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2005 Buick Allure
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According to Judy Brennan, vehicle line director for the Buick Allure, the oft-maligned “floaty Buick” is a thing of the past. The new-for-05 Allure, which replaces the tried-and-true Century and Regal models, will have a much tauter ride and better handling properties than the models it’s replacing.
Otherwise, it’s pretty much business as usual. The Allure is aimed at an older group of buyers – aged between 40 and 50, according to the company – and is a roomy, quiet, and non-offensive four door sedan that retains the virtues and characteristics that made its predecessors so popular while upping the performance ante slightly. The Century/Regal were one of the few bright spots in GM’s stable of sedans and privately, some GM executives are wondering why the company bothered to change the name at all. It’s one thing to discontinue a model that’s been unsuccessful or hasn’t fared well in the marketplace, but that doesn’t apply here, and Buick has its work cut out for it over the next few months to prove to buyers that the Allure is a worthy successor to the Century/Regal.
Should be no problem once the word gets out. The Allure benefits from completely new sheet metal, a new interior layout, and a new drivetrain….sort of. Gone is the dependable but outdated 3.1 litre pushrod V6 used in the Century and Regal and in its place is a pair of larger V6 powerplants displacing 3.8 litres and 3.6 litres. Power outputs are 200 horsepower at 5200 rpm and 240 horsepower at 6000 rpm, respectively, with the smaller of the two coming with overhead camshafts and GMs variable valve timing system, thus the higher power output.
The four-speed automatic transmission – the only choice – is carried over from the previous models, although the high-performance CXS model will feature heavier duty internal components.
The new Allure will come in three trim levels: base CX, CXL, and CXS. Essentially, standard equipment level separates them. For example, the CX comes with air conditioning, power windows and door locks, the smaller V6 engine and four-wheel disc brakes, among other things. Step up to the CXL, which is what I drove during the vehicle launch in Ontario, and you’re confronted with extras such as power seats, dual zone air conditioning, spoke alloy wheels, and anti-locking brakes. The CXS, meanwhile, has all of the above, plus side impact airbags, six-disc CD player, upgraded stereo, heated outside mirrors, back-up warning system, and my personal favourite, a remote starting device. The subject of much controversy and despised by clean-air advocates, the remote vehicle start allows you to warm up – or cool off – your car from up to 150 metres away. Simply press a couple of buttons on the key fob and Bob’s Your Uncle……it starts all by itself. Some folks claim that the remote start feature, which is also available in other GM models, is responsible for vast amounts of emissions created by thousands of cars idling out in the street with no one in them. On the other hand, the Allure, for example, will only run by itself for 15 minutes, and it does provide a comfy warm car to slip into during those cold winter months….or a mildly chilled environment during the heat of summer. You decide.
It’s no secret that domestic carmakers are steadily losing ground to offshore manufacturers in the four-door sedan marketplace….especially in major Canadian cities like Calgary, Vancouver, and Montreal. Buick executives are keenly aware of this and have targeted the Lexus 300/330 as their benchmark for the Allure. It’s a little early in the game to tell if they’re succeeding, but if ride quality and NVH is any indication, they’re well on their way. “We’ve added what we call ‘quiet tuning’”, explains Buick’s Judy Brennan. “Just like we did with the Rainier (SUV).” In order to keep the Allure nice and quiet inside, Buick engineers have fitted laminated sheet metal in the dashboard area, special “acoustic” glass in the windshield and side windows, noise-absorbing carpet, and special sound deadening baffles in the roof pillars. Interestingly, Bob Lutz, GM’s vice-president of vehicle development and legendary fan of American muscle cars, had a direct hand in the design of the new Allure.
In order to attract buyer’s interest in this very competitive market segment, Buick has been forced to keep the price down on the Allure. The base CX starts at $25,200, and is a lot of car for the money. Add a few goodies like – oh – six passenger seating, column-mounted shift lever, ABS, split folding rear seat and so on, and you’re up to the $30,000 mark before you can say Honda Accord. The middle of the range CXL starts at $27,865 , while the top of the line CXS goes out the door for $33,265. Within these pricing structures, however, lies a whole shopping list of options such as leather interior, side impact airbags, special chrome trim, power sunroof, and on and on. Like its predecessors, the Allure has one of the most extensive list of options and “packages” in the industry.
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| Manufacturer's Site |
Buick
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| At A Glance |
Type: mid-size four-door sedan
Seating capacity: Five or six passengers
Drivetrain: Front-drive, 3.6 & 3.8 litre V6 engines
Transmission: Four-speed automatic only
Fuel economy: 11.9 L/100 km (24 mpg) city, 7.3 L/100 km (39 mpg) hwy
Recommended fuel: 87 Octane
Cargo volume: 453 litres/16 cu.ft.
Popular options: Dual-zone air conditioning, alloy wheels, remote starter, ABS, leather interior.
Price range: $25,200 to $33,265.
Competition: Toyota Camry, Ford 500, Honda Accord.
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