Actually, the current Lacrosse and Lucerne are still available with a bench seat and column shifter.

 

That's the 'reputation' that Buick has to rid itself of, today. People won't look favorably on any brand that offers cars with front bench seats and column shifters. It screams out 'taxi fleet' motoring.

 

But by doing so, they will also be driving away a lot of their current Buick customers. So short term you loose sales while it will take a while for new models to gain traction with new market.

 

I guess there is little option for Buick but to play with the established runners... much like Cadillac a decade or so ago.

I wonder how many of the traditional Cadillac crowd has stuck with the 'art and science' era Cadillac and how many newbies have been lured to the brand.

 

Yes they still have column gear shift and bench seats. But who cares if they are gone? I have yet to hear anyone who has to have a bench seat and column shifter in a car. They will be driving away no one and attracting many more customers by losing those items.

 

There are people who prefer the capability of six passenger seating with a full sized sedan. I know lots of them, and yes, they are typically older. They have money to spend too.

 

What are the demographic prospects of this group? Buick sales are already down something like 80% from a decade ago, they don't really have much more to lose.

 

Most of them aren't much into computers, so you wouldn't hear from them on message boards

 

My coworker owns an '07 Buick Lucerne CXL with the bench seat and column shifter.

Then again, she is a grandmother...

 

I've always found it interesting and sometimes confusing why some of the most practical better designed things are looked down upon as lame or for 'grannies'.

The column shifter is a great example.

Why do you gain with a console shifter? Not much. Looks, asthetics, I suppose to a degree.

With the column shifter, you GAIN all that basically wasted space where the console shifter would be...

Even the bench seat... it's roomier, more versitile, and sometimes more confortable, but again, it's only for the horribly aged in many eyes.

Granted, a bench seat doesn't have a place in a performance car, where the better holding bucket seat is the obvious choice... but in a daily driver family cruiser, it's probably superior.



............ and with all that said, even though I see the virtues of column shifters and bench seats... left with the choice, I'd probably choose a console shifter with buckets.

 

Having owned vehicles with column shifters and without, I do prefer without. I actually prefer the space vacated by the shifter replaced with the windshield wiper controls.

 

but very true.

 

Thanks, didn't know that. Guess the learned a lesson. I haven't spent much time with LaCrosse or Lucerne as my dad retired right before the LaCrosse launched. I can't tell you how many buyers he heard from about not being able to get a 3800 with a bench and column in Regal or Century.

I think that the end of the 3800 will have an impact on the "blue hairs" perception of Buick as well. "That got a 3800" was a very common inquiry on the showroom floor. I realize it's old tech, but a lot of those folks wanted a Buick engine in their Buick and the 3800 had a very good reputation with the longtime buyers.

 

My point is the changes they are making will instantly alienate many current buyers....but not instantly win over the new buyers they want. The question is will GM have the stomach for a short term sales decrease in the hope of long term gain.

 

Cars are an extension of one's personality. Some even scream out 'sex appeal' - not a trait that you would associate commonly with the gray generation. Cars are no longer basic A-B transport. Actually, that's been the case for how many decades now?