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| 2010 Buick LaCrosse First Impressions |
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Mont-Tremblant, Quebec – Introducing a new, refined luxury sedan that will quickly see the Buick Allure it’s replacing fade into distant memory. Dubbed LaCrosse, it’s the first “global” Buick.
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| There’s a world of difference between the Buick LaCrosse and the Buick Allure it’s replacing. |
“Global” because it was developed in conjunction with GM Europe (recently acquired by Canadian OEM Magna), GM’s research centre in Shanghai and its design studios in the United States.
The Europeans created the chassis and the drive trains, the Asians designed the interior and contributed to the engineering, and the Americans dreamed up the graceful lines of the body.
New from A to Z
One look at the LaCrosse, and you know you’re not just dealing with a crude evolution of the Buick Allure. On the contrary, this mid-size car couldn’t be more different.
New drive trains, new profile, new cabin… to paraphrase the slogan thought up for the defunct Oldsmobile brand in 1988 to herald its comeback: this is not your father’s Buick!
Up ‘til now, GM wanted us to think of the Buick Allure as a vaguely swankier alternative to the Chevrolet Malibu or Toyota Camry. That was then. The new LaCrosse is as sophisticated as the Lexus ES 350 and Acura TL it’s looking to emulate.
So it’s not surprising that the LaCrosse commands a base price distinctly higher than that of its predecessor. In fact, 5,000 dollars separate the MSRP of the 2009 Allure CX and the 2010 LaCrosse CX. A difference that is justified by richer appointments and higher tech construction.
GM decided on this drastic change in course to attract a younger client base to the century-old brand by trying to create a more intense desire for this new, mid-size sedan. An essential factor to get the attention of consumers tempted by Acura and Lexus products.
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| The dash board is quite modern, something seldom seen in a Buick. |
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