This year’s Detroit Auto Show brought us the Buick Avenir, a concept car that showed smoothly sculpted lines, bringing the brand under the spotlights. The Avenir is expected to influence the next-gen LaCrosse, which is approaching the end of its development cycle fast.
Photo: TFL Car via Youtube
The new LaCrosse was recently spotted testing, with a pair of prototypes helping complete the development. Despite the two still wearing the heavy camouflage, we’ve seen on previous spy sessions, the vehicle, which we expect to receive as a 2017 model year, appears to be an upmarket move. We can see the vehicles in the clip below, which comes from TFL Car.
For instance, its sloping roofline indicates Buick wants to invest more into the emotional buying assets. Fingers crossed the detail will be pleasing to the eye once revealed and that we won’t receive a bland version of the Avenir.
Nevertheless, the major changes will start from the platform up. The current LaCrosse is underpinned by GM’s Epsilon platform, but the new model will ride on the E2XX architecture we’ve already seen at worok on the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu.
Aside from the body and chassis benefits, this will bring an advance on the engine front. The current 3.6-liter V6 and slushbox will be shelved in favor of more modern powertrains.
Motivation will come from the 3.6-liter LGX V6, which can now be found on the sixth-generation Camaro, as well as on a number of Cadillac models, ranging from the ATS to the CT6.
Nonetheless, unofficial sources claim the downsizing race will determine Buick to offer a 2-liter turbocharged engine as a starting point. If that will be the case, we’ll be dealing with an output of 275 hp and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque.
We’ll remind you a series of photos from China, which has emerged earlier this month, already shows the new LaCrosse, offering us both an exterior and an interior view. However, this might be a different car to the vehicle we expect to receive next year as the 2017 LaCrosse.
For instance, its sloping roofline indicates Buick wants to invest more into the emotional buying assets. Fingers crossed the detail will be pleasing to the eye once revealed and that we won’t receive a bland version of the Avenir.
The technical side
Nevertheless, the major changes will start from the platform up. The current LaCrosse is underpinned by GM’s Epsilon platform, but the new model will ride on the E2XX architecture we’ve already seen at worok on the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu.
Aside from the body and chassis benefits, this will bring an advance on the engine front. The current 3.6-liter V6 and slushbox will be shelved in favor of more modern powertrains.
Motivation will come from the 3.6-liter LGX V6, which can now be found on the sixth-generation Camaro, as well as on a number of Cadillac models, ranging from the ATS to the CT6.
Nonetheless, unofficial sources claim the downsizing race will determine Buick to offer a 2-liter turbocharged engine as a starting point. If that will be the case, we’ll be dealing with an output of 275 hp and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque.
Not sure about the Chinese side of the story yet
We’ll remind you a series of photos from China, which has emerged earlier this month, already shows the new LaCrosse, offering us both an exterior and an interior view. However, this might be a different car to the vehicle we expect to receive next year as the 2017 LaCrosse.
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