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According to the "Features & Specs: Exterior" page on the Buick website, the CX trim level comes standard with 17" High Vent Steel wheels with Flush Cover. 17" Machined Alloy wheels are optional. I would hope that the wheels in the pictures are not the optional wheels because they sure are cheap looking. I do understand why you are questioning whether they are wheel covers or genuine alloys since the brakes are visible. Either way, the wheels or wheel covers are a cheap looking disgrace and disservice to the Buick name. GM should be ashamed to put these inappropriate looking things on a Buick.

The car looks great, but I hate the fact that it's available in a base CX version with those cheap looking plastic wheel covers and no foglights. Buick is supposed to be an upmarket brand. There should be no cheap looking Chevy spec base models. When is GM going to get this straight. They do not need more than one affordable mainstream brand. They should be expanding Chevrolet to make up for the loss of Saturn and Pontiac, not taking Buick downmarket. Buick should be equipped, positioned, and priced to appeal to an entirely different demographic than Chevrolet, not stripped down and priced to be a fancier alternative. This isn't a strategy that will develop any prestige in the Buick brand.

Cool! I still think GM has the introductions of the 2010 LaCrosse and Insignia based Regal backwards. The Regal should have been launched first to replace the W-body LaCrosse (which would be kind of ironic, since the LaCrosse replaced the Regal). The 2010 LaCrosse should have been rechristened "LeSabre" for the North American market and launched after the Regal to replace the Lucerne (which would also be ironic, since the Lucerne replaced the LeSabre). I don't think GM would lose much market equity or recognition by dropping or replacing the "LaCrosse" and "Lucerne" names in Buick's U.S. lineup.

Sounds eerily similar to Acura or Lincoln to me. There's no reason for these 2 brands to exist either based on what you submitted above. Basically, an Acura is just a dressed up FWD Honda and a Lincoln is just a dressed up FWD Ford. Buick is GM's Acura/Lincoln and its products should be equipped and priced to reflect this position.

I agree except that I think GM is undermining the brand's image and perception as a premium brand by giving it stripped down base models. No Buick product should ever come equipped without alloy wheels and foglights as standard equipment. The new LaCrosse (which should have been named something else for North America) should base in the mid to upper $30,000 range. I share your passion for the Buick brand, but I still don't think GM "gets it" or knows how to exploit the brand so that it can be relevant and successful as well as generate profits for the corporation. I share the same opinion about Cadillac; another potential goldmine for GM that gets derailed and undermined by GM's mismanagement and overall incompetence.

What it is right now is the remains of a mismanaged brand with the potential to be something extraordinary if GM would realize and exploit its potential. All the signs that I see at the moment seem to indicate that the "New GM" doesn't know how to manage it any better than the "Old GM". The 2010 LaCrosse is a wonderful new product that is saddled with a lame name and a stripped down base version that undermines the premium potential of the brand. GM seems content to allow Buick to become a glitzier version of Chevrolet than to allow the brand to reach its true premium potential. The 2010 LaCrosse should be rechristened "LeSabre" for the North American market and be equipped and priced to split the difference between the Acura TL and Lincoln MKS. It should cover the $37,000 to $43,000 price range (which is a little higher than I previously posted). The Insignia based Regal should have been introduced before the LeSabre as a replacement for the hopelessly outclassed and outdated W-body LaCrosse. The LeSabre could then have been launched as the replacement for the forgetable Lucerne. The Regal should be equipped and priced to split the difference between the Acura TSX and the Lincoln MKZ in the $31,000 to $37,000 price range. An Astra based Centieme sedan and sports tourer (5-door) should then be priced and equipped to compete with the Audi A3 and Volvo S40, but undercut them in price by staying in the $25,000 to $31,000 price range. Instead of a giving the brand a profit generating setup like the one I submitted above, GM would rather give Buick a new LaCrosse with a sub-$28,000 stripped down base model that dilutes the brand's image and allows it to hover slightly above Chevrolet. If GM continues with this type of strategy for Buick, then the brand will never be able to provide any of the potential opportunities it possesses for GM.

I do agree with your view on Buick's sedan lineup, except the 2010 LaCrosse needs to be priced and equipped to start a few thousand dollars higher ($34,000 - $40,000). However, I do think the brand needs more products than just these three sedans and the Enclave. Buick has a lot of potential, if GM would properly tap into it. The three sedans you mentioned are enough, but there are other categories that Buick could competently handle.

I saw this article on Motor Trend this morning: Link: http://www.motortrend.com/future/future_ve...lans/index.html Source: Motor Trend

You think that fact alone would have convinced GM to drop the LaCrosse name for this car. I would have simply resurrected the "LeSabre" name for this car (although using the "Invicta" name from the concept version would have been totally acceptable and logical too). I'm a little disappointed that the exhaust ports have gone away. They made a beautiful car look even cooler. Nice pictures! Thanks for posting them.

