Just got a job driving for a rental company - I'd strongly dispute that statement.
I guess we can elaborate on this statement now that we're in the proper thread (ie, not in the "Best Car" one).
What cars are we driving these days that trouble you? If its an Impala and a Malibu, G6 or a Grand Prix, I can understand. Move into the next-generation products, and it gets different really quickly.
Have you driven the new Theta triplets (Outlook/Acadia/Enclave)?
Have you driven the Aura?
What about the Lucerne?
Have you seen the '08 Malibu in person?
Same with the '08 CTS and STS?
How about those full-size GMT900 SUVs and the Silverado/Sierra?
And the updated '08 Corvette?
Have you seen or been close to the '08 Pontiac G8?
How about that Cobalt?
What about the Kappa (Solstice/Sky) twins?
I'd say the majority of those cars are damn good ones, despite the obvious idiotic models at GM. No single company ever does everything completely "right" (well, unless you live in Toyota la-la land), and with the current generational gaps currently in place in many of the companies, we're going to have to wait for the crap models to be either redesigned, replaced, or just killed-off altogether.
...GM and Ford are both getting better (can't say much for Chrysler these days), but you can't expect a sudden change all at once on all of their products. The good stuff is coming, trust me, as we're finally getting away from the "America-only" days of the '70s and '80s.
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And on that note, in all seriousness, Buick is intended to be the "Lexus fighter." The brass at GM once suggested that Saturn
should do it by replacing Oldsmobile as the "Lexus fighter," but level heads prevailed, and that task was given to Buick.
Why?
Well, simply put, GM decided that Cadillac was too good to be doing that. If Toyota still wants to sand-bag with pricing on Lexus models like they always have, they're going to be better off knocking gloves with BMW and Mercedes, like they have decided. Using Buick to fight Lexus basically allows GM to do what Toyota did to them, offering similarly performing, occasionally equally nice (Change is coming!), for a lower price.
The Enclave is shot number one from the Buick revolver, and its packing a hollow point. In every sense of the word, the Enclave has either matched or surpassed the RX350 (IMO), and done so at a cheaper price as well. The Enclave is quieter, better looking, and may eventually see a V8 option as well. Sure, it doesn't have a hybrid option (who cares?) and it may not have the Lexus reputation in quality, but Buick stands right behind Lexus in quality tests... And thats pretty damn good considering the neighbors over in Lansing build them for us.
Did I mention there is actually a
wait list for the Enclave? When was the last time you've heard of a wait list for a Buick? GM is already having problems filling orders, as they are coming in too quick, and it is blowing their projected sales of the crossover out of the water. People are buying the crossovers sight unseen in places like New York, and that NEVER happens.
...Either way, Buick is getting better, now that GM has decided to turn their attention to the ailing brand. Getting Cadillac and Saturn sorted out has turned out exceptionally well for the company, and I assume much the same for Buick if they can do the products right, and furthermore, at the right price. The Chinese LaCrosse you saw earlier is indeed what GM is planning on doing here in the US by 2010, fully aligning Buick USA with Buick China, making Buick a full-run luxury company like it
should have been years ago.
First we get the Enclave, then we may or may not get the Chinese LaCrosse (crossing my fingers for "may"), we will likely see the Park Avenue come here (read Holden Caprice, full-size luxury Commodore), and furthermore after the LaCrosse switches to the Epsilon II chassis in 2009 (ish), we will likely see an entry-level luxury car from Buick as well (reportedly called Skylark).
...The return of the Regal/Grand National likely depends on if they keep the name "LaCrosse" or not, but word is they want a Grand National no matter what. Presumably based on the Camaro/GTO/Monaro, the GN will likely bring in younger and "more mature" buyers by comparison to the bowtie and arrowhead crowd, and it may be what Buick needs to get the ball rolling more than ever before.
Lets be frank for a moment here: If we could get a GN to come back with a turbo Atlas 4.2 or some kind of turbo V6 to go up against the GS, that would just be awesome. Not because Buick would actually have a chance against the Lexus, but because its our way of giving Toyota the finger, and showing that we still know how to do things...
...That is, if we still know how to do things...
I'm confident in Lutz and Wagoner these days (I recall a time when I wanted Wagoner's head on a stick), and I'm sure they will do the best for Buick.
