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The 2004 Buick Rainier is the vehicle the famed golfer touts in
television commercials
2005 Buick LaCrosse Preview
Buick has made efforts to greatly reduce tolerances between components for a higher quality appearance, and it shows. Space inside the Buick LaCrosse exceeds the outgoing Century and Regal thanks to a wheelbase increase, resulting in much-needed additional rear legroom. The trunk can carry up to 16 cubic feet of cargo, expanded through the use of the LaCrosse's split-folding rear seatback.
Outside, the Buick LaCrosse features clean, if derivative, styling with chrome accents and gap tolerances that have been reduced by 40 percent over the Century and Regal. Due to its front-drive configuration, the front overhang is somewhat excessive. The LaCrosse's headlamps, grille and bumper strongly resemble today's Lexus GS; certainly no accident given Buick's future goals. That's an unoriginal step in the right direction, but to truly compete with the best the world has to offer, Buick will need to mimic more than appearance. Time will tell if the Buick LaCrosse has what it takes to compete on equal footing with the Toyota Camry, let alone any Lexus.
Prices have not been set, but we expect the 2005 Buick LaCrosse to be more expensive than the models it replaces, with quarterly price increases to offset the need for rebates and incentives following the sedan's debut. That oughta put the LaCrosse at a starting point just over $25,000 for the CX with loaded CXS models reaching into the low $30,000 range - right where the leap to a Lexus IS 300 or ES 330 isn't tough to make.
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