caddycruiser

I HARDLY think so, and if you do, I'd like to know what you're smoking. Maybe a few little bits and pieces, but that's about it. 70% identical to the current one? You're crazy... By FAR, the '06 Impala is more old/last gen than anything, as stated by GM engineers and designers themselves. Furthermore, while it is a pleasant revamp, I hardly think it is "more dramatic", and the car itself is nice, but in a "very nice rental car" kind of way...at least to me still.

Only higher grade, more attractively styled, etc., etc.....and that's just from the pics. It would be nice IF the Buick had an interior even close to the one in those pics... B)

Plus there's now the inside shots: And some more:

Very true, now that I think more about it. Good thing, I guess, that it was all just a fake "buzz" rumor then.

I don't think that will be much of a concern. Just looking at pics of these two cars, you can easily tell that the Camry is certainly a smaller car. Plus, there won't be a Camry model that's as loaded to the gills as, say, an Avalon Limited is, with Adaptive Cruise, key/fob-less entry, etc. What you said is spot on about the styling though. Seems like every time Toyota says they're going to have some really interesting designs for once, they make one decent one (like the new Lexus GS) and then try and copy the same mold for a few other cars. None of which are real "shockers". Then again, Toyota hasn't gotten to the level they're at by shocking people with their cars, at least from styling standpoint, so why risk it now?

I remember, oddly, that the last (which was also the first) gen Kia Sportage had the driver's knee bag feature. It was very strange, to say the least, since the rest of the "truckelt" was so old and featureless.

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Exactly, which is why 0% for an extended time, only usually is attractive to the few and far between that know for sure they'll have the car for that full 5 or 6 years, no question, and won't either need to or get the itch to switch out to something else while in the middle of their payments. Case in point, we could have done the 0% for 5 or 6 years, I think, when we were buying our '04 Suburban, but the instant $5k rebate knocked off the bottom line (making for a total $10k discount with the dealer's discount factored in), matched with a decent 5.5% loan, made for a more attractive deal for us. Mainly, the amount of the loan is lower to begin with and, if for any reason it gets demolished in a wreck or the desire to trade early comes up, there'll be a lower overall amount that needs to be payed off, than had the higher amount been financed interest free.

Yeah...I can see the 268hp (still getting raved over in the Avalon), a new 6 speed auto, and then an SE model with that plus the typically stiffer suspension, and you're going to have, well, one VERY nice car :AH-HA_wink: Make that one very nice car, that should get some very positive and even rave reviews when it comes out. I know a new Altima is coming soon, but when's a full re-do of the Accord due? The practically brand new Fusion should still give this car a run for it's money, especially when Ford gets their new 3.5, AWD, and then the Hybrid options available. Then there's also the Malibu, G6, and whatever else GM has at any given moment. Wonder what, if any, significant changes are in the upcoming pipeline for these cars?

Still...doesn't it look SMALLER? Or is it just some kind of optical illusion? Even from the earlier spy pics, the outside at least, looked more Corolla than Camry...

That's pretty much the thought I had when I first saw it. Looks just like they took a Mazda 6 and said "Now, what can we do to make it look a little bulbous and boring, without changing a lot?" Almost like an overfed "fat kid" version of the Mazda... :lol: Not a bad looking car, but for whatever reason, I think the current gen. looks nicer, more balanced, and even more elegant. Boring, but still a little nicer. The interior should be very nice though, and the Hybrid model will definately get some extra attention and sales.

Straight from Auto Consumerguide: Looks better, I guess (though strangely smaller...), and the powertrains are much improved. http://auto.consumerguide.com/Articles/ind.../act/sneakpeeks

Wowie! That would be AWESOME :AH-HA_wink: Start off with a full black screen or something and those sounds, then....and it would be AMAZING. Now, if someone could just convince GM brass or their typically dull advertising agencies to make such a thing....

I agree--the TB's interior has always had the UGLIEST and cheapest overall look and feel, bar none, of the GMT-360's. In truth, the materials are actually a bit softer then what's in our '04 Suburban, but they still seem flimsier overall than our "biggie". Regardless, hope the SS does well. Then again, I've YET to find one, 2wd or AWD, in any dealer's inventory within at least 300 miles when I do some GMBuyPower searches. There have been a couple on Ebay, but that's about it.

