Four Play: GM confirms 2010 Buick LaCrosse will be available with 2.4-liter Ecotec I4
2010 Buick LaCrosse - Click above for a high-res image gallery
General Motors has announced that its new 2010 Buick LaCrosse will be available with its fuel-sipping 2.4-liter Ecotec four-cylinder. Equipped with the direct injected engine and paired with the sedan's standard six-speed automatic, GM says the combination should deliver 30 mpg on the highway and 20 mpg in town.
It will be interesting to see if the 182 horsepower, 172 pound-foot of torque inline-four will be able to effectively motivate a car of the LaCrosse's size, but either way, plugging the capable engine in the Buick ought to give GM a unique selling point against V6-only competitors like the Lincoln MKZ.
Buick says it expects about 25% of LaCrosse buyers will check the four-cylinder box at purchase time. Check out the official press verbiage after the jump.
Gallery: 2010 Buick LaCrosse - LIVE
[Source: General Motors]
PRESS RELEASE:
Buick To Add Fuel Efficient Ecotec 2.4L Four-Cylinder Engine To All-New 2010 Lacrosse
New Engine Joins Two V-6s for an All-Direct Injection Lineup
DETROIT – A fuel-efficient, direct injected Ecotec 2.4L four-cylinder engine will be the third engine offered in the 2010 Buick LaCrosse luxury sedan. Backed by a fuel-saving six-speed automatic transmission, the new powertrain combination is expected to deliver fuel economy of 30 mpg highway and 20 mpg city*– making LaCrosse one of the most fuel-efficient cars in its segment.
"Buick LaCrosse customers will have the fuel-efficient option of the Ecotec 2.4L direct injection engine, a four-cylinder that is not available by key competitors, such as the Lincoln MKZ and Acura TL," said Susan Docherty, Buick-Pontiac-GMC vice president. "Features such as a rear-seat entertainment system and remote starting are other technologies that are segment exclusives, contributing to LaCrosse's balanced package of design, performance and intelligent technology."
The Ecotec 2.4L four-cylinder joins the lineup later this year as the standard engine in the LaCrosse CX. Direct injection technology helps it deliver 182 horsepower (136 kW) and 172 lb-ft. of torque (233 Nm). Buick expects about 25 percent of customers will opt for 2.4L-equipped models.
The 2.4L's injection of fuel directly into the combustion chamber enables a higher compression ratio to increase efficiency and horsepower. That means more power is made with less fuel and lower emissions. In fact, cold-start emissions are reduced by up to 25 percent with direct injection. Engineers tuned the Ecotec 2.4L engine to deliver greater torque at lower rpm and build it smoothly toward its peak at 4,900 rpm, giving the Buick LaCrosse excellent performance in all driving conditions.
"Direct injection is a key component of GM's ongoing strategy to use advanced propulsion technology to help us deliver more fuel-efficient cars today and in the future," said Tom Stephens, vice chairman, Global Product Development. "GM is using multiple technology pathways to achieve increased efficiency and to diversify energy sources – and we're applying them where they make the most sense for customers when it comes to efficiency, performance and cost."
Every engine in the LaCrosse lineup is direct injected and matched with a fuel-saving six speed automatic transmission. Along with the Ecotec 2.4L, a new, direct injected 3.0L V-6 is offered and a larger-displacement, more powerful 3.6L V-6 is standard on the LaCrosse CXS model.
Quiet, low-maintenance performance
As with the 3.0L and 3.6L V-6 engines, the Ecotec 2.4L is designed to deliver exceptional quietness with low maintenance requirements and minimal environmental impact – including 100,000-mile service life ratings for the spark plugs and accessory drive belt. It is also equipped with GM's Oil Life system, which uses a sophisticated algorithm to determine when it's time for an oil change. The system calculates the oil life based on a variety of closely monitored variables, such as engine speed, temperature, load and others, allowing fewer oil changes over the life of the vehicle for a significantly reduced amount of used oil that must be recycled.
LaCrosse and Buick's renaissance
The 2010 Buick LaCrosse luxury sedan is the newest example of the globally influenced product renaissance at Buick. It offers all-wheel drive, a suite of advanced intelligent personal technologies and safety features, and great styling that blends heritage cues with modern design.
"The new LaCrosse builds on the success of Enclave as the next step in Buick's renaissance," said Docherty. "It will attract a whole new type of buyer to our dealerships, as Buick strengthens its position as one of GM's core brands."
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), one of the world's largest automakers, was founded in 1908, and today manufactures cars and trucks in 34 countries. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 235,000 people in every major region of the world, and sells and services vehicles in some 140 countries. In 2008, GM sold 8.35 million cars and trucks globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM's largest national market is the United States, followed by China, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Canada, Russia and Germany. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.
*EPA certification pending.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
blackbury 2:12PM (6/22/2009)
FAIL!
Reply
Cellien 3:17PM (6/22/2009)
Huh? MOAR LIKE U PHAIL.
2HP 2:16PM (6/22/2009)
Strategy from the 1984 Cadillac Cimmaron playbook. Buick, you FAIL!
