It was not that long ago that Buick had a huge lineup of cars, all of them similar in their mission and target consumer. For the 2008, there are just three vehicles with Buick badges on them, a sign that the manufacturer is attempting to focus its offerings.
The most important of those three is the new Enclave crossover SUV. This could be one of Buick's most important models ever, so it had better be good. And it is, with thoroughly modern mechanicals and features that keep it highly competitive with the leaders of the segment. The Enclave is large enough to accommodate up to eight passengers, just like a Chevy Tahoe. Unlike the Tahoe, however, it is powered by a V-6 engine making 275 hp that returns superior fuel mileage. The Enclave joins corporate twins from Saturn and GMC, but it is more luxurious than those two. Among its impressive feature list is a standard power liftgate, a second row that can execute more flips than Cirque de Soleil performers, and a back seat DVD system with a large screen.
Buick's sedans, the Lucerne and Lacrosse, are largely the same as last year's except for one thing: they're Super. Or, to clarify, they can each be ordered as Supers. Back in the day, super was the Buick way of saying that the car was the most powerful and luxed-up of the lineup. And they get Buick's portholes on the fender. On the LaCrosse Super, that means a 5.3-liter, 300-hp V-8 that takes the place of lesser models' V-6 engines. Sadly, this power is still routed through the front wheels, making wheelspin a problem. The top dog Lucerne Super's Northstar V-8 makes less power - only 292 hp. Which makes it slightly less, um, super.