Buick crashing SEMA with 11 custom Lucernes - GM Performance Tuning

jamz · #1 (**permalink**) 10-05-2006, 05:07 PM

Filed under: Aftermarket, Concept Cars, SEMA, Sedans/Saloons, Buick

Like a dad descending the basement steps and asking in on a round of Halo 2 with his son and his buddies, Buick will be showing up at SEMA this year with no less than 11 customized Lucernes. It will be the first time in the event's 43-year history that General Motors' elder-brand will appear on the show floor. Just to give this some perspective, the median age of a Buick buyer is 65, which happens to be a decade shy of the life expectancy for males in this country.

If you're expecting to see 11 Lucernes that look like part of an Xzibit rental fleet with woofers, LCDs and automatic Red Bull dispensers, you'll likely be disappointed. The Lucerne's will reportedly be customized in the "VIP style" that's popular in Japan right now in which vehicles forego the bling for modifications that enhance their luxury and status. We say good luck to Buick in its efforts to be hip and immerse itself in youth culture, because we know how serious those kids take their Halo 2.

[Source: BrandWeek]
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ROKTMAN · #2 (**permalink**) 10-05-2006, 06:38 PM

Should be interesting ....

jamz · #3 (**permalink**) 10-05-2006, 08:05 PM

Can't wait to see pics!

jeremy96gase · #4 (**permalink**) 10-06-2006, 04:01 PM

In a sea of Sport compacts they are going to "forego the bling for modifications"?

It'll be an intresting change for the Buick marketing.

RoadMonster · #5 (**permalink**) 11-02-2006, 07:52 PM

Heck, I'm just glad Buick is doing SOMETHING!

Stewart

jamz · #6 (**permalink**) 11-02-2006, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoadMonster

Heck, I'm just glad Buick is doing SOMETHING!

Stewart

Very true .. they sat idle for a long time! Some forward thinkinng is better than none for sure.

jeremy96gase · #7 (**permalink**) 11-02-2006, 10:55 PM

Oh, here.
The three most recent posts are for Buick's at Sema.
http://www.autoblog.com/category/buick/

Here's a direct link to the post with all 11 Lucerns (after the old school image)
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/30/g...-3-the-buicks/

Formula92 · #8 (**permalink**) 11-02-2006, 11:15 PM

Ooooo, I think I really like it, although, I hate the ricer stickers on the side, but I do like the simple custom look. Better than I expected!

RoadMonster · #9 (**permalink**) 11-03-2006, 12:35 PM

Thanks for posting those links.

I like most of what I saw.

I agree, the stickers have to go...

The whiteish-gold colored Lucerne looks really nice to me.

However, I'd rather have the classic white convertible ;)

Stewart

99blackSE · #10 (**permalink**) 11-11-2006, 01:13 AM

Wow some of those look really nice!

^ that screams Mercedes Benz to me, but still nice.

This one is my favourite though:

BlackJack · #11 (**permalink**) 11-11-2006, 10:52 PM

whacked!

Danmuzicman · #12 (**permalink**) 08-25-2008, 12:13 AM

dude some of the lucernes and the other new ones look pretty dam good with some wheels on it. TO bad they are next on the cutting block along with pontiac

jeremy96gase · #13 (**permalink**) 08-25-2008, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danmuzicman

dude some of the lucernes and the other new ones look pretty dam good with some wheels on it. TO bad they are next on the cutting block along with pontiac

What are you talking about?
Neither Buick or Pontiac are on the chopping block. Only Hummer is on the block.

And just today GM released a teaser pic of the new Lucerne Grill.
LA Preview: GM releases teaser pic of 2010 Buick Lacrosse - Autoblog

Danmuzicman · #14 (**permalink**) 08-25-2008, 10:32 PM

2010 is when gm projects itself running out of money and do like ford and file for bankruptcy. here are two just to name few... Its not going to happen tomorrow but it could.... could happen and if it is those are the first two to go after they drop SAAB and their Toyota partnership for the vibe. They just need to trim and stop over spending. I swear we had a huge thread on this somewhere on this site.

Saving General Motors - Forbes.com
COMPANY NEWS; A G.M. Jobless Fund Runs Out; the 2d Is Solvent - New York Times

jeremy96gase · #15 (**permalink**) 08-26-2008, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danmuzicman

2010 is when gm projects itself running out of money and do like ford and file for bankruptcy. here are two just to name few... Its not going to happen tomorrow but it could.... could happen and if it is those are the first two to go after they drop SAAB and their Toyota partnership for the vibe. They just need to trim and stop over spending. I swear we had a huge thread on this somewhere on this site.

Saving General Motors - Forbes.com
COMPANY NEWS; A G.M. Jobless Fund Runs Out; the 2d Is Solvent - New York Times

GM is doing what it has to. They've cut the marketing budge, moved back the redesign of the GMT900 trucks, put the DTS/STS redesign on hold, brought the Astra over, improved fuel millage of the Cobalt, and otherwise trimming of the fat.
It's going to take time. Don't give up on them too quickly. Forecasts that far out are rarely reliable. Just look at the NYTimes February 26, 1993 link you posted. The Auto industry has always had problems.

Hummer will be sold long before Saab.
The upcoming 9-6x is based on the Caddy SRX replacement. The 9-3 is based on the Epsilon architecture. Even the 9-5 next year will ride on the Epsilon 2 platform. It's going to be difficult to separate them.

GM makes money on EVERY Vibe sold, because they only R&D the interior of the Vibe/Matrix and the exterior of the Vibe. The power train/suspension/hard parts are tall done by Toyota in developing the Corolla. Not to mention the NIMMI plant is a joint venture with Toyota, and if they didn't have the Vibe it'd be much harder to make any GM's there.