Favorable reviews of the Lucerne -

I'm feeling validated .. here are two short articles about the car, first from CNN/Money magazine. The second is from just a few weeks ago in the Austin American Statesman.

This well-thought-out machine offers a bit of hope for troubled automaker General Motors' future.

FORTUNE Small Business Magazine
By Alex Taylor III, FSB contributor
April 7, 2006: 4:14 PM EDT

NEW YORK (FORTUNE Small Business Magazine) - It takes me only a few minutes to figure out whether I'm comfortable in a new car. Sure, familiarity helps, but so do good ergonomics, intuitive controls, fine materials, and accommodating seats.

The 2006 Buick Lucerne felt as comfortable as an old sweater from the moment I climbed into it, and my appreciation only grew after logging close to 300 miles on the odometer over the span of 36 hours. This is one well-thought-out machine.
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BUICK LUCERNE '06

* CSX V-8: 275 horsepower

* 0-60 mph: 7.6 seconds

* Base sticker price: $35,256

Does liking a Buick make me an old fogey? I hope not -- both for my sake and for General Motors'. Buick has been taking a beating lately because of fears that it is dying along with its customers.

There's some truth to that. Buick buyers are among the grayest for any brand, with a median age of 65, and as they move to that great parking lot in the sky, their children and grandchildren are moving on to other nameplates. Short of cash, GM has accelerated Buick's decline by diverting scarce resources elsewhere, leaving the division with a hodgepodge of vehicles that are long in the tooth, badly cribbed from other models, or both.

With the 2005 LaCrosse, its first shot at reviving Buick, GM failed to add enough spice, but it has cooked up a winner with the Lucerne. The recipe is the same: Take an existing platform (in this case the Cadillac DTS) and give it a new look. The difference is the attitude.

The Lucerne has a rakish stance -- new for Buick -- and seems to be leaning slightly forward on its tires. Its metal skin is wrapped tightly around the frame, especially in the rear fenders, and it's devoid of ornamentation. The front end is forgettable -- the gaping Buick grille evokes no emotion of any kind, and the headlamps are nondescript -- but the rest of the car looks stylish and contemporary. Fake portholes, an amusing retro touch, identify it at once as a Buick.

Sliding behind the wheel, I immediately noticed that Buick has channeled Toyota's knack for making intuitive switches and controls. A special award goes to the audio system, which allows you to toggle effortlessly between AM, FM, and XM Satellite. It became quickly indispensible during my drive in a part of upstate New York that is starved of radio signals. One complaint: The headlamp/wiper stalk, which seemingly populates everything in the GM lineup, is a bit too familiar.

The Lucerne comes with a V-6 standard, but the V-8, Buick's first in a decade, is the way to go here. It's GM's proven Northstar engine, and it puts out 275 horsepower, enough to push the Lucerne to 60 miles an hour in 7.6 seconds. For a front-wheel-drive car, the Lucerne tracks through corners with a minimum of fuss and never feels unstable. This is a big sedan, yet it's responsive enough to be fun to drive. The base sticker price for the V-8 version: $35,256. The CXS test model I drove, with iridescent sharkskin paint, temperature-controlled seats, and other goodies, came to $38,480.

In its struggles for survival, GM has introduced several new models that were supposed to save the company but failed to live up to their billing. Almost no hype surrounded the industry launch of the Lucerne at the end of 2005 -- the car appears in dealerships this month -- but it delivers a near-perfect blend of brand, concept, and execution and offers a bit of hope for GM's future.

COMMENTARY: PETE SZILAGYI
Buick's best ever?
Probably. Updated Lucerne comfortable, roomy, classy – a premium car without premium price tag.

By Pete Szilagyi
SPECIAL TO THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Saturday, March 25, 2006

ith General Motors' problems gone public, everybody's an expert on the company's miscues.

Here's my take: GM should have moved more creative capital to Buick in the 1990s and regularly updated its core lineup of sedans instead of trying to become an SUV company.

GENERAL MOTORS
(enlarge photo)

The Buick Lucerne is front-wheel drive, a benefit when driving in wet weather.

GENERAL MOTORS
(enlarge photo)

The Lucerne's roomy cabin is modestly but smartly furnished with unobtrusive dials, two 12-volt plugs and an MP3 player plug-in.

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When the Buick Lucerne was launched late in 2005, my cynical side thought it might be a warmed-over, "oops, they did it again," ditto of a 1980s design. Then I looked more carefully and drove one for a week.

The Lucerne seems to be a fine car, following Buick's traditional values of plush comfort, roominess and a dose of filigree. It's technologically up-to-date, and an engineering and stylistic success. Probably Buick's best ever.

Like the Chrysler 300 and Mercury Montego, the Lucerne is a modern version of the full-size American road car. As befits the class, Lucerne's cabin is like a living room, but one with smart, modern and efficient furnishings. Even large drivers should be comfortable in the wide seats, though lumbar support might be insufficient. The trunk is roomy enough to hold golf bags and ice chests.

The Lucerne is cousin to the Cadillac DTS, which basically gives Buick buyers premium DNA at more affordable prices, in this case $26,000 to $35,000. That makes the Lucerne lineup $8,000 to $10,000 less than DTS models, which are dressier but not necessarily better equipped than the Buicks.

The Lucerne has three trim levels — CX, CXL, CXS — starting with a 197-horsepower, 3.8-liter V-6. But the 275-horsepower V-8 is better matched to the Lucerne's weight. Gas mileage is just a couple of gallons fewer than the V-6's, though premium gas is recommended for the V-8 and not for the V-6.

My test model, a CXL with V-8 (total sticker price, $34,595) seemed to be a good balance of price vs. performance.

The Buick is front-wheel drive, an important plus for wet-weather traction but a negative for aggressive driving. It suits the Buick's personality well, with the torque V-8 pulling this sizable car along smartly for urban errands and highway cruising. One more gear in the automatic transmission would be helpful.

Although the CXL's electro-magnetic steering felt overly light, the body structure was stiffer and driving dynamics sharper than in previous Buicks. Insulation from road and wind noise was impressive.

Wisely, stylists weren't influenced by what's cool in Japan and Europe. They created what is clearly a Buick, right down to the faux portholes on the front fender. Moreover, they knew when to stop.

Inside, simplicity seemed to be the goal as well. Dials and buttons are unobtrusive. Two 12-volt plugs and an MP3 player plug-in are provided front and center. Yes!

The dashboard, console and door panels are relatively plain, with pleasingly tactile surfaces. It is the "less is more" school of design. It's hard to believe I almost wrote off this car.

In his 24 years of writing a column for the Austin American-Statesman, Pete Szilagyi has driven more than 1,200 new cars and trucks. You may reach him at petesz@macconnect.com.

According to Pete . . .

Target audience: Buick aims Lucerne at middle-agers falling out of love with their SUVs and ready for the traditional Detroit luxury car.

Highs: Styling, ergonomics, engine, roominess.

Lows: Needs a 5-speed automatic, better lumbar support.

Bottom line: The 21st century Buick.