Are You Ready To Wave Goodbye To The Buick Lucerne?
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When the Buick Lucerne made its debut in 2006, the sedan made sense. Being a full-size couch on wheels, there’s no way around the fact that the Lucerne is the definition of your grandpa’s Buick (no offense to any grandparents out there, of course).
Initially, the Lucerne sold well after its launch, recording 96,515 deliveries during its first year on the market. But sales slid to 31,292 units in 2009 and are down 12.5 percent so far this year.
Today, Buick is in the midst of a Renaissance and the Lucerne doesn’t seem to belong.
“Lucerne is still part of our portfolio; it definitely fills a need right now,” Buick marketing manager Roger McCormack told Ward’s Auto. “We still have traditional Buick buyers, where the Lucerne is a great vehicle for them – big, quiet and comfortable.”
That traditional Buick buyer is exactly who the Tri-Shield brand is running away from: Buick wants to become more youthful and hopes to drastically lower the average age of its customer.
Last year, Buick unveiled the 2010 LaCrosse – the brand’s first all-new sedan since the Lucerne. The new LaCrosse has been selling like hotcakes since its debut. However, given the similar size of the Lucerne (203 inches long) and LaCrosse (197), it no longer makes sense to keep both vehicles in the Buick portfolio:
“We have the LaCrosse and Lucerne both competing in the large-car segment,” adds McCormack. “Do you need two cars in the same segment? We’re going to expand our portfolio, and in the long-term it is not going to include two cars in (that) segment.”
That expansion is coming in the way of the midsize Regal sedan, compact Delta II-based sedan (the Verano, sold in China as Excelle GT) and Theta-based compact CUV (Encore). Both are expected to bow in 2012. It’s also rumored that Buick will get a full-size flagship sedan based on a premium version of GM’s Zeta platform. But until that happens, the LaCrosse will become Buick’s flagship.
Today, the Lucerne is built at GM’s Hamtramck plant. That facility, however, will soon begin manufacturing the revolutionary Chevy Volt, at which point the Lucerne will cease production.
Will you miss it? Is Buick making a mistake? Do you welcome Buick’s movement from “floaty” and “boaty” to “sporty”? Sound off in the comments below.
by 
September 6, 2010 at 8:15 pm
I have a 2007 lucerne. it is the best car i have ever owned. you have to consider all reasons for buying such a car like size, shape, reliability and speed, And for what i paid, yo cant beat what comes with this car. Its fully loaded and and has never had a problem for as hard as i drive it. I’m going on 70000 miles. It would be a shame to not see this car evolve. It has everything and only more to offer in the future. I cant fit in a lacrosse and only weigh 190 lb.
September 8, 2010 at 9:58 pm
In March 2006 I bought a 2006 Buick Lucerne CXL. This is the worst car I have ever owned. With only 125,000 km, I had to replace two sets of wheel bearing, the motor mounts, the water pump, the door lock mechanism on both front doors, the lumbar mechanism on the driver car seat , left bearing bearing/speed sensor assy, front and rear rotors (on two occassions), tie rod end, rack pinion purger, under the engine shield, and the driver door handle. Never again, bring back the Park Avenue. I traded my Park Avenue with 375,000 km; hardly any problems and a much better on gas consuption.