Bob Lutz will address better Buicks in China on Autoline Detroit this weekend
by John Neff on May 4th 2007 at 7:07PM 
UPDATE: Autoline Detroit has decided that the unaired portion of Bob Lutz's interview is so juicy that they're saving it for next week's show, along with an interview of CAW president Buzz Hargrove. So, instead of hearing Bob address the Buicks from China on Autoline Detroit's website, you'll have to wait until next week's episode on TV that airs Sunday, May 13th.
click above image to view more high-res pics of the Buick Park Avenue for China
We think it's safe to say that most were impressed with the Zeta-based Buick Park Avenue that was debuted in China at the Shanghai Auto Show last month and a little bit more than disappointed there are no plans to produce such a vehicle for the U.S. market. While the fate of Zeta-based sedans in GM's North American lineup seem to change by the day, Buick has until this point been left out, forced to saddle on with the LaCrosse and Lucerne as its mainstay sedans.
Ming, a staff member at GMInsideNews, wanted to know what GM's Bob Lutz thought of how well the Chinese-bound Buick Park Avenue was received in Shanghai and the tepid reception of the Buick "Super" twins at the New York Auto Show. Ming sent his question to John McElroy, the host of Autoline Detroit, a great show that's shown on cable access for free in the Detroit area and distributed on the SPEED Channel nationwide. The next episode of Autoline Detroit features Lutz as the main attraction, and Ming received a confirmation from McElroy that Lutz was asked the question and takes it on.
You won't hear Lutz's answer on the broadcast, however. The producer's saved it for the "Extra" section on their website that shows, uh, extra stuff not in the broadcast version of the show. It will be available for viewing after the show airs on Sunday, 5/6/2007. We'll post a link to it then, as I'm sure we're all eager to hear what big Bob has to say.
[Source: GMInsideNews]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
stefan 7:16PM (5/04/2007)
Two cares if its RWD when it looks like crap.
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Guenther 7:42PM (5/04/2007)
Buick customers don't care. The Lucerne offers lots of cushy, quiet space, and an uneventful driving experience. What's wrong with that?
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far jr 8:08PM (5/04/2007)
Although most bloggers here may like powerful, tight handling, RWD cars, many car buyers do not care. If you want that type of car from GM, go buy the future Impala or G8. Buick should stick to what sells with the Buick faithful. If that doesn't work out, then Buick will fold and you will still be able to buy the RWD Impala or G8.
The big question is: "If Buick doesn't take the Zeta based cars, what platform will they use for the Lucerne replacement?"
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TriShield 12:21AM (5/05/2007)
There's one big problem with the mentality that the Lucerne is "good enough" and that Buick buyers "don't care". It's that traditional Buick buyers are dying off and with them Buick's profits and marketshare. That's why Buick needs fresh, contemporary and widely appealing products to remain viable in the United States.
The Enclave offers a glimmer of hope for just how good the brand could be with great products. So does the Park Avenue.
The real reason it will probably never come here (at least as the same car the Chinese get) is that it's an expensive car. Is the United States really ready for a low volume, high luxury, world class, DTS-priced Buick? That's a good question.
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Gardiner Westbound 10:01PM (5/04/2007)
With GM's fortunes declining hourly, it's hard to fathom why it manufacture multiple versions of the same nameplate and reserves the most stylistically and technologically inept versions for the North American market.
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erik 10:11PM (5/04/2007)
When better Buicks are built china will get them
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Mike G 11:15PM (5/04/2007)
I suspect that all of the above is true because the people who succeed and get to the top at the large American automakers do so because of their finely honed political skills, more so than any real knowledge of how to win in the car business. Excellent at a board meeting though, and a round of golf.
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Ralph 11:56PM (5/04/2007)
It is galling to see GM prove the ability to produce world class cars in a foriegn market and elect not to do so in the domestic market, while simultaneously claiming it has a recovery plan. GM's putting Zeta on hold at the same time it comes out that Hyundai has a full luxury rwd vehicle in the works that should be out within the next year or so, one that's been in development since before 2005. That's a platform that will be a direct competitor to Buick.
While I think that it's true that most don't care whether its fwd or rwd -- per se -- I do think that GM's seemingly perpetual day late dollar short approach to products in the domestic product is the primary reason that they've lost market share for years. There may be excuses for that, such as labor costs and legacy costs. But management exists to sell cars, not a concept which GM management seems to have understood since the '60s.
In the end, if GM can't make a better Buick, Hyundai will. And then GM won't be making Buicks at all,
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Drewboy 12:31AM (5/05/2007)
I really like the look of that Chinese Park Ave., and I really like the new Buick SUV. I guess that means they're doing something wrong, I'm 26, or less than half the age you're required to be to buy a Buick.
