Drew Dowdell

Buick Offers New GM Safety-Enhancing Technologies Designed To Help Drivers Stay In Their Lane, Avoid Lane-Change Collisions DETROIT – Buick will offer two new safety-enhancing technologies that could serve as an extra set of “eyes” for drivers, helping them to avoid a collision caused by an inadvertent lane change or by colliding with a vehicle in the side blind spot while changing lanes. The technologies will be available on all 2008 Buick Lucerne sedan models this summer. The General Motors Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) systems continue Buick’s mission of adding advanced but easy-to-use technologies that offer occupants peace of mind while driving. The lane departure system uses a camera located between the inside rearview mirror and the windshield to detect lane markings on the road and alert drivers when they inadvertently stray from the lane. The side blind zone system uses radar sensors behind the rear fascia on both sides of the vehicle. It is designed to help drivers avoid lane-change crashes with vehicles in the side blind zone. (The same technology behind the Buick systems will be featured on the 2008 Cadillac STS and DTS sedans.) “GM’s Lane Departure Warning and Side Blind Zone Alert systems aren’t a substitute for safe, careful driving, but they show tremendous potential to reduce certain kinds of crashes,” said Buick-Pontiac-GMC General Manager John Larson. ”They have been tested extensively with great success.” Lane Departure Warning System When GM’s Lane Departure Warning System is engaged, a driver traveling at 35 mph or more who crosses a detected lane marking without signaling is alerted in two ways: The system’s flashes an amber indicator light located in the fuel gauge of the Lucerne ’s instrument panel, and an alerting chime of three beeps is played. The system does not steer the vehicle; it is designed only to alert drivers so they can take appropriate action to move the vehicle back into the lane. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 200,000 car crashes a year happen due to automobiles leaving their lanes. The causes range from driver distraction to driver fatigue. A Lane Departure Warning system alerts a driver when he’s leaving his lane without signaling. A recent University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute-led study also revealed that lane departure warning systems can help drivers do a better job of staying in their lanes and promote greater use of turn signals. “Active safety is one of the emerging automotive technologies we see in vehicles today. Active safety are products that prevent crashes or minimize damage to the vehicles and increase safety to the passenger in unavoidable crashes,” said Charlie Vogelheim, vice president, J.D. Power and Associates. Larson said a distinguishing feature of Buick’s lane departure system over competitive systems is an indicator light with the LDW symbol that indicates whether the system is ready to assist the driver. If the light is green, the system is able to detect lane markings and provide alerts. If the light is off, it will not. To avoid nuisance alerts, the system is deigned to not provide an alert if the turn signal is on or if the driver makes a sharp maneuver. Side Blind Zone Alert System For many reasons, it often can be difficult for a driver to see vehicles in the side blind zone. Alternating radar beams in GM’s Side Blind Zone Alert System sweep adjacent lanes of traffic, covering a zone of about one lane over from both sides of the vehicle, or 11 feet (3.5 m). The zone starts at each side mirror and goes back about 16 feet (5 m). When the system is engaged, a driver will know that following vehicles in the adjacent lanes are entering their side blind zone when an amber symbol, located in the outside rearview mirror, is illuminated. The system is not designed to detect vehicles outside of the side blind zone that may be rapidly approaching, or detect pedestrians, bicyclists or animals. It’s designed to ignore infrastructure such as fire hydrants or parked cars. In addition, the system displays do not come on while the vehicle is approaching or passing other vehicles. Both the LDW and SBZA systems can be turned on and off by the driver. “These are easy-to-use, easy-to understand technologies that will benefit our customers and the driving public, and you won’t have to spend thousands of dollars on a high-end luxury car to benefit from these technologies,” Larson said. Lane Departure Warning and Side Blind Zone Alert systems join the Lucerne ’s growing list of safety technologies to help protect occupants before, during and after a crash. Some include a front passenger dual depth air bag that deploys in two shapes and pressures based on the severity of the crash, seat position and seat belt use; Magnetic Ride Control for increased vehicle control and tire contact with the road surface; StabiliTrak electronic stability control with brake assist, which senses emergency braking situations and boosts the power as needed; and OnStar’s Advanced Automatic Crash Notification (AACN) system, making crash data available to participating 911 centers to help them dispatch the appropriate life-saving personnel and equipment to crash scenes faster. Lane Departure Warning and Side Blind Zone Alert systems are available together as an optional upgrade to Lucerne ’s Driver Confidence Package, which includes remote start, rear park assist, heated washer fluid, StabiliTrak and rain-sensing windshield wipers. Both technologies are available in the U.S. and Canada . Pricing for each has not been announced.

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Isuzu Gemini

If I can't get a CTS-D... there's my 2008 CTS replacement.

Listening to to that video two things stand out: 1. That doesn't sound like a Northstar start up. Northstars have a very distinct starter sound. I can always tell when a northstar is starting up without having the turn a look at the car. <same goes for honda 4cylinders and GM 3800s and various Fords> 2. the idle does NOT sound like an OHC engine. that's gotta be a pushrod under there.

