Chicago 2004 Highlights: Buick LaCrosse

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Buick
Buick LaCrosse

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LaCrosse, featuring an all-new exterior and interior design, marks a renewed emphasis on Buick passenger cars after the division focused its attention on creating a new market presence in trucks.

"At Buick, we decided to dramatically widen our customer base into trucks and so we brought out the Rendezvous crossover for 2002, the Rainier SUV for 2004 and the Terraza crossover sport van for 2005," said Hines. "In each case, we have offered refined vehicles that reflect Buick's traditional strengths.

Buick's officials have said the future lineup - forecast to be split evenly between cars and truck-based models - could include a new full-size sedan, a rear-wheel-drive flagship sedan and an elegant convertible. Details on future models will be announced later.

LaCrosse is assembled at GM's assembly plant in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, which has been recognized in a major independent study as being at the very top in quality.

Standard in the CXS is a new aluminum engine, the 3.6L V-6 VVT (variable valve timing), that delivers an estimated 240 horsepower and 230 lb.-ft. of torque and estimated fuel economy of 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. One of a new generation of "high feature" General Motors powerplants, this premium engine has dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder. Its fully variable intake and exhaust valve timing achieves outstanding flexibility, delivering 90 percent of the engine's peak torque where it is most useful, between 1600 rpm and 6000 rpm.

The result is an engine that "delivers impressive power across a wide range of driving conditions, while being extremely smooth and quiet," said Tim Cyrus, global V-6 chief engineer for GM Powertrain. This is the first North American application of the sophisticated global V-6 in a front-drive sedan.

The other LaCrosse versions, CX and CXL, are powered by one of the most renowned engines in GM's lineup, the 3.8L 3800 V-6, now in Series III form. The award-winning 3800, generating an estimated 200 horsepower and 225 lb.-ft. of torque, has long been a favorite of Buick owners in the flagship Park Avenue, full-size LeSabre and midsize Regal. Among its upgrades is an electronic throttle control, which improves engine response and fuel efficiency while reducing complexity, as well as structural upgrades for quieter operation. Estimated fuel economy is 20 mpg city and 29 mpg highway.
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