Here's a new Astra development reported by Auto Express: Link:Auto Express: Astra Roadster Revealed Source: Auto Express

I agree with both of these posts. There's no reason to keep the Lucerne hanging around to keep reminding the general public how outdated and outclassed Buick used to be. Just make the 2010 LaCrosse the new flagship sedan and work down size-wise from there. I'm not sure about expanding Buick into the subcompact class unless it would be with something sort of upscale and flashy like a retractable hardtop roadster on Gamma. An Insignia based Regal is a no brainer. It would be a smaller and sportier addition to complement the larger and more luxurious 2010 LaCrosse.

Totally agree on this one. I don't care what Tiger drives, especially if it's a geriatric looking design sitting on a warmed over platform with outdated powertrain tech. If GM would have invested Tiger's spokesperson fees into the product, Buick would have been much better off. The commercial appears to be fairly cool and hip. Maybe GM is finally taking Buick's transformation seriously. Now they need to back it up with an appropriately expanded lineup.

Wow! This would make room for GM to slip the next gen Astra 5-door into Buick's lineup. It's a far better looking car anyway.

I agree. There's no reason why this can't join Buick's lineup sometime next year. Buick could market it as more of a baby Enclave crossover type of vehicle instead of a hatchback (which I know is ridiculous, but you know the stigma the U.S. market apparently has with the term "hatchback"; maybe Buick can market it as a "sports tourer" like Opel markets the Insignia wagon in Europe). The car is a nice blend of elegance and sportiness that would help change Buick's geriatric image and attract a younger demographic to the brand. Just change the interior lighting to blue (I love the ambient lighting throughout the cabin!), slap on a waterfall grille and some trishield badges, give it a cool new name ("Centieme", "Vectra", "Bravura"; just a few suggestions), and it would be good to go as a Buick. Since GM has just decided to kill the Vibe after the 2009 model year, it would be a good time to get this car into Buick's lineup. Of course, I would still expect a compact sedan to follow shortly after. The 5-door would still be a good place to start as far as expanding Buick downward size-wise, though.

I have to admit that if the Terrain signals the future for GMC CUV styling, I would rather see GM develop these vehicles for Buick instead. I think GMC could have done the blocky SUV-esque type styling for the Terrain without going so over-the-top with the front end design and wheel arches. GMC styling can be tough and macho without being garish and cartoonish; after all, it is supposed to be a premium utility brand (I think?). I still question whether GM has sorted out how Buick and GMC will complement each other in the same sales channel. GM seems to be setting the 2 brands up for overlap instead of giving each one a distinct purpose, mission, and identity. GM really needs to get this situation sorted out and quit spinning off so many multiple, overlapping, competing platform mates. In some ways, it still looks like business as usual at GM: undefined brands and too many multiple "me too" versions of the same basic vehicle. I thought one of the goals of restructuring was to become leaner, meaner, and more focused?

I do find the idea of an Opel/Buick alignment very intriguing. I think Buick has a lot of potential that could be properly tapped if GM would place some appropriate Opel originated additions in its lineup. Buick doesn't have to be a geriatric brand if GM can effectively exploit its potential (although GM's ability to do this is extremely questionable). The 2010 Astra 5-door appears to be the perfect blend of elegance and understated sportiness that could help attract a younger demographic to Buick. I didn't really think Buick could pull off selling a hatchback until I saw this car (although Buick needs to find a clever alternative marketing term for hatchback if it attempts to sell it). If presented properly and marketed aggressively, I think it could be a success for Buick. I still think Buick needs a compact sedan (since sedans are much more popular and accepted in the U.S.), but I think there is room for this configuration (5-door) also.

I would definitely buy one of these if GM would put a waterfall grille on it and sell it in the U.S. as a Buick (maybe under the "Centieme" name?). I want a stylish, slightly luxurious small car with more utility than a sedan. I don't exactly want the height or extra weight associated with a CUV. This car would be perfect. I was considering a 2010 Mazda3, but Mazda majorly messed up the design. This car is perfect. I really do love the looks of it. I still think it would sell at a decent level in the U.S. as a Buick if it was marketed as a sports tourer or some sort of crossover type vehicle. It sort of has a mini-Enclave feel to its styling.

+1! If GM is going to give Buick a Theta derivative, it should have traditional and hybrid powertrain options. Actually, I thought the clay model in the picture might be a platform mate to the Chevrolet Orlando. It looks a little too short in height to be another Theta derivative. I guess I was wrong though since the first 2-mode hybrid was supposed to be installed in a Theta based vehicle. As gm4life has stated above, as long as this vehicle is properly differentiated from its GMC Terrain platform mate, then I guess the arrangement might work. I was sort of hoping GM would give Buick tall Venza-ish wagons on the corporation's car platforms (LWB Delta, LWB Epsilon, and possibly LWB Gamma) for the brand's sub-Enclave people mover products and let GMC have Theta based CUVs (SWB and LWB Theta) as that brand's sub-Acadia people movers. Buick's people movers would be more carlike in function and GMC's people movers would be more SUV-like in function. Oh well...