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yep 12:56AM (5/05/2007)
It just came to me:
GM aggressively sell this car to NYC TLC fleets. This park ave looks sharp and it sure beats the hell out of lincoln's tc.
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MIchael 1:30AM (5/05/2007)
The Buick Park Avenue is just a modified Holden Statesman, its not a brand new car base. The statesman/Caprice are just an upmarket version of the Commodore, which some variants thereof will be selling, albeit slightly modified (different badging, bonnet) in the US at the Pontiac G8!
If people like the Park Avenue, there's no reasons why it can't be exported (slightly different front panelling clues) from Australia alongside the G8!
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Chris G. 3:34AM (5/05/2007)
GM really employed badge-engineering to a great extent during the 60's. The thing with that, however, was that at the time GM was producing great cars, with each version of the platform having a different flavor. For example, Chevy was still the cheapest, Pontiac was raw performance, while Oldsmobile and Buick had different levels of aspirational luxury. A perfect example would be the Chevelle/Olds 442/Buick Gran Sport. I don't see why they could repeat this with the Zeta platform, i.e. have a pretty basic Chevy Impala, a sporty Pontiac G8, and this Buick as the cushiest, but still capable.
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BOB 4:05AM (5/05/2007)
YOU GUYS WHO LIKE THIS CAR!!
It is yet another new front end on that same nice, bland Holden, keeping up production for the factory.
NO WAY IS THIS CAR LARGE ENOUGH INSIDE TO BE A PARK AVENUE IN THE US MARKET. And notice the Impala/Aura/Accord, etc taillights.
We could use a real and innovative new Buick to replace the two derivative antique sedans we have, but this is not it.
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Drewboy 9:53AM (5/05/2007)
Bob, I really don't care if its derivative or not, I like it better than all the cars Buick is currently selling.
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aure 10:43AM (5/05/2007)
I think it's absolutely beautiful. I don't know what it is, but it seems like the companies that two companies that need the most help (GM and Ford)give us cars that we either LIKE or simply TOLERATE, but then they send cars that we would LOVE overseas.
The biggest complaint i've seen for this car is that it's another example of badge engineering. Well, if GM didn't give us a whole bunch of bland/ugly cars on this platform maybe this car would be more significant. I live in the Detroit suburbs and I can tell you this, Detroit is only getting worse; and to be honest, I can see why
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tim 11:02AM (5/05/2007)
Beautiful car, with many thoughtful details, nice going Buick! Now, we're ready here, can you hear! Selling 2 car models that are on 10+y.o. platforms is not doing it for us in N.A. What the hell are you thinking, GM? The Buick name is bulletproof, reliabiity like Lexus, proven luxury motorcar history, some of the most powerful cars made in the world to brag about, and now 2 dated chasis cars and a couple of embarassing truck/minivan selections? The Enclave is a much needed home run, but who is in charge? We're watching a train wreck of a great American brand. Is anyone at GM Buick division awake? This just is sad to see this great Auto available in China.
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J.Crew 11:28AM (5/05/2007)
Autoline Detroit is the best auto show on TV for business facts and interviews. Anyone with any sort of interest in the the auto industry should watch it.
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riverhead 11:48AM (5/05/2007)
GM is smart. They know they don't need to bring the Statesman here as a Park Avenue because it won't sell to the baby-boomers, who are too rich and too egocentric to buy a Buick. Let Cadillac deal with them (especially the new big one being designed). GM is going to just let the current Lucerne and LaCrosse die along with those car's customers, which is fine. The Lucerne is an especially nice vehicle for the current older American. But, at the same time Buick needs something more than just the Enclave to appeal to 40-somethings. Personally I would love to see (and would buy) a new GM flagship 4-seat convertible as a Buick.
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BOB 3:21PM (5/05/2007)
--#14 -- I did not mean you should not PERSONALLY like the car. I referred to liking it, and thinking it was relevant to the US market, which it is NOT!
if you want reasons--
1-- whole rear of car is generic -- No one want a Buick with Impala etc styling
2-- the present Buick customoer would not care much about the better handling and so on -- so the car just plain overlaps the other models.
3-- a car this size should replace the LaCrosse, with fresh styling -- probably front drive to save money. A new, bigger, car should be the Park Avenue.
4-- small production capacity of that factory
CARS ARE MERCHANDISE -- they have to be made for good market reasons, not for you and I to admire and not buy.
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bob 5:11PM (5/05/2007)
I don't understand why GM won't send cars like this to the U.S. They must think American consumers are inept louts who cannot appreciate crisper styling and handling than that currently offered. This is the second time (maybe more) they have pimped the American car-buying public; we didn't get the long wheelbase Cadillac STS recently introduced in China either. Wake up GM!
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