Reply
Iwa 2:22PM (6/22/2009)
Wrong comparison, as this isn't a badge engineered Cruze. A better comparison would be the nineties Skylark.
220v 2:31PM (6/22/2009)
This mixture of large cars small engines has worked for years, just not in the USA. BMW 728i (now 730i) Mercedes S280 (now S300) Audi A8 2.8 Sport ...all big sellers because they have the room for comfort and sufficient power to motivate them in all situations. Are they 'bahn burners? No. Are they perfect for the people who buy them? Yes.
Mr.Oak 2:42PM (6/22/2009)
2HP: What are you talking about? How old are you anyway?. The Cimmaron was a failure because the car it was based on was a horrible car, the 1984 Cavalier. The fraud was the Cimmaron did not even rise to the level of badge ENGINEERING. It was blatant badge SWAPPING.
They changed the hub caps, stuffed a couple of leather seats, added vinyl to the roof and slapped a couple of Cadillac badges on.
This is a true Buick with 4 and 6 cylinder options.
PiCASSO 7:38PM (6/22/2009)
Ignore this newbie... all his posts are based on this 2010 Lacrosse with a 4-cylinder.
Rob 2:17PM (6/22/2009)
So wait, who buys Buicks again? I don't know anybody who would buy a Buick... I'm almost 30, and even my older friends, no way. So who is the target market here? Still old people?
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shethj 2:20PM (6/22/2009)
The market for this car would be someone who wants a stylish, roomy sedan with lots of features. The kind of people who might buy a TL or ES350. I would buy one and i'm your age. Enclave buyers were 10 years younger than previous Buick owners. Most people I see in Enclaves appear to be in their 40s. You call that old?
Slizzo 2:35PM (6/22/2009)
I'm 27, own a G8 GT, and would consider buying this car if I wasn't focused on the performance aspect of my vehicles. It's a nicely styled, and nicely appointed car all around.
Rob 2:40PM (6/22/2009)
I really don't see anybody I know being even remotely interested. Slizzo, I doubt you would EVER roll in a Buick, if you drive a G8. Ever. I just don't get the target demographic for this car, as I don't see any families picking this up, I definitely don't see single guys picking it up, girls would want something cuter or more badass, and ... I just don't get it. Who buys this thing?
Taglane 2:49PM (6/22/2009)
The target market is for people who don't assume Buick is for old people on default.
DieselFan 2:53PM (6/22/2009)
Yeah Rob, older people like me. I would consider a Buick. Their best feature is tasteful looks! But, there's the very high quality ratings. And now, excellent fuel efficiency.
Too bad the rest of GM doesn't measure up!
Anyway, I've seen comments like this so many times. What's wrong will old people's money?? Sure, most of us won't be around 40 years from now, but we DO have money to spend. Most of us aren't in debt up to our eyeballs! If GM is interested in building Buicks that we like...why do you have a problem with that?
Go explain it to your grandmother!
MoonRover 4:39PM (6/22/2009)
Smart people buy Buicks, Buicks are wonderful cars, just because you're not smart doesn't really affect Buick.
Nightcrawler 10:00PM (6/22/2009)
GM's target for Buick is Lexus/Infiniti/Acura buyers. Just because those buyers are their target does not automatically mean Buick is hitting that target however.
Impulsivity 5:41PM (8/13/2009)
I never thought I would buy a Buick until I saw this car. I had a 3 series for a few years (2003 model) and my wife drove a Volvo (2006 S40) for a few years and compared with either the 2010 Lacrosse I test drove puts both to shame despite being 10k less expensive then the BMW especially in terms of interior apportionments. The Buick is just a beautiful car inside, it feels like a car that is far more expensive then its under 30k price tag. I would not be embarrassed at all to buy it and drive it and I'm 26, hardly in the former Buick "demo".
I didn't actually decide to buy it only because I test drove it before the 4 cyl engine became an option. I just couldn't justify to myself buying a sub 30 MPG highway car and so went with the 32MPG Equinox instead. When I trade in my 2006 G6 convertible though in a few years I will give Buick a very serious look, which would never have been the case even a year ago.
TriShield 2:18PM (6/22/2009)
Oooh, four cylinder Buick achieving the same highway MPG as the old fullsize 3.8L Buicks of a decade ago. Stop the presses!
Reply
P.V. 2:29PM (6/22/2009)
Are you adjusting the numbers to the new EPA procedures? If not, you're comparing old apples to new oranges.
Anyway, this makes a lot of sense for a base model, and hopefully it will reduce the sticker shock, but GM really needs to bring over the Insignia as the entry-level car as the LaCrosse is a rather large and content-filled car.
Holden Miecranc 2:35PM (6/22/2009)
+1
Dave 3:14PM (6/22/2009)
A 2000 LeSabre gets 17/27, according to the new EPA estimates, so this is a mild upgrade. I think the problem is that this is too heavy of a car to really reap any economy benefits of a four-cylinder engine. I reckon it's a move made purely for cost.