Our poll this week brings up the seemingly more common subject: the future of Buick; specifically, whether the Tri-Shield brand should sell the three-door Astra GTC in North America. Some would say that the car would be right at home wearing the Buick badge while others (yours truly included) believe that the sporty three-door doesn’t fit in with Buick whatsoever and GM would be better off developing a three-door Cruze that it would sell on a global basis, instead.
So, how do you feel about the Astra GTC with a waterfall grille and a Tri-Shield emblem? Put your opinion to a voe in the poll below!
Note that we ask you this on the heels of our report from a few days ago stating that the Astra has been green-lit for North America.
[nggallery id=320]With four model years recommended for purchase.
This example is a former NCRS award winner.
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I thought about something... BMW has its M division and Mercedes-Benz has its AMG divison. Why can't Buick still be soft luxury AND still have a sports division? Like Cadillac has its V series.
Because Cadillac is inherently a performance luxury brand. With the exception of the SRX and Escalade (and the XTS, which in itself is a stop gap), Caddy is all about spirited driving in luxury. The current SRX should have been a Buick -- and Caddy's CUV lineup should mirror that of MBZ or BMW -- with a focus on performance. The SRX doesn't come close, unfortunately.
So, Caddy should do what it does best -- or at least portray a unified image of doing just that -- while allowing Buick to beat Lexus at its own game. The only reason for Lexus' F line is because they need to appeal to as many buyers as possible with a single lux brand. GM has two lux brands and doesn't need to sully one's image in that way.
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You just put another reason; Lexus' F line would have also competed with Buick's Super(just example) sport line.
Well, I see it as another reason NOT to do it. The core Lexus customer doesn't even know how many cylinders their car's engine has, let alone care about sporty this or super that. They just want a quiet and comfortable ride that's isolating and homely, with a dose of "I'm rich" status sprinkled in. Lexus HAS to do a performance line because it doesn't want to lose those customers to BMW, etc... but it is losing those buyers, since BMW does performance better all day long.
So while Lexus is chasing BMW and losing (badly) with the F line, it's also alienating its core customers (the ones who don't care about sport/performance).
The scenario I always bring up is: meet John. 55 years old, just bought Lexus' best-selling sedan, the ES350. It's a soft luxury vehicle. As soft as they get. It can be quick, but few push it.
To John, Lexus is a brand that's all about comfort. He loves his ES because of this comfort and luxury... as well as the image of telling others that he proudly drives a Lexus. So imagine John's surprise when he sees a blaring, roaring, and raucous ad about the IS-F... with its 500 horses and loud-ass exhaust note. All of a sudden, John feels abandoned and confused. The brand that he thought was all about comfort and luxury -- the brand that he bought solely based on those qualities -- has now changed. And he doesn't like it. In fact, if he wanted performance (to hear the engine, exhaust note, and to be connected with the road, etc.), he would have purchased a BMW or Audi. Not a Lexus.
And while Lexus is out trying to be hip and cool and attract the BMW loyalists, the BMW faithful laugh and sneer at their efforts (as can be evidenced by sales of the IS-F vs. M3, C63 AMG, S4, etc.). So Lexus has done 2 things here:
1. They've alienated John, their core customer, and
2. They've failed (failing) to attract enough performance customers to make up for John's dissatisfaction
It all comes down to Lexus having a split personality because they are a single luxury brand, and thus have to fend for themselves against BMW, Mercedes, Caddy, Buick, Acura, and the rest. GM has two brands in Caddy and Buick. Let one focus on spirited driving; let the other perfect the pure luxury experience and earn the perception crown in that segment.
Finally someone agrees with me! John can kiss my ass for not buying a Buick LaCrosse, and would not have to worry about Buick not being quiet and plush, because it is! I also realized that Buick is fine how it is, because I also have a scenario. Two short ones, to be exact.
Daniel wants a luxury car that isnt too expensive but still wants all the amenities of a much more expensive car. Why, he's just found the Buick LaCrosse, which just focuses on what he wants. A plush, soft ride and uber luxury feel for under $40,000. Now, can the aging Lexus ES350 compare to that?
Josh also wants a luxury car, but also wants a sport sedan. Well theres the $33,595+ Lexus IS or the Buick Regal thats under $40,000 but also has the same luxuries at a cheaper price. What do you think he will get?
Question: "Can the aging Lexus ES350 compare to that?"
Answer: Yes. I owned one for two years. Aging or not, the ES is THE defining vehicle in its segment. The LaCrosse is good, but the "aging" ES is still better. And it's a REAL luxury car, providing leather, keyless entry and push-button start, as well as auto-dimming mirrors, just to name a few, standard. The LaCrosee is supposed to be a luxury car... but it offers luxury as an option... which doesn't make sense, since luxury should be standard in a luxury car. Right?
As for Josh, I'd recommend he get the upcoming ATS. It will do what the Regal does... and do it better. From what we hear, it will start around $30,000.
I think both examples further demonstrate that a brand should have a specific focus. In the case of Caddy, it should be sport luxury -- right up Josh's alley. As for Buick, it should be soft luxury -- exactly what Daniel prefers.
However, soft luxury doesn't necessarily mean Impala-like land yacht experience. A Buick should still be a well-rounded vehicle... but the focus changes from BMW's (and hopefully Cadillac's) performance (read: more audible exhaust note, stiffer suspension, enthusiast-tuned steering) to that of Lexus (and hopefully Buick), such as a more isolated cabin and a more relaxed (softer) ride.
Your right. Caddy should completely go Luxury Performance-Oriented and Buick can take care of the full-on luxury and give itself an edge and challenge to compete with.
So your answer to the original question on this string is "No"? I'm not disagreeing with you at all, I'm just curious where that leaves us.
They might as well. I mean look at the interior of the Verano and the GTC. They both look exactly the same. The GTC should be called the Verano GS, just like the Regal and its GS counterpart.
But then again the ES barely caught up with technology though. The last time the Lexus compare with Buick on Insideline Lexus still has cassette player.
I don't think tech is very important in that segment. Like I said before, many Lexus buyers don't know how many cylinders their car has or that the 350 means 3.5 liter. I'm betting that CDs are right up most Lexus Owners' alleys. Not sure what year InsideLine's ES us, but my 2010 didn't have a tape deck...
Overall, the ES does what the LaCrosse does... But it does it better. The LaCrosse is newer and has better/more modern tech.
I think they did 09
Looks like we set a record on the # of posts...
61, wow. Bring the Astra GTC to the states, enough said... Make Buick a competitive luxury brand competing directly with Lexus. Got it GM...