The third-generation Buick LaCrosse has made its full debut at the 2015 Los Angeles auto show.
Although it’s unlikely that the new near-luxury sedan will ever be sold in Australia, it might shed some light on the look of the next-generation Commodore.
That’s because the fully imported 2017/2018 Commodore is believed to be a lightly reworked version of the next-gen Opel Insignia. In the post-bankruptcy GM, Opel and Buick are closely aligned, with the two brands sharing many models.
These include the Buick Regal (a reworked Opel Insignia), the Buick Verano (essentially an Opel Astra sedan), the Buick Encore (an Opel Mokka with a waterfall grille) and the Buick Cascada (a federalised version of Opel’s four-seat convertible).
The LaCrosse also bears some interest for Aussies, as it is the first Buick model to be influenced by the Avenir concept that debuted at the Detroit auto show at the beginning of 2015. The Avenir was styled by a team of designers based in Holden’s studios in Victoria.
Influences directly drawn from the Avenir include the brand’s new grille design, smoother panel surfacing, and the kinked shoulder line.
The LaCrosse cabin is very clearly related to that of the Avenir, while the design of the LaCrosse’s dashboard and infotainment setup also shares a lot in common with the latest-generation Opel Astra.
Unlike the Avenir, which used a rear-wheel drive platform as its basis, the new LaCrosse sits atop front- and all-wheel drive underpinnings.
The LaCrosse is a sizeable car, measuring 5016mm in length, 1867mm in width, and sitting on a 2902mm wheelbase. While it has grown in those dimensions, the new sedan has had its overall height reduced 40mm to 1464mm.
Under the bonnet, the LaCrosse will be, initially, exclusively available with a 3.6-litre direct-injection V6 engine with 227kW of power and 363Nm of torque. A turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine is expected to be available down the line.
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