GM offers zero-percent financing, cash back for Transformers debut

Jeffrey Ross — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 17:17:00 GMT

Many children of the ‘80s have been counting down the days until Independence Day this year. Aside from cookouts, trips to the beach and a midweek day off, moviegoers can look forward to the live-action “Transformers” movie, which is set to release July 3, 2007.

The movie features Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight and a slew of General Motors’ vehicles.

In a cross-promotional push to increase sales for the end of the month, GM will be offering incentives on a number of its vehicles. The “Transform Your Ride Sale” will run from June 26 through July 9, 2007 and will give qualified buyers zero-percent financing for 36 months as well as $1,000 cash rebate on select Pontiac, Buick, Chevrolet and GMC vehicles. Unfortunately, the “stars” of “Transformers,” the Pontiac Solstice and the unreleased 2009 Chevrolet Camaro, are not among the incentivized vehicles.

While GM’s remaining brands have seemingly been left out of this offer, they will most certainly feature some sort of end-of-the-month sales push, including Saturn’s “Side by Side by Side” campaign in which Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys are displayed on Saturn showrooms next to the 2008 Aura. Saturn has experienced incredible sales due to a completely new lineup of inspiring vehicles.

Chevrolet, GMC and Pontiac are all experiencing sales gains compared to last year but look to make a push heading into the summer months. Buick is still in process of whittling down its product lineup while concurrently producing vehicles that are both fun to drive and uniquely designed.

Hopefully, “Transformers” will invoke childhood memories for many viewers and not end up feeling like an hour and a half General Motors commercial.

The vehicles eligible for this sale are (by make):
Pontiac: 2006 and 2007 G5, G6, Grand Prix and Torrent
Buick: 2006 and 2007 Lacrosse, Lucerne and Rainier
Chevrolet: 2006 and 2007 Cobalt, Monte Carlo, Impala, HHR, TrailBlazer, Tahoe, Suburban, Avalanche and the all-new 2007 Silverado
GMC: Envoy, Yukon, Yukon Denali, Yukon XL, Yukon XL Denali and the all-new 2007 Sierra

[source: GM press release]

Super Buicks Debut in New York

Jeffrey Ross — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 19:04:00 GMT

By: Jeffrey Ross
Autotropolis.com

With the heat on domestic manufacturers to improve build and design quality, General Motors continues to come through with products that help maintain its position at the top for worldwide sales numbers.

General Motors has spent the last few years focused on revamping the lineups of some of its more profitable brands (Pontiac and Cadillac) and improving consumer perception of its entry-level Saturn brand. Now Buick becomes the main focal point to avoid the same fate of the now defunct Oldsmobile brand.

Gone are the classic nameplates like Park Avenue, LeSabre and Century. But gone, too, is the market overlapping that existed with these cars over the last two decades. Buick’s lineup has dwindled to just three models as they attempt to increase sales and attract more youthful customers. In addition to the elegantly designed Enclave luxury crossover, the LaCrosse and Lucerne should help Buick become a successful mid-level brand for GM by blending the luxury and styling of a Cadillac with the performance and affordability of a Chevrolet.

The 2008 Buick LaCrosse receives the most noticeable differences. The biggest improvement to the LaCrosse is directly up front. A revised grille and fascia give the 2008 LaCrosse a more modern look instead of one that resembles the 1990s Riviera. Like its siblings, the new LaCrosse gets the signature portholes in the front fenders.

While looks can get a car noticed, added power never hurts to help stand out from the crowd. Buick revived a moniker it once used a half century ago to distinguish the more powerful model, Super. Instead of wearing a red “S” on their hoods, the new Buick Supers are more like Clark Kent. Instead of using overly flashy body kits or big wheels to intimidate, these sleepers use what’s under the hood to pack all the punch.

Sharing a platform with the Impala SS allowed Buick to come up with its own sport model but with added luxury. The LaCrosse Super is equipped with a 5.3-liter V8 that offers 300 horsepower and 323 lb-ft. of torque. Fuel economy should not be the kryptonite to this Super with Active Fuel Management that should get similar fuel mileage to the Impala SS, which is 18 city/27 highway. Improved braking and suspension systems should help the LaCrosse Super handle more comfortably then its Bowtie relative.

The bigger Lucerne also gets an updated look for 2008 in addition to its own Super version but focuses on improved luxury. While the 2008 Lucerne Super does get a boost in horsepower, the majority of improvements are on the inside. GM’s Magnetic Ride Control System offers a better ride to passengers while an abundance of suede leather and Walnut burl accents provide a unique, luxurious environment.

The Lucerne Super uses the same 4.6-liter Northstar V8 as the Cadillac DTS but improves performance to 292 horsepower and 288 lb-ft. of torque. A larger grille and unique front and rear fascias finish off the sporty look which helps to differentiate the Lucerne Super from its lesser versions.

All 2008 Buicks will feature a standard four-year/50,000 mile vehicle warranty and a five-year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty.

New Car Reviews : buick

GM offers zero-percent financing, cash back for Transformers debut

Super Buicks Debut in New York