Still a great choice nonetheless! Manuals have their place, as do automatics. Getting what you want is the most important, since it's your $$$ I'd probably make the same choice, just because I'd probably do a lot of "cruising" in the car and wouldn't want to shift--just enjoy the look and feel overall :AH-HA_wink:

Exactly. At the same time, the current commercials for the Lucerne aren't bad, but they need to change soon, because the heated washer fluid line is getting a little old already. Cool feature to have, but not exactly the "trump card" I'd focus on advertising. Better to get some shots that included import (or even domestics like the 300) and find ways to literally humiliate them...SERIOUSLY. Do it in a classy, upscale way of course, but just humiliate them. Or, at least, make it obvious how the Buick is better/superior--whatever it is, the direct comparison would ring very positively in the heads of people watching.

Sounds great, and based on a lot of the comments I've heard and read, the Sky might just end up being even more popular than the Solstice. The automatic is a biggie too, considering the stick-only (so far, at least) is probably keeping even more "wanna be" buyers at bay.

Well, truth be told, they HAVE been doing that for many, many, many years... :blink: But yeah, that would have been one hell of a pathetic sport TB. Then again, I STILL can't understand whose idea it was inside GM to give the whole "stock" TB/Envoy line such soggy ride and handling, along with syrupy steering. Unless you're intentionally going for a classic luxo car feel, that's just nuts. Regardless, as a current sophomore Mech. Egr. major in college, I can't WAIT till the day I get to sit in and participate in the kind of meetings where such decisions get made.... :blink:

Really enjoyed the HUGE full-page ad for the Lucerne today on the back page of the USA Today "Destinations & Diversions" section. FINALLY, a GM photo that shows off some of the cars best lines (well, as much as humanly possible with such a homely front end, but I digress). Then, below, in big letters: "HELLO IMPORTS, THIS IS YOUR MORNING WAKE-UP CALL." Then below that: "Introducing the all new 2006 Buick Lucerne with QuietTuning. Quieter on the road than the Lexus ES 330, Acura TL and Infiniti G35. Starting at $26,990." Not a real killer, but a MASSIVE improvement for once when it comes to typical GM marketing. Now they just need to quickly get away from the heated washer fluid commercial (seriously, is it just me or does that one play every minute?!), and REALLY attack on the import cars in their ads, showing how they really pal in comparison. They want to get more buzz? Show a Lucerne in all its glory attracting all the attention as it goes down the street, the driver with a full-face smile), and then a piddly a little ES300, for example, getting ignored and the bored driver nearly falling asleep right behing....or something like that... :)

Great review, but this line jumped right out and smacked me: Good god...I think that pretty much gives some insight into the way a LOT of "brainiacs" inside the General used to run the show. Too bad it seems, even today, that it's still happening a bit... Yeah, let's just take a stock TB with it's 60's Cadillac soggy, floppy ride and steering, give it the basic V8 and some new stickers and call it a day :blink: At least SOME of the right people got involved, it seems, and did everything just about as right as physically possible. :AH-HA_wink:

So, are you talking about the '07+ Navi interior? The current one is gorgeous, no doubt, but I'm really wondering about the inside/outside refresh for next year.

I'm loving this car more and more, especially after seeing it all over the TV last night with Martha and the gang.... :) As a 19 year old male who currently drives a '93 Caddy Fleetwood Brougham, I'm definately a semi-large to very large luxury sedan lover, and the Lucerne fits that bill--just in a fresher, high tech iteration. I'll take a White Gold Flash w/Cashmere leather CXS with EVERY option please :AH-HA_wink: It is too bad that this couldn't be a GM car where EVERYTHING was ready and available at intro though--6 spd, DOD, newer V6, NAV system, etc. In truth, fairly "minor" issues given the overall character of the car as is, but each could have pushed it just that much farther up. Really want to see one in person, especially since I've seen at LEAST 4 brand new '06 Avalon's with temp. tags in the past couple of days, just on the campus alone...

Hmm...someone just a year younger than me shares the exact same sentiment. While I think the rear is actually quite nice, I'm all for taking a Sawz-all to that humdrum bubble front end and replacing it with something that really catches your eye, even from a distance. Basically, it needs the same kind of frontal "character" the 300 has, just in a more appropriate to Buick theme. Other than that, seems good, all except for the fuel mileage...ugh...

Exactly. Even as terrific of a car as it is (especially considering that it's a Buick, to boot!), it STILL suffers from the "GM What If" syndrome. What if...it had the 3.6 OHC engine standard, a 5 or 6 speed auto, significantly better fuel economy and power output, and a more elegantly sculpted nose.... B) THEN, simply put, it probably would be doing gangbusters right now and in the future. As is, still a terrific car, but seemingly stuck just behind the "over the top" line.

Another question--why isn't Janesville going down the tubes? It's beyond ancient and I really don't think the General is going to need 3 different plants for the new SUV's, especially considering their more realistic volume outlook. Silao, Mexico and Arlington, Texas would seem more than enough to me.