Rear-wheel-drive Buick Lucerne not dead, but will be smaller

Posted: Jun 04, 2008
Filed under: Buick, GM

It was reported last week that GM has killed plans to produce a rear-wheel-drive Chevrolet Impala and a Buick based on the large Zeta platform - not so quick. According to Motor Trend, the Impala will definitely stay front-wheel-drive, but a rear-wheel-drive Buick Lucerne may still be safe.

For some background history on the large rear-wheel-drive Zeta platform; the 2011 Buick Lucerne, along with the next-generation Impala and the replacement for the Cadillac STS/DTS were all going to get rear-wheel-drive. However with the new fuel-economy standards set by the Bush administration, the platform just didn’t seem fuel-efficient and green enough for GM.

Motor Trend now says that designers are working to make the Buick Lucerne smaller and lighter. Instead of a 118.5-inch-wheelbase, the next-generation Lucerne will be built on the 0.8 inches shorter midsize Zeta platform as seen on the Pontiac G8 sedan.

Adding direct-injection or hybrid power mated to the rear-wheel-drive midsized Zeta platform should yield in a higher fuel-economy for the next-generation Buick Lucerne.

No idea why they wouldn’t do the same for Impala since everyone is headed towards smaller cars anyway.

 

Source: Motor Trend

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  • justmatt
    Good news for Buick. It is odd though that Pontiac/Buick dealers will offer two of the same thing and Chevy across town will have the different model. My guess is the volume model need be as efficient and inexpensive as possible. Also with Buick's growing popularity in China, Aussie built Buicks may be in all of our futures. Buick is one of the few American Brands that have succeeded outside of North American, Good for them.
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