Buick brings back the Park Avenue... for China

Punisher Bass

He who drives a Buick
Joined
Feb 25, 2007
Messages
3,492
Location
St Louis, MO
Car(s)
98 Buick Park Avenue Ultra
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/10/buick-reintroduces-the-park-avenue-in-china/

As a Park Avenue owner and current Lucerne hater, this news really bothers me. I wish Buick would send a few of these to the US with the option to get a bit more grunt under the hood. I can only guess that they don't want to take the focus off the new "super" Buicks, Pontiac G8 (if it's still coming out), or the CTS.

It's time for Buick to wake up and give this generation a real performance car (even if it's a rebadge) before going back to sleep for another couple decades.
 
We are getting the G8, which just renders that Buick redundant anyhow.

It's of my opinion that Buick either needs to be retired, or give them a niche to fit in, I say stick with FWD, but offer AWD as an option on all models. Basically the GM version of Audi.
 
Last edited:
I wouldn't call it redundant, besides just look at the Camaro and Firebird. The average Buick owner is older than the average Cadillac owner, Buick needs something to draw in younger buyers and giving something like this an LS2 option could do it. The new "super" Buick's just don't cut it in that area.

I don't want to see Buick fade away and then get buried like Olds did.
 
Bob Lutz offered the Statesman/Caprice (the Park Avenue) to Buick dealers in the US and they rejected it because they feared it would cannibalise sales of the Lucerne. Lutzy did have a go, it was the dealers who rejected it.
 
Bob Lutz offered the Statesman/Caprice (the Park Avenue) to Buick dealers in the US and they rejected it because they feared it would cannibalise sales of the Lucerne. Lutzy did have a go, it was the dealers who rejected it.

I read about that a little while ago. It shows how stuck in their ways some people can be. But I guess they know more than me since so many people my age are clamoring for the current crop they have to offer.
 
Tiger Woods drives a Buick. And even that doesn't make me ever want to own one.
 
And before that they tried bringing Harley Earl back from the dead. It didn't really work, but atleast I understood why given all he did for Buick and GM.

But I just can't believe they are happy to sit back let their owner base die off (literally) while Cadillac are building serious performance cars with the V-series. Buick has always been about luxury at a price below that of Cadillac and sometimes luxury with high performance.
 
Last edited:
And before that they tried bringing Harley Earl back from the dead. It didn't really work, but atleast I understood why given all he did for Buick and GM.
One of the lamest marketing schemes I've been forced to live through - nobody under 50 is going to know who he is, and nobody over is going to give a shit.

I knew who he was, though, and felt bad for him: poor guy wouldn't dare to hang his hat on a Rendezvous at gunpoint.
 
GM wont sell anything now that Harley Earl would have been involved with (in modern times obviously). They'd water it down heavily claiming "the designs are to bold, people won't by them" or some crap like that.

Look how they went from that Lacrosse concept to a face lifted Regal/Century.

edit: The Holden makes for a damn good looking Buick. Perhaps they should have done a Buick in the US like that instead of the Pontiac G8.
 
Last edited:
The Holden Statesman/Caprice in Australia would make a fine Buick . But with the modifications completed by the Chinese it makes a great car an even better car. The interior of the Original Statesman, has been modified in many areas compared to the Buick version.
 
I must say, I like the Buick grill on the Statesman/Caprice. Liking the rear seats too, do they recline? That dash is typical american and largely rubbish though. The dash was one of the best parts of the Statesman/Caprice :/


It's crazy how Buick dealers don't want something that would actually sell :lol:
 
It looks great! No surprises then that it's not really a Buick and that Buick dealers won't sell it.
 
Man that is a shame. I see no reason why that car would not sell here, seeing as how old folks loved the Crown Vic/Continental. It's like Buick wants to be killed off.
 
Just wait till the Enclave gets here. My dealer has I think 9 on order at least while most dealerships are getting 1 or 2. The owner went on about how it's quieter than a Benz and what not. I don't think so.

$34k starting for the Enclave...... I think Buick is in the begining of it's demise.
 
No ones going to pay $34,000 for a Buick. You can get a fully kitted out Highlander or Pilot for that sort of money. I know the Enclave is bigger, but it isn't by much. Not only that, but it looks nothing like a buick. It looks sort of like a GMC......ohhhh wait it is...
 
No ones going to pay $34,000 for a Buick. You can get a fully kitted out Highlander or Pilot for that sort of money. I know the Enclave is bigger, but it isn't by much. Not only that, but it looks nothing like a buick. It looks sort of like a GMC......ohhhh wait it is...

Sure they are based on the same platform but they do not look alike.
 
No ones going to pay $34,000 for a Buick. You can get a fully kitted out Highlander or Pilot for that sort of money. I know the Enclave is bigger, but it isn't by much. Not only that, but it looks nothing like a buick. It looks sort of like a GMC......ohhhh wait it is...
Not to really defend the citadel of geezer motoring that is Buick, but here goes:

1. The Enclave looks nothing like the GMC it's based on. You'd have to be blind/a mildly retarded chimpanzee with glaucoma to say they're the same. For once, GM did a good job with their badge engineering, even though I still think they don't need 3 versions of the same vehicle. Call it "damning with faint praise".

2. So what if it's based on the same platform that GMC uses? It's specially designed for those 3 vehicles anyway, so saying "z0mg it's a GMC" doesn't really do anything.

3. Starting at $34k? That is a lot of money. Then again, isn't it supposed to go against the Lexus RX and the Acura MDX, which start at $37k and $39k respectively? In that case, it doesn't look as bad. Even if it is a z0mgamericancar!!!1one!, and a Buick at that.
 
Top