2008 Buick Allure Review

Specifications

Through design and by paying closer attention to the details, Buick has been trying to appeal to consumersby jogging the memories of the good old days when Buick was one of the top brands for affordable American luxury. The whole heritage thing has seen the return of VentiPorts, which started on the Lucerne and moved to the Enclave, and now they’re bringing back the Super, the top of the line designation for Buicks back in the ’50s. The Super name was relaunched just a few weeks ago in New York, showing off Buick’s ability to combine performance and luxury with their flagship Lucerne, and this, their midsize LaCrosse.

The LaCrosse Super is essentially Buick’s version of Chevy’s Impala SS and Pontiac’s Grand Prix GXP. Yep, that means there’s a big 5.3-liter purpose-engineered, pushrod V8 transversely mounted and installed in the engine bay, boasting a full 300 horsepower and 323 lb-ft of torque. That power then moves through a four-on-the-floor automatic,before exiting through a sportier exhaust system finished with 3.5-inch diameter chrome tailpipes.

General Motors says that the LaCrosse Super can hit 60 mph from a standstill in 5.7 seconds, which would make it one of the quickest sedans in the entry-level midsize segment. Although, while General Motors says that the LaCrosse Super has the fuel consumption of a V6 engine because of its Active Fuel Management that shuts off some of combustion chambers under lighter loads, we’re willing to bet that in real life situations it’s still not going to be as efficient as the automaker’s less powerful V6s.

The difference between the LaCrosse Super and the Impala SS is that General Motors’ performance division, the people who are responsiblefor turning regular Cadillacs into the awesome V-Series products, developed the Buick. That might sound impressive yet we’re not wholly sold on the idea, especially after what John Heinricy, director of GM High Performance Vehicle Operations had to say about the LaCrosse. The main goal, according to him, was to produce the ride quality and road behavior of a 1980s Jaguar and the first generation of Oldsmobile Aurora. These less than lofty targets shouldn’t be too hard to meet, and all things considered are probably exactly what the ideal customer is looking for – a nice, cushy, comfortable vehicle that’s a little bit more composed at higher speeds.

In order to make the LaCrosse a better driving machine and more able to cope with the stresses of a large-displacement V8 engine, the performance team gave the LaCrosse the usual alterations for ride and handling. The springs and new Bilstein monotube dampers have been set up in a wayto cut back on float and wallow without compromising ride quality, while thicker anti-roll bars are employed to stop the LaCrosse from keeling over too much in corners. The engineers also fitted a different steering rack with stronger teeth, but the steering ratio is the same as on the regular car. Hopefully there’s less power assistance and more steering feel. The LaCrosse Super also has the braking system of the bigger Lucerne to help it stop faster; the upgrades include larger diameter rotors.

Inside and outside there are a couple of minor hints that reveal the identity of the V8-powered model. Besides the obvious rumble of the exhaust, there’s a tiny little spoiler that sitsatop the trunk lid, a new rear bumper with integrated parking sensors, and special rocker moldings. There’s a new front end that features a bigger grille inspired by the Velite convertible concept. The LaCrosse Super also is the only LaCrosse to feature those aforementioned VentiPorts, and it also has the honor of wearing the largest wheels and tires to be fitted to a LaCrosse, measuring 235/50R18. The interior of the Super features bolstered bucket seats, special woodgrain trim for the dashboard and doors, platinum-effect trim on the console, plus woven-embossed leather seating surfaces.

The regular LaCrosse will get some of the same visual changes, such as the revised front grille, as well as a different hood and bumpers. The other changes made to the LaCrosse are basically to boost the car’s standard equipment list. All models will now get a leather-wrapped steering wheel with stereo and cruise control buttons, XM satellite radio,a telescoping steering column, an alarm with remote starter, dual zone climate control and a trip computer as standard. It’s not the most interesting of updates, and it’s unlikely that it’ll sway many extra buyers in favor of the LaCrosse, but what it will do is make those who’ve decided to purchase lower rung models a little more pleased with their purchase. Besides the Super model, there are no updates to the LaCrosse’s powertrain.

While we’ll have to wait until we drive it before we give the final verdict, the new LaCrosse Super’s upgraded performance probably won’t be enough to cause sport sedan buyers to leave their imports and Chrysler 300C SRT8s. It will be interesting to see how GM distinguishes it from the Impala SS and Grand Prix GXP, when it comes to driving dynamics, or if they will allow it to be as fiery as the other cars and merely allow the Buick’s styling to separate it from the pack (and our editor tells me that the Grand Prix GXP is a blast to drive). We know that Buick has made some pretty smokin’ automobiles in its past, such as the Wildcat and the Gran Sport Stage I of the ’60s and early ’70s, and during the ’80s the Regal-based Grand National and GNX were some of the fastest American street cars around. It seems that Buick has other things in mind for the LaCrosse Super, so we can only hope that they’re saving the GNX name for something even more entertaining later. Either way, for Buick fans looking for something to get their heart rates up, the new LaCrosse Super looks like just the ticket.