2006 Buick Lucerne Preview

Buick's Rebirth: Phase Two

The all-new Buick Lucerne sedan leaps forward with a new V8 engine and added technology, but retains elements of its forbearers.

Buick's success hinges on the all new 2006 Lucerne, the first Buick sedan to offer a V8 engine in nearly a decade. Along with the smaller new LaCrosse, it's intended to attract younger buyers while retaining the tried and true older Buick demographic. This near-luxury division slots just beneath Cadillac in General Motors' complicated sub-brand hierarchy.

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The full-size Lucerne melds old with new. It delivers decent performance with a smooth ride and a comfortable, quiet interior — attractive attributes for those who must endure a grueling daily commute or travel long distances. Traditionalists might lament that the Lucerne replaces two venerable nameplates: the LeSabre, a long-standing and well-loved company mainstay; and the Park Avenue, which waned in popularity years ago.

The Lucerne is the first Buick sedan to offer a V8 engine since the big Roadmaster was discontinued nearly a decade ago. Bucking a growing trend, the Lucerne offers neither rear- nor all-wheel drive, and sticks with front-wheel-drive like its predecessors. It likewise continues to come standard with the 197-horsepower, 3.8-liter V6 engine (in base CX and mid-level CXL versions) that has powered various Buicks and other GM cars for decades.

While it performs adequately, this motor is far from contemporary. At least it's updated for 2006 with "drive-by-wire" electronic throttle control to help maximize response and fuel economy, which is estimated to be 19 miles per gallon in city driving and 28 mpg on the highway for the V6 engine.

Standard on the top-of-the-line CXS (and optional on the CXL) is a modern 4.6-liter, Northstar V8 — essentially a Cadillac engine — that produces 275 hp for better acceleration and passing power. It gets 17 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. Unfortunately, the only available transmission continues to be the old Hydra-Matic four-speed automatic, which lacks the refinement of the competition's five-speed gearboxes.

The Lucerne sports fashionably fluid bodywork that features, in a nod to the past, the division's trademark chrome "ventiports" on the front fenders — three ports to a side on V6 models and four with the V8.

The car's interior is tastefully trimmed, with wide, comfortable seats, large dials, well-located switchgear and rich looking materials. Six airbags come standard and include a dual-depth front-passenger airbag. To maximize protection and minimize airbag-induced injuries, it deploys in two different shapes and pressures, depending on the seat position, seat-belt usage and severity of the crash.

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The division's "Quiet Tuning" technology, which debuted in the 2005 LaCrosse, is likewise applied on the Lucerne. It combines a stiff body structure, tight-fitting body panels, and extensive sealing and sound absorption materials to reduce wind, road and engine noise in the cabin. GM execs say that they expect Quiet Tuning to help set the company's vehicles apart from the competition as well as differentiate Buick from other General Motors brands.

The top CXS version is the technological leader and offers virtually all of General Motors' contemporary chassis-control systems. These include traction control and Magnetic Ride Control. The latter is designed to aid handling and maintain a smooth ride by continuously varying suspension stiffness. It does so via shock absorbers with fluid that contains microscopic pieces of metal.

A computer monitors what the wheels are doing in response to road surfaces and varies the stiffness of the shock absorbers with a magnetic current that affects the metal-infused fluid. GM engineers say the system is infinitely variable and can adjust the suspension every few inches of road travel to adapt to surface conditions.

The Lucerne has a generous assortment of standard equipment. There's even an auxiliary audio input on the Harmon Kardon stereo system for easily connecting portable MP3 players like Apple's popular iPod. Heated and cooled front seats are among the Lucerne's options, as well as a bench-type front seat with room for three occupants.

A full review on the Lucerne will be posted as soon as we complete a test drive.