Of the things GM is doing right, the G6 Convertible isn’t one of them

Introduction

2007 Pontiac G6 Convertible

Pontiac G6 Convertible – 2007 First Drive: NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – Marketing may be the great plague of the 21st century. Everything you look at, from the Red Cross to the Holy Cross, depends on some sort of advertising to increase sales, enrollment, or as the case may be, blood donations. Just this past weekend, an especially sunny and warm one for the Memorial Day holiday, marketers were doing their evil deeds – skywriting planes butchered the brilliant blue backdrop over my city by spelling out the name of a website. Pretty soon they’ll figure out how to penetrate eyelids, literally leaving us without escape from the barrage of persuasive, subliminal messages and images.

OK, that’s feeding a bit too much from the paranoid spoon, but it’s true that marketing has its fingers in mostives, the unofficial unveiling of the V8-powered 2008 Buick LaCrosse Super, discussion about the upcoming Pontiac G5 coupe, and a test drive in the 2007 Pontiac G6 Convertible. It was the promise of a spin under the G6’s new retractable hard top that led us to spend two hours fighting traffic to reach the studio in North Hollywood.

That’s where we heard about GM’s devotion to Pontiac, one leg of a newly-created so-called brand channel, the result of which will be an increasing number of Pontiac, Buick, and GMC dealerships co-existing under one roof. In this scenario, GMC’s got trucks covered, Buick’s all over the elegant premium vehicles, and Pontiac will offer “seductive performance.” Hence, the G6 coupe, sedan, and now, hardtop convertible. When the entry-level G5 coupe is added later this year, company executives suggest these dealerships will have most anything buyers want, from inexpensive cars to heavy-duty trucks and luxurious SUVs (of course, buyers shopping on one of America’s many Boulevards of Cars could walk 100 feet north to the Toyota dealer or 100 feet south to the Ford dealer and get the same variety, but that’s beside the point).

That’s the hype part. The reality part is that at least one of the three props holding up this brand channel isn’t what GM’s marketing folks would have you believe. The Pontiac G6, while perfectly fine in many respects, is not a performance car. Not in terms of its powertrain or its handling. True, a new engine pushing about 250 horsepower is coming, but a quick look around in the G6’s segment unearths several competing models with equal or greater power, and few trying to paint themselves as performance machines. To be worthy of such a description, a car needs not only a lively powertrain, but responsive steering and tightly controlled handling. The G6 lacks all of these traits.

Ah, but it has a retractable top, making it the least expensive hardtop convertible on the market. Well, that’s what Pontiac thought before it was announced that the 2007 Volkswagen Eos will start about $500 less. Maybe putting all of the time and energy that went into making the hardtop work properly would’ve been better spent developing a powertrain and handling package befitting a performance car. Company executives admit that there’s much work left to do, but suggest that progress is being made. After driving the G6 convertible, we’d say Pontiac needs to pick up the pace.

© 2007 Autobytel Inc. All rights reserved.

Signs of Life

Introduction

Nuked leftovers ultimately disappoint. Pop a plate covered with plastic wrap into the microwave, heat on “high” for a minute or two, and the food will bubble and steam. Take off the plastic wrap, stir, and the insides are still cold, perhaps even frozen. And even if lunch is heated completely through, it is fleetingly appetizing, because five minutes later the grub is as cold as ice. Buick suffers the taint of microwaved leftovers. Every model found at a Buick dealership looks and smells like it’s ready for consumption, but possesses the shelf life of leftover lasagna. LaCrosse, Rainier, Rendezvous, Terraza, and now, the 2006 Buick Lucerne, are band-aids designed to shore up sales until the real Buick renaissance begins with the reintroduction of rear-wheel-drive to this formerly proud premium General Motors division. We’re not drinking the corporate Kool-Aid, but of this rag-tag group, the 2006 Lucerne has clearly benefited from the revitalization currently sweeping GM and, more than any other vehicle found in a Buick showroom, serves to support the brand’s positioning of attainable elegance. This is no dream car, but it strikes us as an interesting alternative to the equally cushy Lexus ES 330. Replacing the LeSabre and Park Avenue in Buick’s lineup, the 2006 Lucerne is a large, front-wheel-drive sedan based on an extensively re-engineered version of the existing LeSabre platform. GM’s familiar 3.8-liter, 195-horsepower V6 engine is standard, but a 4.6-liter V8 estimated to make 275 horsepower is available, making the Lucerne the first Buick passenger car in a decade to be equipped with an eight-cylinder engine. Either engine is matched to a four-speed automatic transmission.

2006 Buick Lucerne

Handsomely styled, the Buick Lucerne would convince as a luxury car were it not for the return of port-holes to the front fenders. This heritage design cue somewhat clutters the Lucerne’s clean flanks while instantly identifying it as a Buick. That’s too bad, because from the back, some might confuse it with the much more expensive Volkswagen Phaeton. Inside, a new dashboard features tighter seams and flush surfaces, helping to impart a quality, upscale look and feel. The Buick Lucerne includes QuietTuning, body insulation designed to reduce wind, road, and engine noise in the cabin. The Lucerne also features plenty of room for five passengers. Standard safety equipment includes a dual-stage driver airbag, a new dual-depth front passenger airbag, side-impact airbags, and side-curtain airbags. The dual-depth airbag design takes occupant seatbelt usage, seating position, and crash severity into account to deploy the front passenger airbag at a shallow depth or a deeper depth to protect the passenger. The 2006 Buick Lucerne is also equipped with OnStar telematics, which includes a notification system that alerts rescue personnel in the event that the airbags deploy. StabiliTrak stability control also comes standard.

Wrap-Up

At the car’s debut, Buick displayed the top trim level, called the Lucerne CXS. Features of this model include the V8 engine, a remote engine start feature, a magnetic ride control suspension, 18-inch chrome wheels, and chrome exhaust tips. Inside, the Lucerne CXS is decked out in wood trim, French-stitched leather upholstery, and includes a 245-watt Harman Kardon audio system with XM satellite radio. A heated washer fluid reservoir and rain-sensing wipers keep the view ahead clear, while an available DVD navigation system helps to point the way. Those living in extreme climates will want the available heated and cooled front seats to keep winter and summer at bay. Arriving in the fall of 2005, the 2006 Buick Lucerne is yet to be priced. We’d guess that base models with the V6 engine would overlap with higher-end versions of the Buick LaCrosse, with loaded Lucerne CXS models closing in on $40,000. Though Buick still has a ways to go before it truly represents attainable elegance, the 2006 Lucerne is a clear step in the right direction, if not the final piece of the puzzle.

by Staff
Photo Credit: General Motors

© 2007 Autobytel Inc. All rights reserved.