GM needs more cars like Lucerne

Exclusivity gives some cars their eye appeal; others earn it the hard way.

Buick’s new full-size Lucerne lacks the kind of pedigree that would render it irresistible but, still, there is a certain kind of a man who can’t take his eyes off of it.

The entry-luxury, front-drive Lucerne replaces the Park Avenue and the LeSabre and carries a price tag that belies its appeal. Priced from $25,590, including destination, our Lucerne tester turned nearly as many heads as the $172,000 Bentley Flying Spur we drove a while back.

One poor woman, whose man couldn’t have been more than 45 — well short of what we would consider the Lucerne’s target demo — had to drag her fellow away from our red tester and into a nearby restaurant.

He just couldn’t seem to get enough of the Lucerne’s flowing lines, coupe-like profile and aggressive stance.

Or maybe it was the portholes.

Yes, for 2006, Buick has resurrected its trademark front-fender portholes. They’re sleek and elongated now, but add a touch of sparkle and elegance that harkens back to Buick’s glory years.

You get three of the chrome-trimmed portholes if you order your Lucerne with a six-cylinder engine, and four if you get the eight.

The Lucerne is based on the same capable, front-drive platform as Cadillac’s DTS but Buick’s evolving design strategy is more organic and has a suppler feel than Cadillac’s hard-edged “Art & Science” look.

It’s a neatly executed wedge, with a shapely, unadorned front fascia, high shoulders and beefy but well proportioned rear quarter-panels.

The interior captures the same feel of relaxed refinement. The two-tier dash arches gracefully across the front of the cabin and in our tester bore a pleasing two-tone color scheme. The instrument panel is well organized, compactly designed and located low in the dash, where it is ready at hand. The seats are big, comfortable and supportive enough for sustained bouts of freeway driving, while the overall quality of materials and fit-and-finish elevate the Lucerne out of rental-fleet status.

The Lucerne is available in three trim levels and with seating for either five or six. It competes most directly against Toyota’s Avalon and is the first Buick car (as opposed to SUV) in a decade to offer eight-cylinder power.

The base engine is the familiar, 3.8-liter Series III pushrod V-6. Although it’s based on an outdated architecture, this engine continues to serve GM well, making an effortless 197 horsepower.

In the past, the up-level engine choice would have been a supercharged version of the Series III, but up-level Lucernes receive instead a 275-hp, 4.6-liter version of GM’s 32-valve, dual overhead cam, and all-aluminum Northstar V-8.

Both engines feature electronic throttle control and are paired with a four-speed automatic transmission, which is perhaps the Lucerne’s most obvious weakness. A five-speed box would better match either engine’s torque curve, improving acceleration and fuel efficiency.

The base CX (from $25,590) is well equipped with heated and cooled front seats, remote-start, rear park assist, rain-sensing wipers, DVD-base navigation, 280-watt harmon kardon audio, in-dash, six-CD changer and the first heated windshield washer application in its class.

The six powers the CX, while the midlevel CXL ($27,990) trim can be outfitted with either the six or the eight and the top-of-the-line CSX ($34,990) gets only the eight.

Under acceleration the V-8 burbles pleasantly and the Lucerne is a relaxed, long-distance driver. With its large trunk and roomy interior, it would be an ideal car for the road warrior or a couple with travel on their minds.

For the past few years, Buick has focused a good deal of effort on creating ultra-silent cabins and the Lucerne’s is, indeed, exemplary in that regard. Even with its 5-series tires, the CXS held road noise to a minimum.

Each of the configurations receives unique suspension settings, from the ultra-soft ride of the CXL to the sport-tuned CXS setup. The gap between the V-8 powered CXL and CXS is substantial: I drove the CXL on a trip through the Northern California wine country and wished for less body lean.

The CXS is equipped with 18-inch wheels, Magnetic Ride Control, Magnetic Assist steering and vehicle stability control. The resulting ride-and-handling package reminded me of something that might come from Lexus – it’s comfortable, controlled and, if not eager, at least willing.

Above all, it gave me that reassuring feeling it would do what I asked if I took sudden action to avoid a collision.

All Lucernes receive a full complement of safety gear: six airbags, including curtain-style bags and a segment first dual-depth front-passenger bag; four-wheel disc brakes, with anti-lock braking and brake assist; and vehicle stability control are standard.

The way the market shapes up today, there are limited choices for buyers seeking a big, affordable front-driver with traditional virtues and the kind of looks that will turn a head or two.

General Motors needs more cars like the ‘06 Lucerne; competent, good looking and priced right, it gives buyers something new to consider in the full-size range.