Buick

LaCrosse

For Release:

October 18, 1999

DETROIT - Buick’s concept LaCrosse is an

innovative, graceful and stylish luxury sedan with

surprising versatility—it’s quickly converted to a

carrier of oversized cargo when panels open to

reveal its pickup-type bed. This five-passenger

sedan combines luxury and comfort with an

elegant exterior design that immediately says

Buick with its "sweepspear" side profile,

vertical-bar grille, "portholes" and cross-car rear

lighting.

LaCrosse’s most notable feature is its ability to be

quickly transformed—with a single voice

command—from a luxury car to a light cargo

carrier with an open bed. The tailgate

electronically slides downward and under the

vehicle, and the rear window and rear portion of

the roof slide forward to reveal the cargo area.

During this operation, the front section of roof

moves slightly downward to accommodate the

sliding panels. LaCrosse’s four doors are

power-operated and hinged at the front and rear

pillars, opening at the center pillar for easy

access.

The concept

Buick’s interior

has unusually

comfortable "club

chairs" with

power-adjustable

passenger

footrests. The

interior showcases consumer-friendly advanced

technology such as voice-activated controls in

place of the switches and displays usually

mounted in the instrument panel. The only visible

controller is a single trackball-like device

installed in a console. The driver uses the

controller in conjunction with voice commands to

operate all systems except throttle, brakes and

steering. Features selected by the driver are

projected on the windshield in reconfigurable

color head-up displays for both the driver and

front passenger.

Buick reintroduces V8 power in this concept car

with a prototype 4.2-liter, 32-valve dual overhead

cam engine with an electronically controlled

4-speed automatic transmission.