The LaCrosse – the largest and most expensive Buick sedan/saloon currently on offer – will no longer be available in the United States because of the ongoing reorganization of General Motors. The last copy will roll off the assembly line in Detroit this summer.
Fortunately for the company, the Chinese market still holds plenty of opportunity for the LaCrosse, with 1,050,000 units sold there last year alone (compare this to the 207,000 units sold in the USA). As such, it should not be surprising that the company has decided to run a mid-generational refresh of the model.
The new sedan sports a completely different front grille with a massive chrome-coated bezel, and there is no “baleen whale tooth” grille pattern to be seen anymore. A wide chrome streak runs along the restyled rear of the car as well. Overall, the sedan now looks more up-to-date than before.
Interior changes boil down to the use of new, different trimming materials. The rest stays the same, and the top trim called Avenir – sporting numerous chrome ornaments, premium finishing and many tech features – is still available.
The new Buick LaCrosse will ship with the same old 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine now revved down from 261 hp (195 kW) to 240 hp (179 kW). Reportedly, the maximum torque stays the same at 350 Nm (258 lbft). The engine comes linked to a nine-speed automatic transmission.
Later on, the manufacturer will start shipping the car with a new 1.3-liter turbocharged gas engine capable of 165 hp (123 kW) instead of the old 1.5-liter, 170-hp variant. It also promises to make a hybrid version available, although at a still later date.
The Buick LaCrosse facelift will arrive on the market in China in a few days, priced starting from what roughly amounts to U.S. $40,000.
Photos: autoevolution.com