Vying for Import Buyers and Measuring Up to the Task
When I first saw Buick's new Allure in photos, a model that the brand's marketing arm was touting as the first of a new
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| The new Allure's styling is more of a Buick evolution rather than a revolution. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
Not really. While its ovoid headlight clusters are a bit of a departure, the Allure still sports the now trademark elliptical, vertical-bar "waterfall" grille, flowing Jaguar-like lines and midsize dimensions, somewhere in between the Regal and Century it replaces, that all Buicks have exuded over the last decade or so. No bad thing, its styling is more of an evolution than revolution.
And now that I've driven it I'm glad I hadn't written off its "all-new" spin as
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| The "all-new" Buick is one formidable contender, easily ready to do battle with any import in the land. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
"What have you been smoking in your left-coast office," I hear you saying? Yes, I know I've been pretty hard on most General Motors products in recent years, and I'm not ashamed of the fact. I felt all of my criticism was deserved, and if this particular Buick suffered from the same indecencies as Pontiac's Grand Prix, for instance, you'd no doubt be similarly suffering through rants and raves ad nauseam while reading this review. Fortunately, for your sake and Buick's, Bob Lutz and his team got this one right.