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| 2017 LaCrosse: Full-Size Luxury Sedan |
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| 2017 LaCrosse: Full-Size Luxury Sedan |
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| 2017 LaCrosse: Full-Size Luxury Sedan |
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| 2017 LaCrosse: Full-Size Luxury Sedan |
The new LaCrosse's lower weight is also due in part to new lower mass sound-absorbing materials including a lightweight dissipative dash mat in place of heavier noise-blocking pads that result in a new threshold for Buick's signature QuietTuning.
The balance of the efficiency equation comes from a technologically advanced, second-generation 3.6L V-6 engine paired with a new eight-speed automatic transmission. Standard Stop/Start technology improves efficiency in stop-and-go driving.
The new LaCrosse's expressive exterior design creates a new proportion for a more dramatic road presence. The front wheels have been pulled forward and the wheelbase stretched 2.7 inches (65 mm), while the overall length is only 0.6-inch longer (15 mm). The dynamic proportion is further enhanced by a roofline that's 1.6 inches (40 mm) lower than the current model.
The longer wheelbase is matched by wheels pushed outward 1.3 inches (33 mm) in the front and 1.1 inches (28 mm) in the rear, while the car's width has grown only 0.4-inch (10 mm), creating a wheels-at-corners stance intended to convey road confidence.
"It's a sleeker design that looks confident and purposeful," said Holt Ware, exterior design director. "Stretching the wheelbase, lowering the roofline and making it slightly wider creates a dramatic effect that is enhanced by the design's supporting elements such as the swept headlamps."
The signature sweepspear body-side design element has been reinterpreted in a modern fashion, enhancing the car's sculpture. The split design gives the body side a greater perception of depth, while picking up additional body lines for an elegant, uninterrupted flow from the front fenders to the rear.
The 2017 LaCrosse's body lines are reinforced by a longer "daylight opening" - the portion of the upper body between the A- and C-pillars. They're ringed with chrome, intended to add a tastefully restrained premium accent to the body side.
Other details blend form and function. Outside mirrors are mounted on pedestals on the doors rather than the corners of the front side windows. The design offers a greater field of view while the mirror housings were shaped in the wind tunnel to help reduce wind noise.
Aerodynamic considerations also drove the dynamic sweep of the decklid, which acts as a spoiler to make the most of airflow over the LaCrosse. Deflectors in front of the tires help reduce drag.
Next-generation powertrain
LaCrosse's all-new 3.6L V-6 engine with direct injection and dual overhead cams is the second generation of GM's DOHC V-6 engine family and incorporates new features such as Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) and Stop/Start technology.
The Active Fuel Management system temporarily deactivates two of the 3.6L's cylinders in light-load driving conditions to enhance fuel efficiency and seamlessly reactivates them when full power is needed.
With the efficiency-enhancing Stop/Start system, the engine shuts down in certain driving conditions such as at a stop light to reduce fuel consumption. It automatically restarts when the driver takes his or her foot off the brake pedal.
An all-new noise-reducing cam drive system contributes to the LaCrosse's benchmark quietness.
The 3.6L is General Motors-estimated at 305 horsepower (227 kW) and 268 lb-ft of torque (363 Nm); and it's matched with a new eight-speed automatic transmission.