed than I was with the Lexus ES. From interior design, to tech, quality of material, and build quality the LaCrosse reeked of the GM parts bin. We can talk about this all day but fact is that this new LaCrosse won't be making any impact on the market, most people won't even know it exists.
I'm originally from Michigan and know a lot of GM employees who say this, to add to that LaCrosse sales have been in the tank ever since GM decided cut its fleet deliveries.
Did you look at the sales figures I posted? How are they in the tank now vs in the past? Even in the links you posted, the sales are pretty stable. When did thus "fleet delivery cut" occur?
The first article you linked to says nothing about the Lacrosse. Nobody is denying that GM sells a lot of cars to fleets, what I'm saying is that in that full-sized car segment the fleet car is the Impala, not the Lacrosse. Again, look at the sales...theres no "in the tank". The numbers don't subscribe to your bias.
If you read and actually understand the article, that article is actually a positive article about GM sales, that while overall sales may be slightly below average, the dip is not equal to their reduction in fleet sales, meaning that share of retail sales are up.
For someone who actually is interested in what the article actually says:
Let's talk fleet sales
Fleet sales, which have often been synonymous with low profitability, have been generating fewer and fewer of GM's total sales throughout 2016 and accounted for only 11.6% of its total sales last month. That's quite a bit less than GM's year-to-date percentage of 19.5% and far under rival Ford's 26% during July.
More specifically, GM's less-profitable daily rental deliveries were down more than 10,000 units last month alone, a 42% decline. That's not a one-hit wonder, either, as GM's daily rental deliveries are down 38% year to date, compared with the prior year. Such a significant cut of less-desirable fleet sales has taken a hit on GM's total sales figures and market share -- but GM's retail share remains strong.
Let's talk retail market share
GM's retail sales were up 5% in July to 236,235 units, compared with the prior year. That 5% gain was driven by gains across all four of GM's brands, which collectively posted their best July retail sales result since 2007. Looking at year-to-date retail sales, Chevrolet is up 3% and remains the fastest-growing full-line brand in the industry.
Furthermore, based on GM's initial estimates, its retail market share rose 1 percentage point in July to 17.9%. That marks the Detroit automaker's highest monthly retail market share since December 2011. GM has also gained retail market share in 14 of the past 15 months. Our retail-focused plan is working, and as availability of our new cars, trucks, and crossovers continues to grow, we expect to keep our retail sales momentum going and our strong margins intact," said Kurt McNeil, U.S. vice president of sales operations, in a press release. "We are growing our retail business while keeping inventories lean [and] incentive spend disciplined, and growing our transaction prices faster than the industry average."
Emphasis added
Also, because I haven't driven a Lacrosse I can't have an opinion on it? According to your logic I can't have the opinion that Ferraris are fun to drive because I haven't driven one.
You can have an opinion, but it doesn't carry any weight beside the opinion of someone who has actually driven the car. It would be like me having an opinion of the LFA vs a Lamborghini Gallardo. I can have an opinion...but that doesn't mean that opinion has any value to anybody but me because I would have no idea what I was talking about since I have never driven either car.
People have lots of ideas and opinions about things they know nothing about. Doesn't mean they're relevant or of value, certainly not compared to an opinion of someone who has actually experienced the subject. A man with experience is not at the mercy of a man with an opinion.
We can talk about this all day but fact is that this new LaCrosse won't be making any impact on the market, most people won't even know it exists.
The 50,000 people who buy one every year know they exist lol. Thats an impact on the market. The Lacrosse outsells every Lexus that isn't the ES or RX...yet those Lexus models have an impact?
I sat in the passenger seat of the new Buick LaCrosse and asked the driver to turn on the engine, to start the air conditioning. She said the engine was running already. I didn’t believe her. Not a sound could be heard; not a vibration felt.
Photos by Mark RichardsonShe must have been mistaken. The new LaCrosse comes with automatic stop-start as standard, which turns the engine off when the car’s not moving to save fuel. (Europeans love this with their $2/litre gas, but North Americans are just discovering it.) The engine must have shut itself off while we waited. I touched the front dash and felt for vibration, and there was nothing to be felt.
“No, really, it’s running,” the driver said, and revved the engine as proof.
