New Buick Lucerne Priced to Compete in Large Car Market

Six airbags, including a dual stage airbag for the driver and an industry-first application of GM's exclusive dual-depth front passenger airbag, keep occupants safe. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

To complement the tight panel gaps and overall upscale ambiance is GM's exclusive "QuietTuning" process. While quiet steel is incorporated into the Lucerne's build strategy, refining suspension components and tuning, engine mounts, and wind noise are sure to make it a luxurious ride.

A standard 16-inch alloy wheel and tire package should optimize comfort without any significant performance loss over larger 17-inch rims and rubber, and when it comes time for replacement cost much less. That said, 17- and 18-inch aluminum wheels are available.

Maintaining

Buick constantly rates extremely high on J.D. Power's Initial Quality rating and Vehicle Dependability Study. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

safety will be six airbags, including a dual stage airbag for the driver and an industry-first application of GM's exclusive dual-depth front passenger airbag (see today's news). Also included are side-impact thorax bags and roof-rail curtain airbags, standard. 


The new Buick will be built at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center, which incidentally achieved the Silver Plant Quality Award for North/South America in the 2004 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study. On another note, Buick constantly rates extremely high on J.D. Power's vehicle testing, coming in fifth out of thirty-seven nameplates for Initial Quality, and second out of thirty-seven rivals in the Vehicle Dependability Study.

GM isn't specific about exactly when the Lucerne will become available, only stating that production "will commence in the fourth quarter of 2005." The fourth quarter of 2005 began Monday of this week, of course, while it ends December 31st. Most likely, being that prices were only just announced, production will begin later this month with deliveries starting sometime in early- to mid-November.

Note: Additional larger photos are available in the photo album