Spied: 2014 Buick LaCrosse
A nip here, a tuck there and fewer buttons inside.
This is minor, but any time someone spies a future model testing undisguised is a pleasant surprise.China Car Times posted photos of the 2014 Buick LaCrosse, spotted somewhere in China, where the locals buy roughly four times as many Buicks as we do. The grill has been lengthened and given a more pronounced "V" shape, as have the headlights that now stretch farther upward, like cat's-eye makeup.
The tail extends the chrome trunk trim across the taillights. Overall, it's pretty mild, but with less plastic bumper molding, it's less bulky-looking from the front than before.
On the inside, it appears Buick removed about half of the buttons on the current car's busy center stack, and added new cubbyholes for cellphones. We can't tell whether the new silver trim is real aluminum or painted plastic, but it signifies that Buick could be planning a sportier version of the LaCrosse (a turbo GS?) s it already has on the smaller Regal.
We'll find out later this year, possibly at the Chicago Auto Show in February.
[Source and Photos: China Car Times]
Buick has always been one of my favorite nameplates. I chose to ignore 2005 through 2010 as those were some dark days for Buick. But nothing makes me happier then to see 2 out of the 3 Buick models offering a manual with turbo charged engines. I love the new look of the LaCrosse, but I still prefer the Regal and Verano.
As far as the "old man" image goes, a lot of people were pretty embarrassed to get their doors blown off by my old '97 Regal GS "old man car."
They have, and their best example to date, worthy of "keep up the good work" is the Buick Regal GS Turbo 6-speed manual (which is actually an Opel out of the "Opel Performance Center" stable).
When they bring the diesel version of the Opel Insignia OPC sportwagon, I will be the first to get one. I saw one this last Summer when I was in Europe... a beautiful piece of machinery, and it was a diesel with a manual, too.
http://www.opel.de/fahrzeuge/modelle/personenwagen/insignia-sports-tourer/index.html
I must admit that Buick has gone to great lengths to shed it's stodgy, old-man image. Their cars often catch my eye when I see them on the road. However, as Mr. Atiyeh points out in an earlier posting, the name "Buick" sounds old. Aside from the fact that they do not offer a fuel economy leader, I just cannot bring myself to consider one based on the stodgy, old-man image I get when i think about the name "Buick." Afterall, it's got the work "ick" right in it's name.
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