In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Buick LaCrosse Super

Chris Shunk — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 12:31:00 EST

Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage, Sedan, Performance, Buick, First Drive

Click the image above to view the high resolution gallery

There was a time when Buick was at the top of the automotive food chain, just below Cadillac. Harley Earl was creating cutting-edge designs, the cars were packed with power and luxury, and affluent Americans were snatching up Buicks by the thousands. There was even a top of the line Buick that carried the "Super" moniker, representing the best of the storied nameplate.

By the '90s, the average age of a Buick customer reached into Senior Citizen territory, and its products were considered by many to be closer to Chevy than Cadillac. With the launch of the LaCrosse in late 2004, however, Maximum Bob and his crew declared that the drought was over, and that Buick would receive much-needed attention. While the subsequent launches of the Lucerne and Enclave were bigger strides towards giving GM the Lexus-fighters it so desires, the LaCrosse tangled more with other domestics than it did any luxury brand.

Enter the 2008 model year, and GM has given the LaCrosse a needed freshening. Buick also unveiled the LaCrosse Super, with four port holes on each side demarcating a 300-hp V8 under the hood. The General thinks it has a sleeper on its hands, and we get to see if it's right with a week-long stay in the Autoblog Garage. Hit the jump to read the full review and view more high-resolution pics.

Gallery: Buick LaCrosse Super

Continue reading In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Buick LaCrosse Super

In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Buick LaCrosse Super originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Oct 2007 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

New York Preview: 2008 Buick LaCrosse Super rolled out

John Neff — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 13:51:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Sedan, Performance, Buick

click above image to view 20 high-res pics of the 2008 Buick LaCrosse Super

Yes, yes, this is the only LaCrosse we enthusiasts care about, otherwise there wouldn't be much cause to mention this car's name in daily conversation. Buick has revived the "Super" moniker after a fifty-year absence on the 2008 LaCrosse (and Lucerne, which we'll get to next) to demarcate its most premium and powerful models. As such, the LaCrosse gets a major power boost from the addition of GM's 5.3L small-block V8 that produces 300 horsepower and 323 ft-lbs. of torque. As we'll tell you a little later, that's more power than the Lucerne Super's Northstar V8 can manage, making the LaCrosse Super somewhat of an entry-level luxury rocket with a 0 to 60 time of just 5.7 seconds.

We also get portholes on the LaCrosse Super, which is a given at this point - four on each flank signifying the eight cylinders pumping on the other side of the sheetmetal. The suspension has been upgraded with Bilsteing monotube struts, the steering made more precise and the brakes given larger rotors. The LaCrosse Super also benefits from the biggest wheel/tire combo you can get on this vehicle - 18-inch aluminum rims (chrome is also available because, hey, this is Buick).

Again, pricing was not made available, but we'd have to guess the LaCrosse Super will be a tad more expensive than the Chevy Impala SS that also sports the 5.3L V8 and starts at $28,655. If Buick decides to keep the LaCrosse Super under $30k, it will stand with the Impala SS as a incredible performance value. Of course, torque steer comes at no extra charge.

Check out GM's full press release after the jump and our gallery of desktop wallpaper-sized high-res images.

[Source: GM]

Gallery: 2008 Buick LaCrosse Super

Continue reading New York Preview: 2008 Buick LaCrosse Super rolled out

New York Preview: 2008 Buick LaCrosse Super rolled out originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Mar 2007 13:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments