Wha? Buick dealers don't want a RWD vehicle
Buick dealers were reportedly shown a long-wheelbase, rear-wheel drive Holden Statesman that will be sold in China next year and asked if they would like a version to sell in the U.S. market. Surprisingly, at least to us, they turned down Rick Wagoner's offer of a rear-wheel drive Buick, citing concerns that such a vehicle would cannibalize sales of the front-wheel drive Lucerne. Both vehicles are about the same size and each would be available with a V6 and V8 engine.
Perhaps we're just so starved for some more rear-wheel drive romping that we balk at the idea of any brand turning down a rwd product when offered. Sure, we can see the other side of the coin. The Lucern did sell just short of 100,000 units last year, which isn't shabby. While that number could go down were the Statesman introduced here badged as a Buick, we would guess the combined sales of two large sedans targeting different types of buyers would easily eclipse six figures. The Ricker agrees with us, and thus he is reportedly leaving the proposal on the table for now.
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Howard Kerr 3:40PM (2/19/2007)
Considering how well the current and recent models of Buick, ALL with FWD or AWD, have sold...you would think the dealers were on the right track. Unfortunately, by NOT approving this RWD sedan, they are risking losing their place in GM's model/brand structure. This big sedan MIGHT make a decent model with which to resurrect the Park Avenue name. Priced BELOW the Cadillac DTS, or what ever it's called, Buick could position themselves for a possible return to RWD.
Odd, that Pontiac dealers have no trouble with a large RWD sedan.
Hey Buick dealers, if you won't "take" a RWD large sedan, start clamoring for a new Riviera-type coupe.
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big jimmy 3:45PM (2/19/2007)
how about a new Roadmaster,a talor made custom ready car like the Chrysler LX cars, market Buick to a whole new generation, before the brands customer base ends up six feet under (pun intened).
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jj 3:45PM (2/19/2007)
Here's an important fact for you:
outside of car enthusiasts, no one gives a crap about FWD vs RWD, and in fact FWD is safer for 99% of these drivers.
Why is this so hard to keep in mind?
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enc0re 3:50PM (2/19/2007)
"[...] citing concerns that such a vehicle would cannibalize sales of the front-wheel drive Lucerne."
Translation:
We don't want this vehicle in our line-up because our customers would prefer it over the product we currently have.
That's an odd business philosophy they have there.
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Phil 3:56PM (2/19/2007)
This absolutely should be turned into a real Buick with Enclave-like elegance in it's style and called
ELECTRA. Priced from $31,995, it would serve as a wonderful flagship. Convert part of an underused plant and BUILD IT HERE!
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Test_Drive 4:15PM (9/10/2007)
Humm.... so when sales of the Lucerne and the 1 star crash star rated Lacrosse sales die off this year Buick will be sorry as usually..NEXT!!!!
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Gardiner Westbound 3:59PM (2/19/2007)
Buick is making a big mistake passing up the Holden Statesman. RWD offers superior ride, handling and reliability.
Equipped with big-lug snow tires on the rear wheels, not the wussy ones they peddle now at premium prices that have to be installed on all four wheels of FWD cars, a RWD will go nearly anywhere.
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John 4:03PM (2/19/2007)
I'm a Buick dealer, and we would love a rwd platform. the northstar v8 would be a great vehicle in rwd and awd. We sell 300's and chargers, and their 50/50 weight ratio makes them so much better to drive with no torgue steer. accellerate with control for once, awd for snow country end of story. Impala needs to be redone too.
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tommy e 12:32PM (2/20/2007)
The statesman looks just like the Holden and Pontiac. Buick might have been smart enouph to not want it because of the already dated and extremely boring styling. Lets hope they told Rick that they'll take a Zeta platform car as soon as they're given the go ahead to design each and EVERY body panel themselves. Even if the car they were offered had to share only the doors with the G8 it would have been a mistake for both Buick and GMs image.
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Dinger 5:04PM (2/19/2007)
Phil is right, bring back the duce and a quarter!
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rwdmtparkingonly 4:11PM (2/19/2007)
Screw them, it's not like they would offer it with stick anyway.
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Ed 4:27PM (2/19/2007)
I agree w/ #3. Most people who buy cars, and Buicks specifically, don't care about FWD vs. RWD, except that the FWD is probably better in snow. Pontiac still has some of its performance image, and a larger percentage of its buyers consider the difference significant.
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Marty Vance 4:16PM (2/19/2007)
If Buick doesn't want it, and Rick really wants to bring the Stateman to the US, he should bring it here as a new Chevy Caprice (or Impala). No other brand has a place for it.
This would rectify one of GM's blunder's of the 90's (killing the Caprice). Then they can stop rebadging Malibu's as Impala's and do someting respectable with the Impala SS badge.
But if the Buick dealers can be convinced, it should be called Roadmaster.
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Lee Gibson 4:24PM (2/19/2007)
That's fine. I don't want to go into a Buick dealership, so I figure we're even.
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Simon Miller 4:20PM (2/19/2007)
No-one ever became a car dealer because they were overly endowed with intelligence. I mean come on...the Statesman is a large, imposing and very well styled car that has the presence of an S Class Merc for a fraction of the cost. It goes like stink, is very well equipped and yes it has rear wheel drive which means it handles like a German sports sedan and can also tow a boat.
But we wouldn't want to cannibalise sales of the Lucerne would we? What a crime that would be. I mean who is even buying that monstrosity other than rental companies and fleet buyers?
No wonder GM is losing billions each year.
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laserwizard 5:37PM (2/19/2007)
Buick dealers are as dead as their customers.
The LaCrosse is an awful car - cheaply made and ugly. There is no reason that car should even exist.
The Lucerne doesn't look like its price tag and is an okay car, but hardly what Buick needs to confront Acura and Lexus.
Take the Lucerne, price it like a LaCrosse, can the LaCrosse and do a version of the Statesman you see in the image.
Buick dealers long have abandoned any idea of what they need and should remember what a Buick is and that they desperately need an icon car like the Statesman.
Idiots.
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JC3 5:16PM (2/19/2007)
Look how fast they knocked-off the front end of the upcoming Mercedes C class!
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GOKARTN 4:54PM (2/19/2007)
As the saying goes: If you do what you've always done, you will get what you always got.
It looks like Buick dealers want to keep Buick an old folks and rental car company.
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NoNameDenton 4:52PM (2/19/2007)
That is stupid, the Lincoln Town Car is rwd and it always did well in sales for Lincoln and the Lincoln LS, though over looked, was a great rwd car
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paul 5:14PM (2/19/2007)
The statesman is no even close to a Lucerne in size, it is about as large as the 96 IMPALA ??
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