General Motors hopes a bevy of new models for its four remaining brands — Chevy, Cadillac, Buick and GMC trucks — will drive a sales rebound and help the company recapture some of its old luster.
GM officials hope the new Buick LaCrosse sedan, which has drawn strong praise from some seemingly surprised automotive critics, will win the hearts of Lexus and Acura buyers.
For aspiring upper-income consumers, the new LaCrosse “is an opportunity to get all the luxury they deserve without the premium price tag that goes along with the [Lexus] badge,” said Jon Bustetter, regional Buick-GMC marketing manager.
Edmunds.com, comparing the LaCrosse to the Lexus ES350, wrote “we have no doubt that the .?.?. LaCrosse is a game-changing, brand-defining automobile that will go far to both revitalize Buick and promote the new General Motors.”
Since mid-July, GM has brought four new vehicles to the market: the LaCrosse, the Cadillac SRX crossover, and two small crossover SUVs, the Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain. Early returns on all have been good, with GM announcing increased production to meet dealer orders.
Detroit-based auto company GM said sales soared 30 percent from July, largely on the success of the Clunkers program, which gave car buyers rebates for trading in gas-guzzling vehicles for more fuel-efficient models.
“We believe the program was a strong shot in the arm for the economy and that our four core brands – Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac – are well-positioned with new products to take advantage of the ongoing recovery in the market,” said Mark LaNeve, vice president of U.S. sales.
Locally produced GM vehicles fared worse than the company overall.
U.S. sales of the Cadillac CTS tumbled 56 percent, while the STS skidded 65.4 percent. Both sedans are made at the Lansing Grand River assembly plant.
Meanwhile, U.S. sales of the Buick Enclave dropped 31.7 percent, while the GMC Acadia slid 25.1 percent and the Saturn Outlook plunged 68.1 percent. All three crossovers are made at the Lansing Delta Township assembly plant.
There was no tally for the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon, also made at Lansing Grand River, because the vehicle just went into production Aug. 19.
Sales of local Cadillac models were down because of a lack of competitive leasing, which GM recently brought back for several models, GM spokesman John McDonald said.
No ‘Clunkers’
Also, the Enclave, Acadia and Outlook didn’t qualify for the Cash for Clunkers program.
“People were just knocking themselves over to get small cars, small crossovers, small pickups. The larger segment of vehicles suffered in August,” McDonald said.
Shaheen Buick Pontiac GMC in Mt. Pleasant sold 105 cars through the Cash for Clunkers, and the flow of potential car buyers is continuing.
“Now that the Clunkers has stopped, we still have showroom traffic,” Shaheen said. “Not as brisk as during Cash for Clunkers, but it is still at a decent pace and we’re seeing our used-car department picking up.”
Capitol Cadillac couldn’t take advantage of the Clunkers program because none of the vehicles the Lansing dealership sold qualified, sales manager Greg Miller said.
Inventory low
And although demand has been high for locally made Cadillac models, Miller said sales suffered because inventory was low while the Lansing Grand River plant sat idle for most of the summer. It resumed production in early August.
“We’re optimistic about having a great September,” Miller said.
“New leasing is back; that’s going to be a huge shot in the arm for General Motors.”
GM’s performance was in stark contrast to Ford Motor Co., which saw sales climb 17.2 percent in August from a year earlier. Japanese automakers Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. also posted gains in August, with Toyota’s U.S. sales rising 6.4 percent and Honda gaining 9.9 percent.
2010 Buick LaCrosse
2010 Buick LaCrosse
According to Car and Driver Magazine “The redesigned LaCrosse has a stunning interior, comfort and convenience features to match anything in its class, and road manners that keep the driver interested. The exterior is a bit derivative, but that doesn’t change the fact that this is the most interesting Buick sedan in a long time.” With a “Gorgeous interior, handsome gauge cluster, a back seat spacious enough for anyone.”
Conclusion: “No longer a plodding sofa on wheels, the LaCrosse is competent and displays some friskiness without being so aggressive as to alienate current Buick owners.”
2009 Buick Lucerne
2009 Buick Lucerne
Car and Driver says “This is Buick’s top-of-the-line sedan, sharing its underpinnings with the Cadillac DTS. This is a hushed, relaxed-fit full-size car that is smooth, competent, and unlikely to appeal to anyone under 50 years old. The top-spec Super delivers loads of power and luxury.” With “Plenty of room and power, old-school luxury cruising at its finest, clean interior design.”
Conclusion: “Quiet cabin, predictable dynamics, and smooth ride. It’s a Buick.”
2008 Buick Enclave
The 2008 Buick Enclave
Motor Trend Says “It’s the type of paradox that makes General Motors’ number of divisions such a dilemma. Buick sells 72 percent of its cars in North America through dealerships shared with Pontiac and GMC. GM hopes to have all those dealers selling all three brands someday soon, so the last thing Buick needs is a rebadged GMC. And yet, to reestablish itself as an aspirational marque for buyers (well) under 65, the first thing it needs is something with the style and elegance of the new Enclave. Success pretty much depends on whether the Enclave’s unique sheetmetal and interior convince buyers to choose it over the likes of Mercedes-Benz R-Class, Lexus RX 350, and Audi Q7. As with other modern unibody SUVs, this living-room luxury-along with market demand for three rows of seats, every type of stability and traction control, and every possible airbag iteration known to man-has offset the weight advantages these new car-based SUVs intend to offer. The 2008 Enclave is 8.4 inches longer than the 2007 Buick Rainier (a two-row SUV) with a six-inch-longer wheelbase. The Rainier tows up to 2200 pounds more than the Enclave and is about 450 pounds lighter. Compared with the three-row V-8 GMC Yukon, though, the Enclave is just 0.2 inch shorter and 600 pounds slimmer. At the $3.50 gas pump, this means plus-2 mpg city and plus-3 mpg highway versus either the Yukon or Rainier six, based on 2007 EPA numbers. The 2008 Enclave uses the new EPA calculation, which drops fuel mileage 1 mpg city, 2 mpg highway for AWD models and 2/2 mpg for FWD models. The real advantage these new things have over trucky SUVs is that they can legitimately be called cars. Tall as it is, with its length and proportions, the Buick Enclave melds SUV and minivan into a modern station-wagon shape, heir to an early 1950s Roadmaster Estate or a 1971 Estate Wagon. Squish one of those wagons at both ends to make it not quite so long, but taller for good interior space, like watching a wide-screen movie on a small, square TV, and you’ve got the Enclave.”