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Showing posts from 2008

2009 Buick Enclave: From Concept to Reality

General Motors has been taking a beating for over a year now due to sales dips, make/model image problems, and labor and legacy issues. Truly, if there was a better time to jumpstart the company, I don’t know what it would be. Fortunately, someone in GM’s walnut-trimmed boardroom is getting the message: build what we want and we will buy it. The Buick Enclave, a luxury SUV making the rounds of the U.S. auto shows, appears to be one such winner. I realize that I am in the minority of car critics, but I think that Buick is on the right track. The Lucerne, a full sized car based on the Cadillac DTS, is a beauty and Buick’s next newest model, the mid sized Lacrosse, is another attractive looking car. Still, Buick’s remaining fleet has been scaled back with only two SUVs and one crossover vehicle, the Terraza, left. At times it isn’t clear what plans GM has for its “near luxury” division, but if the Enclave is one example, then Buick has a promising future. Without having pictures avail

2008 Mercedes B Class: American Introduction Delayed?

Mercedes has long looked at the entire U.S. auto market as fair game, meaning it is not just a place where it can sell luxury vehicles, but a place to market “low budget” vehicles too. Unknown to some American motorists, the Mercedes name is much broader than simply being a luxury make. Like its German rival, Volkswagen, Mercedes sells cars in Europe that compete directly against the Golf as well as against the luxurious VW Phaeton. Still, introducing a “budget Benz” to America is a psychological hurdle that parent DaimlerChrysler is delaying making a commitment to. Let’s take a look at the proposed B Class and the reasons why the model not make it to the U.S. anytime soon. For starters, the proposed B Class is based upon Mercedes A Class line of cars. Okay, that tells you a lot! In short, the A Class is a true line of compact cars that are popular in Europe. If you were to give serious consideration to purchasing a Volkswagen Golf you would consider the A Class to be its logical co