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My (realistic) dream cars: BMW M5 and Corvette Z06. My (unrealistic) dream cars: Lexus LF-A and Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

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Apr 8, 2008 - Has Buick (GM) lost it?


Buick has just announced the prices for the Lucerne Super and CXL special edition and here are the summaries:
 
Lucerne Super:
- 4.6L Northstar V-8
- 292 horsepower
- 288 lb.-ft. of torque
- MSRP: $39,395 (including a $765 destination freight charge)
 
Lucerne CXL Special Edition V-6:
- 3.8L V-6
- 197 horsepower
- 227 lb.-ft. of torque
- MSRP: $32,150 (including a $765 destination freight charge)
 
Lucerne CXL Special Edition V-8:
- Northstar 4.6L V-8
- 275 horsepower
- 295 lb.-ft. of torque
- MSRP: $33,850 (including a $765 destination freight charge)
 
Source:  www.autoblog.com/2008/04/08/buick-lucerne-super-finally-arrives-brings-cxl-special-edition/

$40k for a Buick? $32k for a Buick with an ancient V6 that produces less than 200hp? What the heck are they thinking? To be honest, at $34k the V8 CXL Special Edition is not that bad of a deal if one is into V8 American land yachts but that brings up the question: Who the heck is going to buy the Super given that the CXL Special Edition has similar performance with $6k less?
 
If Buick is tired of selling sedans they should just tell us...
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1:16 pm | Categories: auto industry, second opinion
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Comments
chavis10 - May 2, 2008 6:08 pm
I doubt the average Lucerne buyer cares much for performance or horsepower so the 3800 V6 is just fine. It's quiet, economical and has a robust torque curve giving the car excellent around town response. The power characteristics of the 3800 V6 are actually more inline with the mission of the car than the higher strung Northstar. The Special Edition's (LD8) Northstar is tuned for my low end torque than the Super's version (L37) which actually makes less overall torque despite it's higher horsepower. To compensate, the high output Northstar has also featured a shorter 3.71:1 (up from 3.11:1) axle to boost it's response off the line since the meat of it's powerband has been shifted 500-700 rpm higher. The Super does provide many more features than the CXL. Also remember the Super has replaced the previous top trim CXS making a lot of the commonly selected CXS features standard. It features 18" wheels, Magnetic Ride Control, stiffer spring, larger stabilizer bar and retuned tighter steering. Basically, it gives you Cadillac DTS features for a lot less money. Think of it that way. In short, I don't think Buick has "lost it" at all. I could actually see many DTS owners saving $10k and going with the Lucerne Super.
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