Buick Hopes LaCrosse Will Pull In A Younger Audience - But Aren't They Buying Crossovers?

The LaCrosse is a reasonably well styled - full size car - and these are the type of cars older people choose - plenty of interior room. IF GM and Buick market the car properly - it will compete well with the new Lincoln Continental - which will be $10,000 more. Yes - the Lincoln will have a 400HP engine available (Or maybe standard) - but the older folks will not need that. AND the Lincoln is also Front wheel drive too. Yes - it could be more like the Avenir - and if it were - it would compete better. Still - it is a reasonable replacement for all of those Mercury Grand Marquis and Ford Crown Vics that older folks need to trade in. With Ford not replacing the Taurus in the USA - I would expect both the Chevy Impala and this car to pick up sales who cannot afford the extra for the Lincoln.

What is the definition they are using for "young" 50?

It's styling is TERRIBLE. It hearkens back to the ugliness of the 2005 Lacrosse.

This is as dull as the Impala, yet the Impala is more attractive. I'd save some money and get the Impala if I wanted a large GM FWD sedan.

The problem for the Lacrosse is the very similar Malibu is much better looking and can be fully optioned for around the starting price of the Lacrosse which has no real advantages.

It's not like there's great prestige in the Buick name, so you get a pinch more room than the Malibu, but that's it.

Buick needed the Avenir and Avista, but that can't happen because then Buick would be much more of a draw than Cadillac.

I predict money on the hood and soft sales.

Not sure how many units were sold by Hyundai Azera or Kia Cadenza (both seriously stupid names, Cadenza reminds me of an actor on that Cosby spin off I never watched from the 80's). That said I think this is an interesting market. There are alot of folks who don't want SUV's and do want a nice riding larger car. I recently rented the Impala LTZ an thought it was terrific. I drove from Detroit airport to a meeting downtown then to Grand Rapids and back to Detroit airport. The LTZ was extremely nice looking in that metallic-y white, like a mother of pearl, it was pretty with I think 20" wheels. This car is nicer looking and for $40K its a bigger car than many others. Its much better looking than the Avalon, Maxima, Azera / Cadenza and who else? Buyers that go to a Buick GMC store will be looking for this car now that their only Buick car choices are Regal and LaCrosse. As they're targeting 50k in sales per year that's not too many per month to move...We'll see how they sell but I just think the other "luxury" cars are getting too high in price and with BO's economy still sucking, as planned, I think this car will find buyers looking for a nice car, that's a good value and they don't care who is impressed or unimpressed.

The Assera sold like ass so it's dead. The Credenza isn't much better for sales. I'd rather have a Genesis G80 or the Impala rather than a Lacrosse.