The passenger in the back seat chirped up: “I love that you couldn’t hear or feel the engine,” Cathy Turzewski said. “That’s exactly what we were trying to do.”
Turzewski is Buick’s global program engineering manager. She’s based in China, where drivers are less impressed with sound and fury and more concerned with keeping their parents comfortable in the family car. The next-generation LaCrosse we were sitting in was designed to be serenely quiet and supersmooth – a full-sized passenger car intended as much for passengers as the driver.
China is Buick’s biggest market, so the needs and wants of its drivers are essential to the company. Buicks are sold only in North America and in China, built in both regions, and three times as many vehicles are sold there compared with here.
We pulled away and the LaCrosse soaked up the bumps of Portland’s terrible roads. After a while, I swapped seats with Turzewski and sat in the back. There was so much legroom I thought the sedan was a stretch model, but no, it’s the regular size. This all-new model is only 15 millimetres longer than last year’s car, but the wheelbase is stretched out an extra 65 mm.
Turzewski, a chassis engineer, spoke about how the handling of the LaCrosse is improved by its front-drive wheels being pulled forward and all the wheels being pushed out a little. When we reached a section of particularly winding road out of town, with corners rated at 20 miles (32 kilometres) an hour and slower, I took over the driving and pushed the Sport button. This tightens the steering, firms the suspension, quickens the throttle response and adjusts the eight-speed automatic transmission.
Turzewski said she never gets carsick in the rear seat, so this became a challenge. The LaCrosse has an all-new 3.6-litre engine that makes 305 horsepower, the second generation for General Motors’ V-6 design, and it’s responsive enough when you flick through the paddle-shifted gears. The car is also about 135 kilograms lighter than before, thanks to lighter-weight construction materials, which helps its handling.
I hurled the big sedan around the corners, watching in the mirror for Turzewski to follow suit, but she never obliged.
It was a different matter later, when I returned with Amrit Mehta in the back. He’s the head of Buick’s product planning, an amiable Canadian based in Michigan, and he was already wearing a pair of anti-nausea wristbands. It was an ordeal for him earlier, he explained, driving with a pair of enthusiastic Americans.
We were in a different LaCrosse, the less expensive trim model that Mehta expects to be the volume seller. This “Preferred” edition starts at $39,730 with leather seats, while the loaded “Premium” edition will start at $44,950 (add $2,450 for all-wheel drive). The base model comes with leatherette seating and starts at $35,345.
Mehta said he’d be fine with the wristbands so I pushed the car a bit through the corners, but it wasn’t dropping down through the gears when I pressed on the throttle. At one point, we drove for at least 10 seconds with my foot hard to the floor and nothing really happened.
I let the original driver get back behind the wheel and she found the same thing. Mehta got off easy.
Later, Buick’s chief engineer explained that if the gear selector is moved from automatic to manual, then the transmission will only respond to the paddle shifters, not to the throttle. This is a design decision by Buick that I think is wrong, because if a driver needs to move an automatic transmission car in a hurry, it’s a reactive response to mash the pedal. In which case, the chief engineer said, don’t select manual.
I’m not convinced I was always in manual, because I thought I tried every combination to get the transmission to respond to the throttle. But I might have been. I’d already been proved wrong at the start of the day, after all.
Buick’s LaCrosse arrives in showrooms in September. Keep an eye out – you probably won’t hear it coming.
You’ll like this car if ... You want a quiet, spacious ride.
08-07-16, 08:49 AM
I built both with similar equipment, and both came out to around $46k. In my mind, the XTS does square up with the ES.
Turzewski, a chassis engineer, spoke about how the handling of the LaCrosse is improved by its front-drive wheels being pulled forward and all the wheels being pushed out a little. When we reached a section of particularly winding road out of town, with corners rated at 20 miles (32 kilometres) an hour and slower, I took over the driving and pushed the Sport button. This tightens the steering, firms the suspension, quickens the throttle response and adjusts the eight-speed automatic transmission.
Mehta said he’d be fine with the wristbands so I pushed the car a bit through the corners, but it wasn’t dropping down through the gears when I pressed on the throttle. At one point, we drove for at least 10 seconds with my foot hard to the floor and nothing really happened.