I don't think anyone in here was defending GM. This is mostly about making fun of the state of Georgia. This post sums it up best.

might want to have a Euro brand in there too... maybe a Passat or Jetta <it's grown a lot in size>

what a bunch of wet rags we have in this forum.

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184Kw = 246 hp 550Nm = 406ft/lbs @ 2,000 rpm! Bring it! :cheering:

:deadhorse: :deadhorse: :deadhorse: :deadhorse: :deadhorse:

Sounds neat... but a 455 would not have helped the GTO anymore than putting a 455 Rocket into an Aurora would have helped Olds.

When the previous generation Monaro was running with a M5, I can't imagine there would be many complaints.

A Pontiac dealer is also a Buick dealer and a GMC dealer.

I live in a snow state and lived with RWD only for 3 years prior to purchasing the Avalanche..... and the snow wasn't my reason for purchasing it. Spend the extra $450 for good snow tires.

The original had that same taper.

It's your $30,000. Demand Better.

It's a shame that the DEW98 platform is nearly dead.

I do agree with P-C-S about the GM card points. While I do like both the Aura and Sky, the inability to use my substantial accumulation of GM card point will give me pause.

I'll never expect the G8 as is, to outsell the GP.... even after fleet sales are eliminated. Arent they only planning on importing 50k per year or so?

If Saturn were Olds they would have the dealer network to support the sales expected of them.

Do you ever laugh man? :AH-HA_wink: You'll notice that I included the FWD N-bodies and H-bodies in my scenario.

I think it's a bit hard to judge the sales of Zeta as a whole on a limited production import vehicle.

Unfortunately, I don't think your scenario would have played out the way you'd like it to. What cars were kicking ass and taking names in the late 80s? Taurus Accord Camry Maxima IMHO, what you just described would have looked like this. 1987, GM debuts the new G-bodies. Ford debuts the new Taurus, Chrysler buys AMC/Introduces a K-car. 1988, auto rags rave about the new taurus, mention Camry as a worthy competitor, wonder allowed why GM hasn't jumped on the bandwagon with FWD for family cars. 1989, G-body sales reach their lowest point in 5 years. Ford recarpets every home in Dearborn with carpet made with gold spun from hay. Chrysler introduces another K-car. 1990, GM sales continue to slide, N-bodies are the only bright spot. Ford issues press release. "Neener neener neener". Toyota issues press release "We're coming to get you Ford", Chrysler introduces another K-car. 1991, GM updates the E-bodies, G-bodies finish in last place in all auto rags for the 4th straight year. Auto rags wonder allowed who is steering the GM ship stating "Even Chrysler gets it.", Chrysler introduces another K-car. Toyota's assimilation of the U.S. begins with redesigned Camry. Honda issues press release, "Me too!" 1992, First Iraq war, oil skyrockets. Last year for the E-bodies, G-bodies get a mild MCE. Taurus gets mild MCE and pisses all over G-bodies. Ford wisely discontinues 4-cylinder Taurus. Camry 4-cylinder sales climb. Chrysler introduces a K-car. 1993, GM is now borderline bankrupt. Gets government guaranteed loan, Introduces W-body. Taurus sales plateau. Toyota installs mind control device in every american, free of charge. Chrysler introduces the LH cars/apologizes for K-car. 1994, GM introduces H-bodies. LeSabre/Eighty Eight/Bonneville sales take off. Buyers confused by the similar sized G-body and W-body choose the W-body because Car and Driver told them to. Taurus sales fall, ford blames Toyota's mind control device. Chrysler introduces a LH car. 1995, G-body discontinued after W-body outsells it 5-1. Eighty Eight named best value large family car. Last good year for Ford. Chrysler introduces an LH car. 1996 B-bodies dicontinued, H-bodies set sales records, Tahoe now best selling Chevy after the Cavalier. Ford redesigns Taurus to look like a fish. Parking lots slowly becoming a sea beige Camries and Accords. Chrysler introduces an LH car. 1997, W-body MCE. Motor trend issues proclamation "Pushrods are teh suxors!", w-body sales plummet. Ford rips the carpeting out of every home in Dearborn. Toyota issues press release "All your base are belong to us". Honda issues press release, "Me too!". Chrysler introduces cloud car. 1998, W-body continues to fail to meet sales goals, Chevy selling every Tahoe and Blazer they can make. Ford lops off it's own head. Chrysler ... oh heck, you know the rest. 1999, Olds dies. GM files for bankruptcy protection. Analyst speculate it was because of GM's late entry into the family sized FWD market. Kirk Kerkorkian takes over Chrysler, introduces MCE LH cars. Ford becomes irrelevant. 2000, Mercedes Benz buys General Motors, proclaims "Merger of equals". Buick, Pontiac and Cadillac immediately canceled. The End.

No they wouldn't because Marcia would kill you after the second one.