Buick Lucerne

Buick Lucerne
Overview
Manufacturer	General Motors
Production	2005-June 15, 2011
Model years	2006–2011
Assembly	Hamtramck, Michigan, United States (Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly)
Designer	Joel Piaskowski[1]
Body and chassis
Class	Full-size luxury car (E)
Body style	4-door sedan
Layout	FF layout
Platform	G platform
Related	Cadillac DTS
Powertrain
Engine	3.8 L 3800 Series III V6 3.9 L High Value V6 4.6 L Northstar V8
Transmission	4-speed 4T65-E automatic (V6) 4-speed 4T80-E automatic (V8)
Dimensions
Wheelbase	115.6 in (2,936 mm)
Length	203.2 in (5,161 mm)
Width	73.8 in (1,875 mm)
Height	58.0 in (1,473 mm)
Chronology
Predecessor	Buick LeSabre Buick Park Avenue
Successor	Buick LaCrosse

The Buick Lucerne is a full-size luxury car manufactured by General Motors from 2005 to 2011. Named for the city of Lucerne, Switzerland, it served as Buick's top-of-the-line sedan until it was replaced by the second generation Buick LaCrosse.

History[]

The Lucerne replaced both the full-size LeSabre and top-of-the-line Park Avenue in the Buick lineup. It was based on a revised G platform, though GM continued to refer to it as the H.^[2]

It was introduced with the standard 3.8 liter Buick V6 (also known as the GM 3800 engine), with a 4.6 liter Cadillac Northstar LD8 V8 and the Chevrolet Corvette's Magnetic Ride Control active suspension available as options. All General Motors 3.8 L V6 powered cars become the first SULEV-compliant vehicles.

2011 Buick Lucerne CX

2008 Buick Lucerne rear view.

In keeping with Buick tradition, the Lucerne featured a row of "Ventiports" on the front fenders corresponding to the number of cylinders in the engine — three on each side for the V6 or four for the V8. The CXL trim package added numerous premium features.

The Lucerne was built at GM's Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly Plant alongside the Cadillac DTS. The plant won Initial Quality Awards from J.D. Power and Associates from 2004 through 2006. GM also lead all other automakers in Strategic Vision's Total Quality Index (TQI) ^[3]

2008 Buick Lucerne controls closeup

Sales remained brisk through much of 2007. The Super was introduced at the 2007 New York Auto Show, featuring the sophisticated 4.6 liter Northstar L37 V8 and upscale trim. In addition to 17 hp (13 kW) extra horsepower over the CXS V8, updated front end styling and a rear spoiler created a bolder, sportier look.

All Lucernes got modest mid-cycle updates in 2008, including a lane departure warning system and revised exterior colors. Two new trim levels, CXL Special Edition (with more standard features than regular CXL) and Super, were added for 2008.

The 2009 Lucerne received some small upgrades, including a new base engine, the 3.9 L GM High Value LZ9 V6, Bluetooth phone connectivity, and XM NavTraffic. Flex-fuel technology was made available at no additional cost.^[4]

For 2010, the Super's rocker panels, grille, and fog lights were added to the entire Lucerne lineup.

The 2011 Lucerne was largely unchanged. The last was built on June 15, 2011.^[5] The second generation LaCrosse replaced it as Buick's flagship sedan for 2012.^[6]

Engines[]

Safety[]

The Buick Lucerne earns a "Good" overall score in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) front impact test,^[9] and an "Acceptable" score in the side impact test.^[10] The IIHS also found that 2006-08 model year Lucerne had the highest fatality rate in the large 4-door car class.^[11]

Yearly American sales[]

References[]

External links[]

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