I'm not sure I agree with you about Zeta. From what I understand, it's a versatile, world class platform; it just happens to be a bit heavy (which seems to be a problem with GM products in general). If GM and Holden can work on reducing the platform's weight to accept more fuel efficient powertrain choices, then I think it's worth keeping the platform around in the future. If I'm not mistaken, it can also be downsized to underpin smaller vehicles than the ones that currently sit on the platform. If this platform can be updated and improved to meet future CAFE regulations and market expectations, then it seems a little foolish to just throw it away. I'm not sure about the costs of developing an entirely new platform as opposed to significantly improving an existing platform (that isn't that old), but it seems to me that it would be cheaper to modify Zeta for future applications than develop a new platform. I think Sigma should remain exclusive to Cadillac. If Sigma can be downsized to create a sub-CTS car series for Cadillac, then I would like to see GM do this also. If Sigma isn't very flexible, then I would like to see GM possibly create a Sigma-Zeta hybrid platform to allow for the development of various sized products (at one point there was a rumor that GM was working on this, but it might have been cancelled OR it was just simply a rumor).

I totally agree. The CX trim is stripped down to base level Chevrolet status: plastic wheel covers, no foglights, no dual zone automatic climate control, etc... My guess is that the CX trim level allows Buick to advertise significantly lower base prices for its models than its primary rivals in the market. This is absolutely the wrong approach GM should be taking with Buick. Buick should represent world class premium vehicles, not bargain basement alternatives. I agree with your approach. All Buick products would be offered with one loaded trim level that contains a very comprehensive list of luxury and tech features as standard equipment. Buick customers would then have a choice of a few stand alone options as well as powertrain preference and drive orientation. Why doesn't GM get this? Chevrolet should be affordable, Buick/GMC should be aspirational, and Cadillac should be top-tier luxury. Buick/GMC products should start off being equipped at levels that are slightly above the top trim levels of their Chevrolet platform mates, not slightly above Chevrolet's base trim levels. On an unrelated note: I think that both the W-body LaCrosse and the Lucerne should be discontinued when the LWB Eps II LaCrosse is launched. The Enclave and 2010 LaCrosse should be allowed to lead Buick into the future without the geriatric Lucerne hanging around to remind everyone how outdated and uncompetitive the brand used to be.

I think with some styling modifications, the new 5-door Astra could really fit into Buick's lineup. The marketing folks would need to find some clever, alternative, upscale term to replace hatchback, though. If Buick marketed this as more of a mini-Enclave type vehicle instead of a traditional hatchback, it might work. Buick will need to find some name other than "Astra" to use on this vehicle since Saturn has already used it on a recent unsuccessful venture in the U.S. market. Overall, this car looks like it might be more suitable for the U.S. market than the current Astra 5-door. Of course, Buick will still need a compact sedan to complete its lineup. As Saturn and Dodge has learned: a compact hatchback can augment a sedan offering in a brand's lineup in the U.S., but it should never serve as the sole replacement.

Well said. Definite "+1".

Saturn's Next Compact Sedan?: Link: Renault-Samsung Previews Next SM3 Sedan With Seoul Motor Show Concept Source: Motor Authority; April 2, 2009

Now if GM will learn that Buick doesn't need to be selling stripped down CX models with plastic wheel covers and no foglights or auto dual zone climate control, then GM might actually show the public that it understands Buick's potential and market position. I was shocked to see the 2010 LaCrosse CX equipped in such a matter on a recent visit to the brand's website.

GM still doesn't get it! I went to Buick's website today. They have updated information for the 2010 LaCrosse. A visitor to the website can compare trim levels and build one now. The CX trim level needs to be deleted because it is too stripped down for a Buick or any premium level car. It is worrisome to see that GM still doesn't appear to know how to run a properly competitive premium division. The 2010 LaCrosse needs to be equipped and priced near the Acura TL and Lexus ES. Only then will it be considered as a serious entry in the segment. The car appears to have the goods to make a serious impact in the segment (or as serious as it can make in a stagnant economy), GM needs to show that it has some faith in it by allowing it to compete head on with its major competitors. It's truly pitiful when you look at what will probably be Buick's future flagship and realize that it comes in a base trim level (CX) where alloy wheels, foglights, and automatic dual zone climate control are not standard features. This will do nothing to elevate or transform Buick's image or status. The brand does not need to be an affordable alternative to Chevrolet and GM needs to seriously realize this and act on it.