wildcat

An April 13, 2006 article from Business Week gives Bob Lutz the chance to speak on GM's behalf. To view the piece, click here.

I didn't read the above long post, but I'm relieved that it doesn't seem to be the Steve Miller of Jet Airliner, Fly Like An Eagle, etc. Now, had it been Glenn Miller , I would have read every word!

Variance, CSpec, Camino: Thank you each as well! VenSeattle: Ha-ha! Somebody I had once dated later said, behind my back, that I was "too nice"! Guess I'll accept your "too kind," but, then again, maybe I should toughen up some.

I can accept that Buick doesn't need to be a full-line make anymore. I only hope that however many vehicles Buicks winds up with... 3, 4, 5 ???... that they are the best Buicks ever built, that offer no compromises, that reflect what Buicks used to be and should be now. American, affordable luxury. The Enclave could be one of them, perhaps the Statesman, too (though I wish they'd call it Invicta and jazz up the styling more than the computer-generated images are indicating).

Sometimes some of us must seem like hungry wolves at dinnertime when it comes to waiitng for new pictures and information. So thanks to each of you for posting all of the Saturn stuff tonight. Sincerely, - wildcat

Right, I don't see the Buick Enclave in this or vice versa (but something about the side does remind me of something else). I wouldn't call the Outlook beautiful; Buick has that covered.

If it's the same one, I remember Qua Buick from my childhood. It was a highlight for me when my family would drive by the dealership in Shaker Heights, Ohio, when we would visit up that way. Qua's ads used to say, "Qua stands for quality!" < sigh >

Car and Driver has weighed in with their evaluation of the '06 Buick Lucerne CXS. Read it by clicking here.

What has caused "GM's Quality Quandry," and how can they fix it? Here's one view, from Mark Phelan in the Detroit Free Press.

With morale declining, younger talent is leaving Detroit, according to a report in Business Week Online.

It has been revealed that Rick Wagoner was ready to resign, if the GM Board of Directors hadn't given him their vote of confidence. Click here for the report on msnbc.com.

What is that? A Pontiac El Catamino ?

A positive review of the '06 Buick Lucerne has been made by cnn.com. They called it, ". . . a near-perfect blend of brand, concept, and execution and offers a bit of hope for GM's future."

Wow! Wait'll you see this: a pimped out Buick Lucerne DUB Edition, as reported by edmunds.com. The vehicle will be shown in 16 major U.S. markets this year. Personally I like the exterior with the 22-inch chrome rims and other effects; I don't need a TV screen or DVD inside, though. What do you think?

I did notice the dog leashes become pink.

Northstar: Thank you for providing a reality check (both here and on that other site) to the poster's statements. Several other people there are questioning his information, too, but he says that it came from a PowerPoint presentation given to "a V.P. at a manager sales meeting this last Mon, then to us."

The person who wrote the information seems to work at a GMC (?) dealer, and provided brief information about Aura engines, the G6 convertible, the new GMC Sierra, and the three Lambdas.

Me: I'm part of the thread's "focus" group. (Ask how I'm pronouncing that word.) Not offended but not impressed. I like the one with dogs, but that's because I like dogs.

Is that report from a different GM fansite correct? That production of the Buick Enclave, Saturn Outlook, and GMC Acadia starts simultaneously in October?

Or click on this. You can choose from "GM's Difficult Road Ahead"; "New Wheels in Detroit"; or, the one just mentioned, "GM's Push for Better Design."

I was glad to see the piece, including to hear Mr. Wagoner answer those questions (he seems confident), the visit to the Cadillac advanced design studio, and the footage of the Buick Enclave. But I doubt that it will change the general public's perception of GM, despite saying that GM is building better vehicles than ever. How many times was the word bankrupt mentioned? And all Steve Kroft could say about the Saturn Sky was "It isn't stodgy." National health care now!

If that's the NG CTS, it looks great. If that's a coupe named ____, it looks great. If that's a sedan named ____, it looks great. If that's Cadillac's next concept, it looks great. Have I made myself clear?

thegriffon: Thank you for posting this! Mr. Wagoner is in an extremely difficult position, and I'm glad that he has consented to be interviewed. I feel for him on many of the questions. P.S. - I have unsubscribed from Buickman's website and e-mails. It just got to be too much to keep hearing.

evok: Thank you for alerting us! Wow! What a big (blingy?) grille and emblem, but then, if Cadillac's to be the standard of the world, go for it!

ehaase: Thank you for posting this. As I've said before, Buick isn't the cause of GM's problems. But GM is d*** sure the cause of Buick's problems. GM is the entity which "damaged" Buick (and Pontiac). They're lucky sales didn't fall of 75% when all that they were offering was, essentially, two cars (the Century + Regal, the LeSabre + Park Avenue), then they delay the replacement for the Century and Regal, then they end LeSabre production but didn't start up Lucerne production right away, then they get a lot of positive reaction to Enclave but schedule it third in order of release for the Lambdas. Cananopie: You're right. The Rendezvous' average buyer age was 58. When Buick has had any sort of decent product, it has sold (that leaves out the Terraza rebadge and pedestrian LaCrosse). All GM has done in the last 15 years with Buick is take, take, take. the griffon: Buick didn't die. As Jerry Flint said, if they can't save Buick, they can't save anything. What does GM do? Kill recognizable nameplates (LeSabre, Century) and pick goofy new ones (Lucerne, Statesman). Buick's got a great, American heritage and they need to be allowed to use it. Instead, GM only knows to harvest all the profits it can; corporate shortsightedness is right. I do agree with the article that Buick hasn't been able to capitalize on its quality awards, though lately when you go to their website or see ads, I think they're trying. I don't see any benefit in having Tiger Woods. GM royally screwed up Oldsmobile (wasn't it the oldest American brand?), and has nearly killed Buick and Pontiac. Nice job, ***holes!