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Home::Trucks SUVS
2009 Buick Enclave: From Concept to Reality
Author : Matthew C. Keegan
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 available to show you, it can be
difficult to describe the Enclave. When I viewed pictures on
various web sites, I couldn't help but think that the Enclave
was similar to the Subaru B9 Tribeca. Before you get your
knickers twisted in a wad, the Enclave is a swan in comparison
to the ugly Subaru.
Sporting a front end akin to the Lucerne, the back end looks a
lot like the Tribeca. Overall lines are somewhat car like but
the Enclave certainly does sport an SUV look with calmer lines.
What we know about the Enclave at this point is fairly limited.
The vehicle sits on a 119 inch wheelbase and is powered by a
3.6L V6. So, it appears that Buick will replace the smaller
Rendezvous with the Enclave and keep the larger Rainier. Or,
perhaps, the Rainier will be retired altogether. The Enclave has
all the amenities a Buick owner is accustomed to including:
leather appointments, power everything, OnStar, a variety of
entertainment options, responsive handling, and a quiet cabin.
Pictures reveal 21" tires with seven spoke wheels. Seating is
for six, spread out over three rows. No couch seating either;
individual bucket seats are planned for all six passengers.
There is no official word yet whether the Enclave will see the
light of day at least in its present interpretation. Still, the
vehicle is a fresh look for a refreshed division, something that
Buick certainly needs in order to keep the momentum going.
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